8 minute read
Message from our vice president of spiritual care and wellbeing
Julie Jennings
Vice President of Spiritual Care and Wellbeing
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Ful lling our mission in changing times
In anticipation of “enjoying” my fourth Wisconsin winter, I got a pair of snowshoes. I had visions of blazing some trails in parks and other locations I had yet to explore. I was looking forward to new experiences in beautiful settings where I could breathe much-needed fresh air and ground myself in creation once more.
The snowshoes arrived a couple of weeks after a small snowstorm, in the middle of a frigid period that had me staying huddled up inside and was followed by a rapid warm-up that depleted the u y frozen akes into a mushy, muddy mess. The anticipatory shine of my new snowshoes began to resemble glints of missed opportunities I could have capitalized on if only I had braved the cold.
Things don’t always go as planned or as we might like them to. Outdoor adventures don’t. Weather patterns certainly don’t. Life, in general, seldom unfolds solely on our terms.
When we nd ourselves on the other side of a missed opportunity, a surprise occurrence, or some other endeavor that didn’t meet our expectations, we have options for how we respond. We might shake our heads in despair. We might look for something or someone to blame. We might investigate potential causes to try and improve outcomes for the future. Or, we might adapt and move on to what comes next.
One thing is certain (as Wisconsin winters and late-season snowfalls have taught me)—something is always coming.
Cedar Community has a history of adapting and improving, evolving and growing to continually ful ll our mission in ever-changing times, tending to the challenges already here and anticipating what is coming next. Now is no di erent. We seek new ways to support holistic wellbeing for our residents and team members. We steward resources of land, nances, people, and potential in ways that keep us relevant and responsive. And we cultivate an extravagant welcome—embracing our expanding diversity and establishing a place of belonging for all who live and work among us.
Inside, the dust of our latest building refresh is beginning to settle while we gear up for more improvements. Outside, we can virtually smell the budding and greening of ora and fauna all around us and thoughts are winging to warmer weather activities and opportunities. Goals and action items to better support and celebrate our diversity are forming.
So now, we breathe in spring’s promise, brave what is to come, and prepare to enjoy the next trails we will blaze.
CONTACT US!
To learn more about Cedar Community’s hospice volunteer program, contact Bonnie Amerling, volunteer coordinator, at 262.306.4218.
You can truly make a di erence in someone’s life— even as their journey is ending.
Hospice volunteers provide emotional support during end-of-life journey
Hospice is not a place. Hospice is the care and compassion a specialized team o ers to support patients and families during their nal journey.
The Cedar Community hospice team supports patients and families before, during, and after the end-of-life journey. An important part of that team are the hospice volunteers who serve as “new friends,” providing emotional support and comfort for not only the patient, but the extended family. Bereavement volunteers call family or loved ones bi-monthly to check in after a loss and clerical volunteers send out monthly grief support booklets.
Bonnie Amerling is Cedar Community’s volunteer coordinator. One of her important roles is to match volunteers with hospice patients— comparing interests and spiritual preferences, and if the volunteer has a connection to the patient through a previous interaction or friendship. Becoming a hospice volunteer is a commitment. It involves a number of steps, including an interview with the volunteer coordinator, a background check, a two-step TB test, COVID-19 vaccination and booster, and eight to 10 hours of training— followed by a completion test. Continuing education is also required twice a year.
Volunteers usually have one to two patients at a time and spend at least one hour visiting an average of one time per week. There is no set time required and schedules are worked out with the volunteer, the patient, and the team members. “End of life can be a di cult but beautiful process. Our volunteers make those moments even more enriching—sharing stories, learning about one another, freely giving compassion, and making the patient’s last days more comfortable and enjoyable. Their presence means everything—even if it’s just sitting and holding someone’s hand,” says Bonnie.
KC Laycock, hospice volunteer and Cedar Community independent living resident, has been a hospice volunteer since 2000 when she lived in Milwaukee. “My father died alone in another nursing home in the middle of the night and I did not receive a phone call from the sta until the next morning. It really hit me hard that he was that close to death and no one ever told me,” says KC. Since then, she’s been honoring her dad’s memory as a hospice volunteer. “I don’t want anyone to die alone.” The Laycocks moved to Cedar Community in 2005, and in 2008, Cedar Community’s Home Health and Hospice came to fruition. KC was the rst volunteer to step up and say, “I want to help.”
When visiting with patients and loved ones, KC introduces herself as a special friend. “When I moved to Cedar Community, I came here to nd a family and I have. I want others to feel that way too.” KC has shared special friendships with some neighbors she has known a long time. Two friends in particular she had known for 17 years and they enjoyed reminiscing about the old days and happy memories of an earlier time. “These two women welcomed me when I moved in and now I have the opportunity to be their special friend at the end. How wonderful and ful lling that is for me and hopefully for them,” says KC. Some of KC’s greatest moments have also been time spent with families.
A hospice volunteer creates a special bond with both the patient and the family. What makes being a volunteer special is not that you have known the patient for years, but it’s about being able to be together, visit, and learn about their life and their cherished memories. “I help each patient celebrate their lives as they were. It’s talking about life and celebrating the good times, not about dying,” says KC. It’s also an opportunity to connect with the family and help bring peace in their lives. Being a hospice volunteer provides KC the opportunity to be there for someone in what could be their greatest time of need.
Patients are seen in their homes through Cedar Community’s home health division. Nursing sta is available 24/7 should the need arise. Home health services also include health assessments; patient and family education; treatment solutions; and physical, occupational, and speech therapy to help you manage a chronic illness or recover from surgery or an accident. To learn more, call 262.306.2691 or visit cedarcommunity.org.
Cedar Community’s Home Health division o ers two team members with speci c certi cations in wound care—Dianna Kaczmarek, occupational therapist/certi ed lymphedema and wound care therapist, and Krystal Klitzke, RN. Together they work as a team to provide exceptional care to patients.
Wound care considers a comprehensive evaluation of the patient. It involves examining and assessing the wound, assessing the patient as a whole and noting any comorbidities (the presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient), being aware of disease processes, and managing the wound appropriately. “There is a lot of evolution in wound care, often changing how we provide treatment all the way through the healing process,” says Krystal.
There are many types of wounds—the most common are pressure ulcers; diabetic ulcers; venous stasis wounds (open wounds occurring around the ankle or lower leg); arterial ulcers, which typically happen when blood is unable to ow into the lower extremities of the legs and feet; and atypical wounds that do not fall into any category.
Wound care also addresses the proper way to best treat a patient whether it be with a wound vacuum, dressings, creams, pressure redistribution cushions, or a combination. “Education is the main component of treating patients and helping prevent wounds,” says Krystal. Dianna agrees, “Most of our patients are at risk for skin breakdowns so the chance of a wound is very high. We educate them on day one of our visits and continue to provide care for the best outcomes.”
Wound care certi cation includes coursework, hands-on experience, and a comprehensive board exam. Continuing education, along with clinicals and testing, allows for additional certi cations. Dianna plans to move forward with her education to receive her LANA certi cation, a nationally recognized certi cation in lymphedema and related disorders. Krystal plans to work toward a wound care specialist certi cation. Wound care certi cation enhances our team’s level of expertise and allows them to provide the most comprehensive care possible, while working closely with the patient’s healthcare provider.
Both Dianna and Krystal have a passion for helping patients succeed in their recovery. “I love my patients and I have learned so much from them. Every patient does not fall into a cookie-cutter category—which challenges me to always do better,” says Dianna. Krystal also enjoys the challenges that come with healthcare, “There is a spark in me that keeps me wanting to research and learn more. Wound care is something tangible that I can visibly see I am making a di erence.”
