HospiceCare Inc. has numerious grief support group series, offering a
recurring support group and provide an introductory session for those grieving
the death of a loved one. All of the sessions are open to the public and are provided
without charge, unless noted otherwise. All groups require pre-registration and
are held at the Don & Marilyn Anderson HospiceCare Center, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway,
Madison, unless otherwise noted. To get information and register, call (608) 276-4660
and ask to speak with a grief counselor.
· Powerful Tools for Caregivers is held Tuesdays, October 4 through November
8, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This six-week series offers practical tips and
tools to help family caregivers be successful in their caregiving role. There
is a $10 fee to attend.
· Bridges Weekly Support Group is held every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to
11:00 a.m. This ongoing group is for adults who are grieving the death of a loved
one. Pre-registration is not required.
· Introduction to Grief is an informative session for adults that offers
suggestions on how to navigate the grieving process and provides information about
HospiceCare grief support groups. This session is available by appointment only.
Call Mary Severson at (608) 327-7182 to make an appointment. Open Discussion With
Doctors Is Key to Care
A recent survey indicates that if you want hospice at the end of life, it may
be a good idea to let your doctor know in advance that you are comfortable talking
about it. The 2010 study of 500 people from Dane and Rock counties found that
97 percent of people would trust their doctor more than ANY other source to provide
information about hospice"and would expect them to do so. Yet, only 55 percent
of people surveyed said their doctor was the one who gave them information about
hospice.
People often think that, because HospiceCare cares for the dying, we have the
toughest job, says HospiceCare President/CEO Susan Phillips. But the people with
the hardest jobs are those who have to tell the patient that its time for HospiceCare"that
there is no cure and that they have less than six months to live.
Patient Knows How to Live
Viola Rengstorff was a little concerned about riding in the River Valley High
School homecoming parade, but that didn't stop the feisty 102-year-old HospiceCare
patient. As Spring Green High School's* oldest living graduate, Viola had beaten
some long odds to ride in the parade. Living Longer With HospiceCare In January
2010, Viola was rushed to the hospital with a terrible pain in her side. "I figured
I was on my way out," she says. Though it wasn't a heart attack as she suspected,
she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Her doctor gave her three months to live.
She began receiving hospice services at her home the same month. Soon her breathing
improved and her strength returned. In fact, 10 months later, Viola has not been
back to the hospital and has resumed socializing. Viola's story illustrates the
findings of a study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management that
found patients on hospice live an average of 29 days longer than nonhospice patients
with a similar diagnosis. "HospiceCare gives you more motive to want to live,"
she says. "There's always something going on, somebody stopping in." HOSPICE
CARE CONCERNS
Learning About "Signs and Symptoms: Is it time to Call? HospiceCare at
(608) 276-4660 and ask to speak with a grief counselor.
Hospice is for anyone, with any disease, who is at the end of life. People with
Alzheimer's, lung disease and heart disease are among patients who have benefited
from hospice services.
HospiceCare Offers Two Question & Answer
Some questions?
"Spiritual Needs and Questions at the End of Life"
"Choosing the Gift of HospiceCare"
"Balancing Elder Care & Work"
Call Don & Marilyn Anderson Hos-piceCare Center, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Madison.Call
Carrie Glantz, Hos-piceCare public affairs at (608) 327-7202.
