by Jan Cox
In Chester, Quincy and Susanville, you will find the most amazing volunteer organization called Hospice. It is the mission of this group to give end-of-life aid and support to terminal patients and their families. Like me, you may have wondered how this name came about? In Europe, during medieval times, hospices were way stations where those traveling could receive care and shelter when needed. Today, this concept has been extended to those who are close to the end of their lives. We now celebrate Hospice month each November.
These trained volunteer groups offer unique health care in the form of coordinating practical, psychological, social, and spiritual support for individuals and families. In this way, patients can live out the rest of their lives in the environment of their choice.
I was pleased to be able to speak to Doreene Wood, the administrative Coordinator of Plumas Community Hospice in Quincy who gave me a little deeper insight into what volunteering for Hospice means. All the local Hospices train those who wish to help in any way. After the training, volunteers who choose to work with patients are matched to specific patients and families. They journey with the patient in whatever way is needed. You might call them, “trained friends”. They can run errands, drive the patient to the doctor, offer respite care for the family caregivers, act as a sounding board for concerns of the patient and family, coordinate health care from the patient’s doctors and caretakers, and support the patient and family through the dying process. Hospice is not a religious organization and volunteers serve everyone, no matter what their belief system. They are very special, caring people.
Those volunteers, who choose not to work with patients, help support the organization in many other ways. Right now, for example, the Plumas Community Hospice is looking for people with computer skills. Other ways to help include being on the board of directors, being a patient care coordinator, helping at the thrift store or at fundraising events. In Quincy, Dr. Jeff Kapple, from North Fork Family Medical supports Hospice with concerts in the Town Hall Theater where he plays guitar and promotes the talent of local youth including his three daughters who sing with him. This year’s concert will take place on November 8 with all proceeds going to Plumas Community Hospice. This Hospice serves the Quincy, Crescent Mills, Greenville, Bucks Lake, Greenhorn Creek area and Feather River Canyon. You can reach them at 394-7228.
Sierra Hospice serves the Chester, Westwood, Clear Creek and Lake Almanor Basin and surrounding areas. This group offers many other services besides patient care. The Forget-Me-Not Thrift Store not only serves the community with high quality used goods, but also supports Hospice financially. Other services include Camp Hug, a free bereavement camp for ages 8-18, and Camp Big Hug for those 18 and older which is held at Camp Ronald McDonald at Eagle Lake. They also offer a 6 week free cancer support group led by volunteers who are either cancer survivors or in the health services.
Karron White, the director of Sierra Hospice can be contacted at the office at 150 Brentwood Dr. in Chester or by calling 258-3412. Or you can view information on their great website at www.sierrahospice.com.
Honey Lake Hospice in Susanville offers many of the same services as Sierra Hospice. Historically they have trained with Sierra Hospice beginning in 2004. Training will again take place in the spring of 2010 and will be announced in the newspapers. Their coordinator, Andria Cuypers noted that they work closely with the patient’s physicians and with Quincy Home Medical Services in caring for patients. This Hospice serves Susanville, Janesville, Milford, Herlong, Doyle and the Eaagle Lake area. Honey Lake Hospice is located at 2930 Riverside Dr. Susanville or call 257-3137.
Special Fundraisers
All of these Hospices have fundraisers to help support their program. One of Sierra Hospice’s projects is a special dinner and auction event. This year thanks to very generous contributors from both the art community, who donated art, and from those who gave generously to purchase the same, Art From the Heart netted over $10,000 to help Sierra Hospice continue their most important service to the community.
Each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, a tree lighting ceremony is held at Wildwood in Chester which commemorates loved ones who have died. Lights may be bought at Plumas Bank in honor of these people and cost $10 per light or 3 lights for 3 different people at $25. This year’s ceremony begins at 6 pm and includes the reading of names which are also printed in a book, a candle-lighting ceremony in their memory, beautiful music including a special solo, and homemade refreshments.
Honey Lake Hospice also has two main fundraisers. They have an afternoon tea in the spring and a tree lighting ceremony the weekend before Thanksgiving. At Eagle Lake Village, an assisted living community on Paul Bunyan Road, Honey Lake Hospice has planted a tree which is decorated with dye cut doves in memory of loved ones who have died. These doves sell for $10 each while a perpetual acrylic dove is available for $100. These doves may be purchased at either Margie’s Booknook or Plumas Bank in Susanville.
All three Hospices offer a tremendous service to their respective communities. Part of hospice care includes bereavement services. These Hospices have libraries of books and videos about specific diseases or death and dying issues, brochures and handouts. Hospice volunteers are available for bereavement and grief counseling, either one-on-one or through workshops, and are also available for sudden death intervention.
To be eligible for Hospice, a patient must be in the final stages of a terminal illness, be a patient of a primary physician, have a caretaker available for ongoing care in the home, and live in the service area of the Hospice. All three Hospices are listed in the Yellow Pages of your phone book under Hospices.
