Circles of Care Fall Winter 2021/2022 Newsletter Vol.28 No.2
Generous gift to Harbor Palliative Care honors our beloved
(l to r) Dr. Mulder, Dr. Harriman, and Dr. Wright
Dr. Leonard Wright
From the time he was young, Leonard Wright had his heart set on being a doctor. After he earned his medical degree, he dedicated his life to healing people, and was, by all accounts, a visionary and much-loved man. Len began his career as an emergency department physician and loved the excitement and vibrancy of that work. But a sudden cancer diagnosis and the prognosis that he likely had less than a year to live caused him to change course. He followed through on the traditional treatment that was advised but also embraced a more holistic approach to his health and healing. “He ate a lot of miso soup,” remembers his sister Cheryl, “and he lived and practiced another 28 years!” During the last 20 years of his career, Len focused on providing hospice care. He also was a cheerleader for palliative care and became board certified in it when the concept was still very new. He was delighted when Hospice of MuskegonOceana, now Harbor Hospice and Harbor Palliative Care, brought him on board in 2000 as the organization’s first staff medical director, and he became a pioneer in palliative care. Sadly, Len died in 2017 when he was only 62. Still, says Cheryl, “He embraced his entire life experience right up to the end. To be around Len was to know peace. He had lived a lot and gave so much to so many.” When Len’s family wanted to support the mission of a non-profit organization by making a gift in Len’s name from their donor-advised fund, they asked for guidance from Len’s wife, Rita. That led to a conversation between Cheryl and Ammy Seymour, Harbor Hospice Foundation’s director of development.
Dr. Wright at Harbor Hospice
Cheryl (sister) and Len
By Susan Newhof
Len Wright was a gifted physician and practitioner of holistic medicine. He loved working with patients and he loved to teach. He taught patients about self-care and explored with clinicians alternative and complementary ways to offer relief, support and comfort. I think his own journey with a life-threatening illness over many years added to his abundant sensitivity and compassion. Mary Anne Gorman, Executive Director Harbor Hospice and Palliative Care 1989–2016
“I knew exactly how a gift in Len’s name could be used to honor his work,” recalls Ammy. “Len always felt that having us offer palliative care would be a great benefit to West Michigan residents. He was right! And funding to support this program is essential.” “This gift translates to being able to make palliative care available to every patient in our region who needs it in the next year,” explains Gerald Harriman, DO, medical director for Harbor Hospice and Harbor Palliative Care. “Of all the services we provide to our palliative care patients, approximately 25 percent are not billable — we receive no funding for them. And that means the program rarely
Lynn (sister), Len and Cheryl
Family photo
supports itself financially. But we provide those services anyway because we know they are essential to our patients’ wellbeing. This amazing gift will help sustain the palliative care program and the entire team we wrap around our patients.” “We were excited to find the right fit,” says Cheryl, “and to support a program that matched what Len was passionate about.” This calendar year, Harbor Palliative Care doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and social workers will make approximately 1,000 visits in person or virtually to palliative care patients. We are enormously grateful to Len for his life’s work, and to his family for this generous, far-reaching way they chose to honor him.
Family photo
Quality of care, measured by you Greetings, friends! We packed a lot into this newsletter, and at the top of things I want to share with you is that we are thrilled and proud to receive the Hospice Honors Elite award for 2021! This award is especially meaningful because it is based on surveys completed by caregivers — most often the family and friends of our patients. They receive the 40-question survey, administered by HEALTHCAREfirst, three months after the passing of their loved one. It asks them to rate our effectiveness in everything from managing the patient’s pain and responding to their needs to offering spiritual and emotional support to the patient and family.
The Hospice Honors Elite award means we met or exceeded the national benchmarks – the highest national standards for excellence — in every category. Of the 1,237 hospice organizations that participated, only 51 received the Hospice Honors Elite award. What does this mean for you? When you entrust the care of your loved one to us, you can have full confidence in the quality of care they will receive, and you can be assured that you, too, will be supported by our entire hospice team. We are there for each of you, around the clock. Moreover, you can expect an excellent experience – yes, excellent – every time you talk with a member of the Harbor Hospice team. We strive daily to improve and perfect the hospice experience for each patient and for those who surround them. I thank our medical team and volunteers for their deep commitment to the
men and women we care for and for always going the extra mile, surpassing expectations to make the quality of our patients’ lives as good as possible. And thank you to our equally essential support staff working in the wings. They keep this organization on track and running smoothly. A few more notes: Congratulations to Dan Poel, our amazing Volunteer of the Year who administered more than 4,500 COVID tests to staff! Thank you to all who participated in the very successful Hospice Regatta and the Run and Ride to Remember, our annual fundraisers. Transitions: We’re happy to introduce you to our seven terrific new board members. And we remember Jane Thocher and Michelle Morgenstern, two long-time friends of Harbor Hospice who we greatly miss. Best wishes for a good holiday season and happy memory making in the new year. Susan Houseman President & CEO
“Jane was a wonderful mentor to me, and leader and supporter of Harbor Hospice. She served on the board twice and as board president. She was among that strong group of community visionaries who helped to make the Leila & Cyrus Poppen Hospice Residence a reality. Most of all she was humble, wise, and kind. Rest in Peace, dear friend.” Mary Anne Gorman, Former Executive Director of Harbor Hospice, Harbor Palliative Care, and Harbor Hospice Foundation
Jane Thocher 1936–2021
Mary Anne Gorman (left) and Jane Thocher
We are grateful for Jane’s leadership and support over many years. She will be deeply missed by all of us.
Amid this world-wide pandemic,
thank you for helping us care for patients and families We are so proud to share with you that through the entire pandemic, we have continued to be able to welcome new patients into hospice and palliative care, continued to meet with them virtually and in person to help them through their health challenges, and continued to support adults and children in their grief. It has been a long 20 months, and we’re still here, fully staffed, and even launching new programs such as art therapy and making voice recordings of patients for families to have after their passing. We’re always looking for ways to improve the quality of life for patients and to help families transition to life without the person they loved so much. Twenty-four hours a day, we use all our skills and resources to do everything we can for the men and women who have put their lives in our hands — and in our hearts. Through it all, our parallel priority is to make sure we are doing all we can to keep our team and our patients from getting or spreading COVID. Staff working directly with patients continue to wear all the necessary layers of protective gear, and getting tested regularly for COVID has become a way of life for them. Dan Poel, a fine nurse who worked for Harbor Hospice for several years, came out of retirement to be our chief COVID tester of staff for nearly a year so we could monitor their health. He performed approximately 4,500 tests, a remarkable feat he accomplished with his ever-present good humor! As we returned to our offices in Muskegon’s Fricano Building over the last few months, we moved work areas to put more space between staff and installed several sanitation stations. High efficiency particulate air filters — called HEPA — are cleaning the air inside our building. And we still fit-test face masks for staff working with patients so those masks are snug and don’t leak.
All that vigilance comes with a price, and the cost of adapting to COVID has been steep. Comparing 2019 to 2021, our outlay just for masks, face shields, gowns and gloves went up 272 percent. You are likely reading this newsletter because our paths have crossed. You know the importance of making hospice and palliative care available to every patient who needs it in our fivecounty region — regardless of their ability to pay. You know the peace and comfort it brings patients and their families. We are thankful to be here for everyone who needs us, and we want that to always be the case. And so we come to you. Our request is simple. Please help us cover the extraordinary and continuing costs of adapting to essential safety protocols that keep our patients, their families, and our staff safe. Thank you for walking alongside us, for being a champion of hospice and palliative care, and for making our work possible.
To all of our generous supporters — those giving for today’s needs and those whose gifts will continue our work long into the future — on behalf of all the adults and children whose lives Ammy Seymour, Director of Development, Harbor Hospice Foundation you touch, we offer our deepest gratitude.
Legacy Circle
Corporate Partners
Compassionate Givers
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Allen Mr. Douglas Bard Ms. Mary Ann Bard Mr. and Mrs. Peter Blacklock Mr. Fred Cooper* Mr. and Mrs. Eric Dobry Ms. Mary Anne Gorman Mr. and Mrs. Tim Grunwald Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kwiecien Mr. and Mrs. Larry Larsen Mr. and Mrs. Larry Medema Mr. and Mrs. Eric Mellema Mr. Roger and Michelle* Morgenstern Mrs. Cari Noble Ms. Laurie Poppen and Mr. John Gorton Mr. Lauren Ramsey* Mr. and Mrs. Steve Rauschert Ms. Leila Reynolds Mr. and Mrs. Brad Seymour Mr. and Mrs. Terry Simon Ms. Kim Suarez and Mr. Ed Polakis Ms. Sue Syverson Mr. and Mrs. Tim Thill Mr. and Mrs. Michael Youngdahl Anonymous — Five Members *deceased
Nichols Shape Corporation Howmet Aerospace The Gerber Foundation Newkirk Electric Associates, Inc. Hines Corporation Foster Swift Collins & Smith, PC Shelby State Bank Lakeshore Employee Benefits CareLinc Medical Equipment Jackson-Merkey Contractors Great Lakes Dock & Materials Sand Products/Mart Dock Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County UBS Financial Services, Inc. Core Realty Partners Mercy Health Real Estate West Fricano’s Muskegon Lake Trophy House & Jones Sports ChoiceOne Bank Car City Parmenter Law Meijer Betten Baker Tridonn Construction Company LHR Properties/Tridonn Development Co. Pigeon Hill Brewing Company The Block Redi Rental of Muskegon Cofessco Fire Protection Blended Furniture Market iHeartMedia Muskegon Yacht Club
Arlene DeKam Amy Geldersma Amanda Olson Ammy Seymour Blaire Adamczak Bobbie Hilleary Bonnie Kay Adamczak-Brown Cheri Montambo Connie Learman Darlene Collet Dee Kwiecien Eileen Stoffan Heather Brolick Irene Pierson Janice McDonald Jennifer Bailey Jennifer Chupailo Jessica Ogle Julie Johnson Karen Panozzo Kathy Moore Kim Suarez Kristen Woods Kristi Nagengast Lori Goudie Linda Siscoe Liz Murphy Marilyn Rottschafer Mary Anne Gorman Merica Dobry Mhairi Blacklock Mishelle Comstock Pam Babbitt Pamela Wingard Peggy Jacobs Shannon Enders Shari Simon Susan Crain Susan Houseman Thomas A. Serio Will Meier
Michelle and Roger Morgenstern
Michelle (Missy) Morgenstern 1965–2021
“Michelle (Missy) Morgenstern was truly passionate and giving in so many ways not only to her family, but her community and to Harbor Hospice in her support as a Compassionate Giver and Legacy Circle Member.” Susan Houseman, President/CEO of Harbor Hospice, Harbor Palliative Care, and Harbor Hospice Foundation
We are grateful for Michelle’s multitude of support to our hospice and foundation. She will be deeply missed by all of us.
Congratulations to our Hospice Hero Award Winner Jon Ledsworth The Hospice Hero award recognizes a volunteer who best reflects the concept of volunteerism in its truest sense — serving as inspiration to others. If you’ve raced in the Harbor Hospice Regatta during the past decade, you’ve known Jon Ledsworth as our Principal Race Official — the man in the signal boat, flying the nautical flags and overseeing a team of officials. Jon is the first person on the water and the last off. One of his first tasks is to assess the wind direction and establish the racecourse accordingly. To work with something as elusive as the wind is no easy task.
Jon told us that while his love of sailing runs deep, the Harbor Hospice Regatta is more than a sailboat race to him. It has an important cause that he knows about firsthand — his mother was in Hospice Care for the last months of her life. Jon says his role in the Regatta is a way of giving back. Jon, we are so very grateful to you. You make this major race — this significant fundraising event — possible! Thank you. Ammy Seymour, Director of Development and Jon Ledsworth
Become an essential part of our team. Volunteer training sessions are returning in 2022!*
Congratulations to our 2020 Volunteer of the Year, and thank you to all our hospice volunteers
Amber Wallace, volunteer and events coordinator
There are several steps prior to basic orientation so please contact us for more information at 231.728.3442 or 1.800.497.9559, email info@HarborHospiceMI.org or visit our website HarborHospiceMI.org. Dan Poel, Retired Nurse
*If regulations allow and we can keep our senior population, community, and staff healthy and safe.
“Dan demonstrated courage and commitment in the throes of the pandemic to conduct COVID testing for most of our staff on at least a weekly basis. He spent countless hours in full PPE and maintained an orderly and efficient testing station, administering over 4,500 tests.
Spring Orientations Volunteer Basic Orientation Monday, May 9, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM Volunteer Patient Care Training Monday, May 16, 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
His humor and laid-back personality brightened our day as staff reported for an otherwise unpleasant but necessary test. Dan’s background as a nurse gave staff confidence that they were in good hands. We are grateful for Dan’s selfless act of service during the height of the pandemic. We appreciate his commitment to keeping our staff safe.” Susan Houseman, President/CEO and Amber Wallace, Volunteer & Events Coordinator Dan Poel and his wife, Paula
Welcome to our new member of the Harbor Hospice Foundation Board of Directors
Will Meier Lawyer and Shareholder, Parmenter Law “Harbor Hospice is there for all at one of the most emotional times in people’s lives. Knowing loved ones will be compassionately cared for allows families the time and space to be with each other during these moments. By doing so, Harbor Hospice makes our community a better place to live.”
Welcome to our new members of the Harbor Hospice Board of Directors Amanda Rodriguez Geriatric Medicine, Mercy Health Physician Partners Geriatrics “As a geriatrician I work closely with patients as they near end of life. I truly value hospice care and the wonderful support it provides for my patients and their families during this time. I am very excited to serve on the Harbor Hospice Board!” Mark McPherson President and CEO, Trinity Health At Home “I joined the Harbor Hospice board to continue to foster the outstanding working relationship that’s been developed between Harbor Hospice and the Trinity Health System, including its hospitals and home care agencies. Harbor Hospice is highly respected within the community, provides the finest care to its patients, and is a highly collaborative business partner.” Eva Berumen Reyna Success Coach, Lakeshore ERN-Oceana County, Semillas De Esperanza “Hard as it is to lose someone you love, hospice care makes it possible for you to have a sense of peace when they pass away. I believe in the mission of Harbor Hospice. When I was asked to join the Board of Directors there was no hesitation. It’s an amazing agency that does a lot for our community and I want to be part of the difference it makes.”
Lori Williams Chief Executive Health Officer/Public Health Director, Trinity Health At Home “Promoting the highest quality end of life care is and has been my passion for many years. Person centered Hospice and Palliative Care is vital for quality care and participation on the Harbor Hospice board allows for greater collaboration and foster shared contributions to support and encourage clinical innovation and best practices. Harbor Hospice has a long-standing reputation for excellence, and I am proud to support their vision.” David Wingard Director of Research and Strategic Development, TrueNorth Community Services “I serve on the board because of the organization’s mission and the way Harbor Hospice practices the art of graciousness toward their patients facing the end of life.”
“To change the world, we must be good to those who cannot repay us.”
–Pope Francis
Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE
A NEWSLETTER PUBLICATION/TWICE A YEAR Fall/Winter 2021/2022 Newsletter Vol.28 No.2
PAID
MUSKEGON, MI PERMIT NO. 231
NEWSLETTER STAFF
Susan Houseman, President/CEO Ammy Seymour, Director of Development Richard Vanderputte-McPherson, Communications Specialist Sheila B. Warners and Flo Glass, Graphics Please help us maintain accurate records for mailings. Name and address printed correctly? Wish to unsubscribe or receiving more copies than necessary? Email info@HarborHospiceMI.org or call 1.800.497.9559. Thank you. Connect with us on Haven’t signed up for e-Hospice stories and news? Stay up to date by signing up on our website HarborHospiceMI.org
1050 W. Western Ave., Suite 400 Muskegon, MI 49441 231.728.3442 – Muskegon 231.873.0359 – Oceana 231.845.5060 – Mason 616.844.3330 – Ottawa HarborHospiceMI.org
Look for the latest edition of Harbor Hospice Touching Lives magazine in your physician’s office. Within its cover, you will find a national story, Getting The Care You Need, as well as local article The Business of Dying, and more. If you would like copies for your church, organization or business, please email or call us today.
Veterans, please join us for a special event to honor and thank you! All veterans and their families are invited to join us for the 7th Annual Veteran Chili Dinner and We Honor Veterans Pinning Ceremony Tuesday, December 7, 4:30–6:00 PM Clock Funeral Home 1469 Peck Street, Muskegon, MI 49441 Please join us for fellowship, story sharing, and a variety of homemade chili and desserts. RSVP encouraged by calling 231.722.3721.
Tips for Coping
Through the Holidays
If you don’t know where to start
If it all seems too overwhelming
• It’s impossible to know exactly how you’ll feel. Take care of your health, get adequate sleep, and find ways to be active.
• Set limits. Only do things that are important to you.
• Approach the holidays with curiosity rather than expectancy. It may surprise you how you cope with important days. There is no right or wrong way.
• Avoid overdoing it. Sometimes we keep busy to stay distracted from pain. Remember pain in grief serves a purpose. • Recruit help. Be kind to yourself and allow loved ones to help.
If you’re worried about facing others • Be prepared with a canned answer. “I’m doing OK” or “some days are better than others” is completely acceptable. • Don’t be afraid to cry in public. Surround yourself with people who are good listeners, people will be understanding. • Prepare an exit strategy. Only commit to certain times after events begin. Create a reason to leave if you need to, even to go home.
If you know children who are grieving • Involve them in making a decoration in honor of their loved one. This encourages them to share memories and express feelings freely. • Make a memory box or scrapbook together. Decorate it for the season and fill it with pictures and special items. • Ask children and others what they miss about their loved one. This gives everyone an opportunity to share a memory and acknowledges that this special person is not here.
Facing the years ahead • What you choose to do the first year can always change. Experiment with new family rituals. There are many ways to honor your loved one on special days.
For more information on our grief support services, please call 231.728.3442/1.800.497.9559 or visit HarborHospice.org.