CHARITY
CONNECT WITH
FEATURED CHARITY OF THE MONTH: Get In Touch:
1825 E. Northern Ave. #205 Phoenix, AZ 85020 888-313-7916
www.scottsdalenorthnews.com
Submissions and suggestions: Press Releases: Submit press releasses via email to news@egpublishing.com
Events Calendar: Submit press releases or event descriptions to news@egpublishing.com. Be sure to include event title, date, time, place, cost and details including contact number or website. The deadline for the October issue is September 10.
For Advertising:
Contact the sales department by phone at 888-313-7916 or by email at heidi@egpublishing.com
Where to Find Us:
Each issue of the Scottsdale North News direct mails to 20,000+ homes in 85262, 85266 and 85255. We also have racks placed throughout the community. For a full list of rack locations, please visit our website. If you are in our distribution area and would like us to place a rack in your place of business, please send a request to news@egpublishing.com
Stay Connected:
twitter.com/ScottsdaleNNews facebook.com/ScottsdaleNorthNews
S
HOSPICE OF THE VALLEY
ome four decades ago, a small group of local volunteers envisioned a more compassionate way of caring for people nearing the end of their lives. They were deeply moved by a concept called “hospice” that was prevalent in England and longed to bring it to Arizona. The mission was simple: Help patients spend their last moments in their own beds, surrounded by their loved ones. It’s no coincidence the word hospice is a derivative of “hospitality” — making people feel comfortable in their own homes. This core group, which included the Rev. Gerald Roseberry and nurses Mary Audrey Mellow and Blanche Hopkins, began changing how that final journey would look and feel. In 1977, they formed not-for-profit Valley of the Sun Hospice — later changed to Hospice of the Valley — and began carrying out a mission of “comfort and dignity.” They cared for patients’ physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs; visiting the terminally ill at home to manage their pain and offer peace and comfort. They also provided support to family members as they struggled to cope with impending loss.
Until Medicare created a hospice benefit in 1982, the care given during those initial five years was seldom reimbursed. The early “friends of hospice” raised money to cover costs, because the goal was to
“
www.scottsdalenorthnews.com www.egpublishing.com This newspaper is recyclable, biodegradable and contains recycled materials. Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be printed or reproduced without the publication’s permission. EG Publishing assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material.
scottsdalenorthnews.com
myriad of ways. Hospice of the Valley offers free grief support to anyone mourning a death, including kids, through our New Song Center for Grieving Children. Expectant couples who are told their baby will not survive long after birth are supported at no cost with a compassionate perinatal program that starts with pregnancy, continues after the death of their child and into a subsequent pregnancy. Patients are soothed with music therapy and cheered by pet teams who visit at the bedside to chase away loneliness.
HOV also assists people confused about the array of options when it comes time to find supervised arrangements for It’s still in our DNA to care for all who come to us, living parents who can no longer and not worry about whether there’s coverage,” Executive manage on their own. This placement service is Director Debbie Shumway says. “It’s never been a question senior completely free, unlike other for us. Last year, our charity care totaled about $10.5 placement agencies that work on commission. million in community services and programs.
Staff:
Natasha & Brian Beal / Publishers Heidi Koffman / Director of Sales Shannon Carrillo / Production & Design Erica Odello / Ad Design Molly Cerreta Smith / Managing Editor
HOSPICE OF THE VALLEY'S DR. SHELLY MYERS WITH HER PATIENT GINNY.
always provide the care, regardless of ability to pay. That philosophy still exists today. In 42 years, Hospice of the Valley has never turned anyone away for lack of insurance or financial means. “It’s still in our DNA to care for all who come to us, and not worry about whether there’s coverage,” Executive Director Debbie Shumway says. “It’s never been a question for us. Last year, our charity care totaled about $10.5 million in community services and programs.” That reinvestment in the community happens in a
”
Hospice of the Valley also provides free Living Will and Medical Power of Attorney forms to help you complete your Advance Directives well before there is a medical emergency. Putting your wishes in writing gives everyone peace of mind. What began as an agency devoted to caring for a handful of patients has grown immensely — HOV was privileged to care for more than 18,000 patients and their families last year. For information on hospice, palliative or dementia care, or to become a volunteer, call (602) 530-6900 or visit hov.org.
SCOTTSDALE NORTH NEWS • August/September 2019 • 3
