Covenant Chronicles

Serving our Nations Heroes – A Call to Action for the New Year

branelli — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:58:48 +0000

Looking back on 2011, Covenant Hospice has much to celebrate as an organization truly committed to serving our nations heroes. We have achieved Partnership Status in the nationally recognized initiative, We Honor Veterans, a program sponsored by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization that invites hospices to facilitate, increase, and improve quality of care for Veterans. But what does this really mean and what can be celebrated?

This means that in pursuit of such recognition, Covenant Hospice has delivered on our promise of excellence in compassionate care to 1,114 Veterans and their families in 2011 based upon excellent collaboration between staff and volunteers. Allow me to proceed with a shining example:

Several months ago, one of our volunteers, Ray Wann shared a special story about an experience he coordinated with one of our veteran patients inDothan, it is the classic and touching story of John Christy:

Mr. Wann, like all of our outstanding volunteers, went above and beyond by contacting several individuals who served with Mr. Christy years ago and invited them to the families home for a special ceremony. Now, one of the interesting things about this story is that in addition to Mr. Wann and Mr. Christy both being Veterans, they also were chaplains and attended the same church where they participated in the choir together. Well, Mr. Wann invited a music coordinator to the home as well and all enjoyed a wonderful ceremony together to honor this gentleman’s service to our country and enjoyed fellowship to the sound of patriotic music and spiritual hymns.

One of the most rewarding aspects of serving Veterans is being able to see the joy in these individuals faces as they are being recognized and I think you’ll agree, the picture below is wonderfully moving and an excellent example of excellence in compassionate care.

And so, as a call to action for the new year, please be assured that efforts to recognize and serve our nations heroes means so very much to the men and woman who are being recognized and not only speaks highly of our organization, but is consistent with our mission, our promise to the patients and families we serve!

Yours in Service,

Brian E. Ranelli
Special Projects Manager
Covenant Hospice

Out with the “old”?

Curtis — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:12:30 +0000

This new year is in full swing now…so chances are you’ve said or heard it said already “out with the old, in with the new.” Have you ever considered that saying? Do we really need to put everything behind us and press ahead to newer and better things and places? I wonder. Yes, I get the idea of being positive, focusing on things in our lives that didn’t work or go well and trying to tweak those things. Yes, there have been quasi-hepta-ga-zillion New Year’s resolutions made, and those resolutions are great because they inspire, they challenge, they redirect.

But are we sometimes too anxious to live out that saying and throw the old away and jump on the latest bandwagon or fad or self-improvement tactic? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for resolve and resolutions. But how quick are we to throw the baby out with the bathwater?

Self-confession: I was faced with this reality as I discussed with my Covenant Hospice team about some of our patients who have passed away. We have a time of remembrance to honor them, and as some names were mentioned, I could not put a face with them. As some faces were mentioned, I could not put a name with them. Though it had only been a few months, those names and faces escaped me. To be fair, none of us can remember everyone we meet and have contact with, maybe even those we’ve given direct care to. But how quick are we to forget, and maybe even hope to forget quickly?

My point is this for us: don’t be so quick to redirect your lives. Have you considered that maybe, just maybe remembering is a way to continuing your journey. Maybe our memory of the “old” is just the thing we need to shape the “new.”

Don’t be so quick to throw the old out: old habits, old memories, old diets. Don’t be so quick to bring in new habits, new memories, new diets. Because if memory serves me right, we end up throwing a lot of those out the following January. Experts tell me it takes 21 days to make a habit. We are just past that in January so if you haven’t lived up to those “new” resolutions, then you probably won’t. Don’t be discouraged. Maybe by remembering some of the “old” it will encourage you to keep journeying into the “new.”

I’d love to hear your thoughts and struggles and successes with 2012. May this year bring blessing in all things “old” and “new.”

Touch Therapy

Courtney — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:10:18 +0000

As the social worker for Alzheimer’s Family Services, I talk with many families and professionals every day and fairly frequently I have the opportunity to speak to the community about Alzheimer’s. It was at one of these recent speaking engagements that I was going through my usual presentation about Alzheimer’s and communication and came across the slide about communication and the importance of touch. For some reason, the lesson of touch struck me that day. As I think about it more, the importance of the lesson has grown. Touch, the simplest purest way for us to communicate with another person. We hug in greeting our friends and neighbors; we pat a person’s back when they achieve a goal; we even hold a person’s hand to show them love and affection or to simply let them know we are there. However, when a person (dementia or not) becomes older we often stop giving meaningful touch. When a person becomes sick either physically or mentally, such as Alzheimer’s, we stop meaningful touch. Why? Maybe because we’re worried that we’ll physically hurt that person or maybe it’s because we don’t know how the person would respond and we don’t want to cross a boundary. Think about it though- touch. It’s so simple and yet so vital to our well-being.

There are many things a caregiver can do to help connect with and stimulate a person with dementia, and one of the most effective is the activity of touch. Visual stimulation usually only lasts a short time because the memory recall becomes shorter and they are easily distracted. This can feed frustration, agitation, mood swings, and stress reactions. However, tactile (touch activities) and aroma stimulation can bring calm and relaxation. Consider a dementia patient who is just not having a good day and they come to you tense and impatient. Using something as simple as lotion, you could take their hand and begin a gentle massage. The touch, being soft and gentle, will calm them almost immediately. Touching the skin this way begins to slow their heartbeat, alleviates anxiety and relaxes the mind and therefore the mood. Don’t underestimate the therapeutic effect of touch.

Below is a simple tactile activity to try your self. Two things to remember when thinking of providing a tactile activity:

Know the person’s history. Make sure that the touch you are giving will be appropriate for the person’s history.
Don’t push the activity. If they don’t want to participate, then that’s okay.

This activity is simple but rewarding. Put on some soft relaxing music, preferably in a room with a sink. Next, fill up a large basin or sink with warm water. Put in your washcloth to get it nice and warm. Then, take a washcloth and cover your loved one’s hands for about a minute. You should instantly see their faces relax. Then, put lotion on your loved one’s hands and give them a hand massage. If you are using the aroma therapy lotion, allow them to smell it. A few aromatherapy oils that have been found to be helpful are lemon balm, lavender, and sweet marjoram. Essential oils should be diluted before use, however, they may also be found already diluted in locations or creams. Use this time for yourself as well. Enjoy it. Appreciate this time of gentle touch and let it communicate your heart.

I can donate that?!

covenanthospice — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:21:49 +0000

Most of us with unused household items or never-worn clothing would make a short trip to the local thrift store, donating them for a quick tax-deduction. Well, what do you do with a late model vehicle that seems to be consistently racking up hundreds of dollars in repair expenses? What about the boat that has been sitting parked and unused for years? Or the RV that has seen better days and is now collecting dust and taking up much-needed storage space?

Donate them to Covenant Hospice! It’s a simple and convenient way to get rid of your vehicle while doing good in your community and getting a tax deduction!

Don’t worry about cleaning it up, repairing it, internet postings, classified ads or scheduling strangers to come to your home to view it. Vehicles can be in any condition, running or not, and can be picked up anywhere in our Northwest Florida or South Alabama service area.

Just pick up the phone, call Covenant Hospice, and a courteous, qualified professional will pick up your vehicle at a time convenient for you.

For more information, please contact Jenni Perkins at (850) 598-5003.

Sophia’s Story

covenanthospice — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:18:56 +0000

Sophia was a happy baby girl, born into a family of four with two big brothers excited about their little sister and parents excited about a little girl. Sophia was diagnosed with severe reflux soon after birth. However, other symptoms begin to appear as she grew. By 8 months old, Sophia had poor weight gain, continued reflux, usual eye movements, and was very cranky.

After many tests, physician visits, and specialists, Sophia was diagnosed with a rare metabolic disorder, Gaucher disease with a poor prognosis. The weeks following Sophia’s diagnosis, the family found themselves in shock and wondering how they were going to care for a dying child.

Sophia declined very quickly. Over the next 2 months, Sophia began to receive her feedings through a tube. She required oxygen to breath. But the crankiness was the most troubling symptom.

I met Sophia and her family one January morning. As I entered the room, I saw mom pacing back and forth, holding and bouncing Sophia. Sophia was fussing and wiggling in her mother’s arms. I could tell her mother had not slept that night. Sophia’s dad appeared exhausted as well, while the boys were running around the house.

I asked if I could hold Sophia while we talked. The mother said’ “Yes, please.” As I began talking to the family and listening to their concerns, I learned that neither mom nor dad had slept very much over the past 4 days. Sophia’s crankiness had increased and she was having difficulty breathing. During my visit, the family shared their story with me and expressed their concerns. In tears, the mother looked at me and said, “I just want her to be comfortable and allow us to sleep.”

I worked with the family and physicians to develop a plan to make those two things happen. I remember the first night Sophia slept comfortably. The dad called me first thing in the morning to say Sophia slept through the night, but they didn’t because they kept getting up to check on her.

Sophia spent the last 4 days of her life comfortably at home. The day she died, the mother called me to thank me….for what, I thought…but she said those last 4 days had allowed her family to be a family again. She told me about how they had spent their morning laughing and taking pictures together. Sophia had even licked an apple that morning and made the whole family laugh when she made a sour face.

As I look forward to 2012, I reflect on the children and families I have cared for in the past. How they have touched me; how I have learned from them; and how committed I am to caring for children and their families with life limiting conditions.

To learn more about Gaucher Disease, please visit www.childrensgaucher.org

To learn more about Covenant Hospice and the services we provide, please visit www.covenanthospice.org

This story was submitted by our Director of Children and Family Support Services, Holly Herring.

Congratulations to…

covenanthospice — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:30:17 +0000

…Kasey Bowers, Covenant’s Employee of the Month for January! Kasey is an RN in the Daphne Branch. Read how her coworkers’ describe Kasey’s great work:

Kasey always provides such thorough and compassionate care for her patients, truly tailoring her visits and plan of care to their needs. Kasey has a loving, calm manner. She is able to educate and share difficult and emotional information in a very gentle and respectful manner. She is timely with documentation, which is most helpful to the team. She has also on occasion provided a continuous care shift herself when there was no one else available because of patient needs and her desire to provide the best care possible.

Congratulations Kasey! Thank you for all your hard work at Covenant Hospice.

Resolve to GIVE BACK in 2012!

Keelea — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:58:49 +0000

In Covenant Hospice’s Volunteer Department, there is no shortage of inspiration. In fact, on any given day, dozens of Covenant Volunteers can be found assisting patients and families, helping in our offices, or educating the community about the services provided by our organization. Our volunteers are a constant source of inspiration to me in my job, as well as in other aspects of my life. They rub off on you, and you just can’t help but to be motivated by the amazing work they do every day.

Just this past weekend, like so many of us, I was pondering my own New Year’s Resolution. Of course, like everyone else, I’d love to lose the extra pounds, drop some bad habits, pick up some healthy ones, and see an overall improvement in myself in 2012. But I’ve resolved do just that in year’s before and here I am…same as always. How can I make it stick in 2012? Thinking of the volunteers I work with every day gave me the answer!

I’ve resolved to focus on recommitting myself to my work; both my work here at Covenant and to the volunteer work I do in my community. I believe that by focusing on “paying it forward” this year, I’ll feel better about myself and be more likely to take better care of myself along the way. I’d like to encourage all of you that have given up on New Year’s Resolutions in the past to resolve to give something back to your community in 2012. You’re likely to meet some wonderful people, gain some new skills, and feel better about yourself along the way!

You can find lots of opportunities to get involved with us here at Covenant Hospice, or find a cause that is close to your heart. It’s all about feeling good about doing something worthwhile and being proud of helping to make our world a better place. What could be more important than that?

My New Year’s Resolutions

Melissa — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:04:38 +0000

Happy New Year! The beginning of a new year is an exciting time for me. I’m a goal-setter — the kind of person who really enjoys setting my sites on something new and laying out the steps needed to get there. I write down weekly goals every Monday, quarterly goals for my work, and, of course, New Year’s resolutions. Do other people find this annoying? Probably. But to me, there aren’t many things that give me greater satisfaction than meeting a goal.

My New Year’s Resolution tend to look something like this:

Lose weight
Stick to a budget
Read x number of books
Clean out the pantry/guest room/garage

But this year, I’m taking a different approach. For 2012, my resolutions look more like this:

Spend more time with the people I love.

This year, I know that my family will be facing some very hard times. My father-in-law has cancer and things aren’t looking great. My maternal grandmother has suffered multiple strokes and isn’t making much sense anymore. My paternal grandfather has just been admitted to a nursing home and my grandmother is having a hard time coping with their separation. A dear friend is undergoing chemo and radiation for colon cancer. And I know that there are probably more, unexpected difficulties in store for us this year. 2011 has been a reminder to me, as I hope it is to you, just how important it is to make memories with those we love. So this year, that’s my focus.

Of course, I wouldn’t mind losing a few pounds in the process.

I hope that your new year is full of love and family. Please share your resolutions with us here!

My Connect to Purpose Moment

Keelea — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:11:09 +0000

It was 2006 when I met Mrs. Vivian “Tommy” Adams while collecting narratives for the Faces of Life book, a collection of stories from Covenant patients and family members. Mrs. Tommy had dementia, but to look in her face was to know that she was, and always had been, all about kindness and giving and love. Cared for by her doting daughter, she told me the story of her life over a visit of a couple of hours and gave me a gift that I’ve held dear ever since. It’s been some years since the Faces of Life book was published, but I have thought of my time with Mrs. Tommy each and every day since. It’s one of those moments in our work here at Covenant Hospice that reaffirms that we are in the right place, doing the right thing. And at those times when the job seems too tough, it’s a memory that I have to hold on to that pushes me to keep on going. I believe that as Covenant staff and volunteers, we all need those “connect to purpose” moments. I thought that this month, I might share one of my most special connect to purpose moments with you. Once again, here is Vivian “Tommy” Adams’ story—one of the many reasons I find my work here at Covenant Hospice to be so important. My hope for each and every one of you is that if you haven’t already, you will find one of your own.

Vivian’s Treasures

From Covenant Hospice’s “Faces of Life” Stories

When you look in a dictionary under the word “housewife”, Vivian Adams’ picture should appear. Known to many as the “perfect housewife”, Vivian is an excellent cook, seamstress, decorator and floral designer. There is nothing domestically that Vivian cannot do.

Vivian learned to cook on a wood stove on her family’s 300-acre farm when she was just six years old! Later on in her life to make extra money, she sold what she cooked to friends and others in the community—her delicious homemade cakes for $16 each. Married to a military man, she loved making a house into a home during their many moves and travels. But, there was one special thing that Vivian did for many people throughout the years—she made the most beautiful detailed and exquisite Christmas ornaments. As Vivian picks them up out of boxes that are by her side, they are all different shapes and include many different materials such as beads, lace, pearls, Vivian’s own fashion jewelry and satin. Her Christmas ornaments were so beautiful that she and her husband kept the Christmas tree up all year round, so that they could enjoy the craft she loved so dearly.

Today, Vivian keeps the boxes of ornaments by her side. Because of her failing eye sight and shaky hands, she can’t make any more ornaments, but she enjoys giving visitors one of her treasured ornaments to take home to hang on their Christmas tree. After all, she says if there was any advice that she could give someone it would be to learn to love and learn to give. Vivian finds happiness in bringing a smile to someone’s face when she gives them one of her treasures.

As I left Mrs. Tommy’s home that day, she invited me to choose an ornament to take with me for my own Christmas tree. From the hundreds, I chose a beautiful pink jeweled bulb, knowing that her hands had created each tiny detail with purpose and love. I couldn’t bear to box that ornament up all year long, only to enjoy it on my Christmas tree. I’ve kept the ornament in my office, never out of eye sight, for all these years as a reminder of that sweet lady that touched my heart so many years ago. It is one of my most treasured possessions and a constant reminder that the work we all do here at Covenant Hospice, staff and volunteers alike, is important to so many special people.

We would love to hear your “Connect to Purpose” moment.

Loss During the Holidays

Joy — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:09:13 +0000

For many of us, particularly those of us who have suffered the death of a loved one during the holidays, this time of year can be most difficult. Sometimes when everything is under control, a story, a memory, a song creep up on me and a “bitter sweetness” fills my heart reminding me that the empty space in my heart that used to be filled by my special someone is not so empty. If you know someone who has suffered a loss this year or in years past, why not drop a card in the mail or call them up to show them that you are sending them some sweetness to counter act the bitter? Merry Christmas, Happy Chanakkuh, Happy Kwanza and a safe, happy, and healthy 2012 to you all.