Spring 2024 eNewsletter

You live in the hearts of those you love

Each year, Hospice of Dubuque hosts the Tree of Life Memorial Service. This is an opportunity for all members of our tri-state community to come together and remember those we hold in our hearts.

All are invited to gather on Tuesday, May 21, at 7:30 pm in Washington Park in downtown Dubuque. The evening will include prayer, music, readings, a guest speaker, and lighting of the tree display. Due to limited seating in the park, please bring a lawn chair or blanket. In the event of rain, the Tree of Life Memorial Service will be held at The Grand Opera House, 135 W 8th St, Dubuque.

To remember someone with a light on the Tree of Life display, send a tax-deductible gift of any amount, along with the name of the person(s) you would like remembered or honored, to Hospice of Dubuque, 1670 John F. Kennedy Rd, Dubuque, IA 52002 or visit our website at www.hospiceofdubuque.org. All memorials, not only those served by Hospice of Dubuque, are welcome.

Names received by Friday, May 17, will be included in the Tree of Life program. Your gift supports the Hospice of Dubuque mission of providing compassionate care for the seriously ill and their loved ones, and helps fund the services that continue to make a difference in the lives of your tri-state neighbors.

Join your fellow community members in lighting the Tree of Life; then come witness the lights that surround this symbol of love. With each light representing someone special, we come together to celebrate those who remain in our hearts.

We extend appreciation to Behr’s Funeral Home for sponsoring this year’s Tree of Life Memorial Service.

Updated Mission Statement

By Lavonne Noel, Executive Director

According to Webster’s dictionary, a mission statement declares the “purpose or goal” of an organization. Since 1983, Hospice of Dubuque has been guided by and committed to fulfilling, a mission of providing compassionate care for the terminally ill and their loved ones. By stating that Hospice of Dubuque’s “compassionate care” was for both terminally ill persons and their loved ones, the mission statement encompassed both our hospice care and our bereavement services. However, the initiation of our palliative care consulting service a few years ago prompted the Hospice of Dubuque Board of Directors to consider updating the mission statement to also include this new service line.

PROVIDING COMPASSIONATE CARE FOR THE SERIOUSLY ILL AND THEIR LOVED ONES

For the past 18 years, Hospice of Dubuque has followed the Iowa Principles and Practices for Charitable Nonprofit Excellence. Back in 2004, Governor Tom Vilsack appointed a Nonprofit Task Force to develop standards for Iowa nonprofit organizations. Representatives from the offices of the Secretary of State and Attorney General were part of the Task Force. The goal was to provide Iowa nonprofits with guidelines and education in management practices, ethical conduct, and public accountability.

The first edition of the Iowa Principles and Practices for Charitable Nonprofit Excellence was published in 2005. The following year, the State of Iowa joined with the Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center at the University of Iowa to offer members of the nonprofit community training on the recently published principles and practices. I attended one of these training sessions in June 2006.

Board of Directors, Members

Bonnie Hancock, President

Stasia Brannon, Vice President

Sue Bushman, Secretary

Mike Sinkey, Treasurer

Tom Anderegg

Greg Birkett

Carole Carroll

Paul Carty

Vicki Dirksen

Joe Kane

Msgr. Daniel Knepper

Rev. Jim Mehltretter

Allen Meurer, MD

Zac Scherrman

Lois Schueller

Bryson Winsky

Troy Wright

Jeremy Wulfekuhle

Medical Staff

Brian Sullivan, MD, Medical Director

Mark Hermann, MD, Hospice Physician

Kate Hermsen, MSN, ARNP

Sue Houselog, MSN, ARNP

Jessica Steger, MSN, ARNP

Foundation Board

Dick Cody

Bob Donovan

Mike FitzPatrick

Don Freymann

Dave Ludovissy

Bill Maiers

Bruce Rehmke

Mike Sinkey

Community Education

Diane Fasselius

Leadership Team

Lavonne Noel, Executive Director

Jackie Brehm, Director of Finance & Admin. Services

Kate Hermsen, Director of Clinical Services

Angela Nauman, Director of Compliance

Lisa Patterson, Director of Social Services

Megan Schmitt, Director of Nursing

Betsy Barna, Clinical Services Coordinator

Rose Guler-Ludowitz, Clinical Services Coordinator

Through the years, Hospice of Dubuque's daisy has remained a symbol of our compassionate care.

In the fall of 2006, the Hospice of Dubuque Board of Directors completed a comprehensive review of the Iowa Principles and Practices for Charitable Nonprofit Excellence to ensure Hospice of Dubuque was in compliance with these new standards. Once this review was completed, Hospice of Dubuque joined the Iowa Register of Accountability, which is maintained on the Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center website. This registry is a voluntary listing of charitable nonprofits that are committed to Iowa’s principles and practices, thus agreeing to adhere to the highest standards of efficiency, effectiveness, and ethics.

Each year since 2006, the Hospice of Dubuque Board of Directors has conducted an annual review of the Hospice of Dubuque mission statement. Such a review is recommended as best practice according to the Iowa Principles and Practices for Charitable Nonprofit Excellence. For the past few years, the Board has considered how to incorporate our palliative care program into the Hospice of Dubuque mission statement. They wanted to provide clarification, yet maintain a straightforward representation of our mission of compassionate care.

This winter, the Hospice of Dubuque Board of Directors concluded that simply changing the mission statement’s language from “terminally ill” to “seriously ill” would integrate palliative care, while remaining true to the original mission. Thus, effective February 16, 2024, the Hospice of Dubuque mission statement was amended to: Providing compassionate care for the seriously ill and their loved ones. Throughout the year, the community will begin seeing this updated mission statement in our publications and on our social media. It is a subtle yet representative change that now allows the mission statement to encompass our complete purpose.

For over 40 years, our mission-driven care has made a difference here in the tri-states, and that commitment continues. Hospice of Dubuque is here to provide you and those you love with the most compassionate and highest quality hospice, palliative, and bereavement services. For the care the tri-states has trusted for more than four decades, remember to ask for Hospice of Dubuque by name.

BOARD MEMBER CHANGES

In January, we welcomed Tom Anderegg back to the Hospice of Dubuque Board of Directors. His previous board service was from 2012 through 2020. Tom received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from DePaul University in Chicago and practiced as a psychologist in Dubuque for many years. He is now retired. Tom and his wife, Jan, have two adult children. He enjoys golfing, biking, and reading.

At the end of 2023, we bid farewell to the following members of the Hospice of Dubuque Board of Directors:

• Charlotte Halverson, who served from 2015 through 2023.

• Cindy Burdt, who served from 2004 through 2012, and from 2020 through 2023. We thank Charlotte and Cindy for their many years of dedicated service on the Board.

BestFest 2024

Hospice of Dubuque and the BestFest Committee thank the community for joining us March 21 at the Grand River Center for BestFest 2024. An energetic crowd enjoyed a variety of samples from the winning businesses and helped make BestFest another huge success. Our sincere thanks to the businesses that participated in the event, the volunteers who worked the event, and those who voted and purchased tickets.

It was a pleasure to work with the dedicated members of the BestFest committee: Greg Birkett, The Dubuque Advertiser; Jim Bardon, Radio Dubuque; Thalia Cutsforth, OnMedia and Carole Carroll, Hospice of Dubuque Board Member and Volunteer.

Hospice of Dubuque is grateful to be the recipient of the proceeds from BestFest 2024, which totaled over $41,000. These funds ensure Hospice of Dubuque can continue to bring compassionate care to patients and families in the tri-state area.

PARTY BUS 2024

Brad Metcalf and friends were the lucky winners of the BestFest party bus for the second year in a row! The group traveled to BestFest via the Morgan Ann party bus courtesy of Robb Munter. The package also included 12 of the following: BestFest tickets with designated seating, National Mississippi River Museum passes, Phoenix Theater tickets, Kennedy Mall gift cards, and Miracle Car Wash certificates!

Gold Sponsors:

Silver Sponsors: Conlon Construction, Giese Companies, Honkamp & Co., MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center, Sedona Staffing Services

Bronze Sponsors: Biechler Electric Inc., Flexsteel Industries, Straka Johnson, Tri-State Shred, Access Systems

The Big Duffer Golf Outing

Saturday, July 20 ∙ Lacoma Golf Course, East Dubuque, IL

Join us for a fun day of golf! Fill out the registration form below to participate. Return the form with payment by July 5, 2024, to: Hospice of Dubuque, 1670 JFK Rd, Dubuque, IA 52002, or email cr@hospiceofdubuque.org.

2024 REGISTRATION FORM

☐ Tournament Participation or Dinner

☐ 9 holes with cart and dinner ($60) 3:00 pm shotgun start

☐ 18 holes with cart and dinner ($80) 1:00 pm shotgun start

☐ Steak dinner ($35) 6:00 pm My team members

Bereavement Outreach

For more information about the programs below, contact Mary Boots at 563.582.1220 or bootsm@hospiceofdubuque.org

Children's Grief Workshop

Thursday, May 16, 2024 | 5:00-6:30 pm

Families are invited to join us for an evening of grief centered conversations and kite flying. This event will be at Flora Park's blue roof pavilion or at Hospice of Dubuque in the case of rain.

Camp Kaleidoscope

Tuesday, August 6, 2024 | 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Hospice of Dubuque is excited to offer Camp Kaleidoscope, a free day camp for grieving children, ages 6-14 who have recently lost a loved one.

The camp focuses on the grieving process and encourages connections with others who have experienced similar losses. The camp is held at Swiss Valley Nature Center in Dubuque.

The camp is designed to normalize children’s feelings of loss, so they know they are not alone. Hospice of Dubuque’s trained staff members will facilitate activities to support enhanced coping skills. A combination of activity stations will incorporate fun and learning throughout the day.

Walking Through Grief

Starting Wednesday May 22, 2024 | 9:00 - 10:00 am

To support those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, the Hospice of Dubuque Bereavement Team hosts Walking through Grief. This drop-in support group is for any tri-state adult who has experienced a loss.

The sessions are held from May through September, and take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. No prior registration is needed. Participants may attend as many, or as few sessions as they would like.

Join us at the Bergfeld Recreation Area, 7600 Chavenelle Rd, Dubuque. The 0.8mile walking trail around Bergfeld Pond is paved and flat. Participants can walk at their desired pace.

The Importance of Planning

Diane Fasselius, BA, RN Community Education Specialist

Death is not a question of if; rather, it is a question of when and how. At a recent bereavement conference that I attended, the speaker stated that North Americans are the epitome of a death-defying, deathdenying society. I do believe that mindset is changing, but at a very slow pace.

When taking a loved one to the ER, most people believe that the doctors there will certainly save their loved one’s life. Unfortunately, saving lives is not always possible depending on the medical history and current status of the person’s health. When it is not possible, patients and their families most often are unprepared to make endof-life decisions. They have either never considered the possibility of death, or their physician has never discussed it with them.

We plan carefully for many things in life—births, education, career, living arrangements, weddings, and celebrations of all kinds. We even plan for the disposition of our possessions when we are no longer here. Just as important is the planning for how we want to live our life to the very last breath. That takes time, discussions with loved ones, understanding of the options or outcomes of proposed treatments or interventions, and a careful look at one’s personal values and goals for life.

The book, Saving Lives, Saving Dignity family members face when they bring their loved one into the ER and these issues have not previously been addressed. This creates anxiety and distress not only for the patient and family, but also for the medical staff. No one wants to make a patient’s final hours anything less than dignified, serene, and peaceful. This book helps us understand the importance of planning for this inescapable event in life.

Book Suggestion: Saving Lives, Saving Dignity, by Alan Molk, MD, & Robert Shapiro, MD, offers a unique end-of-life perspective from two emergency physicians.

Consider the following scenario. The doctor approaches you and says, “Your mother is seriously ill and we have to put her on a ventilator to keep her alive. Do you want us to do everything?” Of course, your answer is, “Yes, I want you to do everything.” You think, “Why is he asking me this question?” You assume that by doing everything, your mother will be saved. What you may not realize, however, is that this decision may subject your loved one to a great deal of suffering without changing the outcome.

Modern medical technology allows us to prolong life, but often in a way that directly contradicts what a patient wants at the end of life. When asked, most people say they would like to spend the last part of their life at home, surrounded by their loved ones, in a comfortable environment with optimal quality of life. Sadly, without planning and conversations, a person’s wishes might not be followed. In this book, Dr. Molk and Dr. Shapiro guide readers through these crucial considerations.

Honorariums and Memorials

Gifts received from January 1 through March 31.

Honorariums

Wallace Brown

Cindy Burdt-Theisen Supply retiree

Kelli Decker

Cristi Fitzgerald

Matt Fitzgerald

Mike Fitzgerald

Katie Ganter

Jim & Judy Kluesner Family

Jennie Schwartz

Betty Takes

Cortini Walen

Memorials

Clem Ahmann

Mary Jane Ahmann

Michael “Mick” Allendorf

Marilyn Althoff

Henry Andrucki

Charles "Mike" Ansel

Daniel H. Arling, Sr.

Joseph P. Bahl

Robert Balk

Dennis Ball

Jackie Bardon

Al & Rita Barry

David Bassler

Gene & Genevieve Bassler

William Baum

Bernice Behnke

Irene Behnke

Shirley Berens

Ivan “Ike” Berger

Louis & Rita Berning

Margaret Bertling

Roxanne Besler

Barry Blair

Bruce Bockenstedt

James Bolger

Jannell Borgstahl

Norman "Dean" Boyes

Tom "Slim" Boyle

Robert Brehm

Kenneth Bries

Carol Brimeyer

Steve Burgess

Dan Burke

Helene M. Byrne

Mary & Robert Capesius

Jan Carroll

You have received the HOD newsletter because you or a family member have used Hospice of Dubuque services, donated, or volunteered. We never disclose our mailing list. We are committed to respecting your privacy. To have your name removed or to receive the newsletter by email, please contact us at cr@hospiceofdubuque.org or 563.582.1220.

Betty Clemen

Karen E. Clemens

Michael J. Conlon

Mary Ruth Connolly

Barbara Cook

Deanna Sue Cording

Lois Corken

Al Coulson

Mary Crispo

Shirley Daack

Catherine Daly

Harold Daniels

Charlotte Danner

Randy DeMoss

John Denlinger

Dan Didesch

David R. Dolter

Cathy Donovan

Norman Dorst

Terry Driscoll

Rita Duve

Jack Arthur Edens

Paul Ehrlich

Mary Eiffes

Sherry Eiffes

Leon Einsweiler

Scott T. Ensign

Michael Erickson

Sharon Euell

James Alexander Feehan

Tom Feipel

Jerome H. Feldman

Joan & Les Feldmann

Helen Feyen

Mary Fitzgerald

Lee Foecking

Gerald "Jerry" Foht

Adam Gassman

Tom Gassman

Bart Germaine

Josef C. Gindorff

Mary Glennon

Henry Goldstein

Karl Goodfellow

Marge Gothard

Rev. Jo Green

Steve Green

Mary Sanders Habel

Sharon Hamel

Jean Hammel

Tom Hammel

Gary “Poncho” Hancock

Janaan Hancock

Christian Harris

Joseph Hartman

Marjorie Havertape

Charles "Chuck" Hawkins

Jim Heavens

Danielle Heck-Lonning

Louis Heims

Gloria & Norm Hein

LeRoy Helle

Alan Henricks

Sandra Henry

Ollie Herbst

Jeanne M. Herkes

Paul Herrig

Tony Hilvers

David Hoefler

Wilma Hogan

Roger Holdridge

Marge Hrynkow

Mary L. Hubbard

Margaret Mary Huber

Bob Hubert

Marilyn Hughes

Ron & Eileen Hughes

Eulaine Hutchcroft

Margaret Jahn

Jay Jellison

Mary Ellyn Jensen

Jeff Johnson

Sharon A. Johnston

W.J. Kauder, Jr.

Wm. Kauder III

James G. Kennedy

James Kieffer

Earl & Rita Kintzle

Irma Kintzle

Marina Klein

Patrick “Pat” Klein

Barbara Knepper

Vincent Kotz

Eugene Krapfl

Roger Krepfle

Bernard Kruser Family

Ruth Kruser

Beverly Kubesheski

Merlyn Kuehl

Ginger Kuntz

Clarence & Irene Kutsch

Diane Lahr

David R. Lampe

Arnold Langkamp

Philip W. Larsen

Gary Latham

Jeanette Laufenberg

A.J. Lechner

Elva Lechner

Becki LeClere

Nancy Leibfried

David W. Leifker

Eileen Leland

Nancy Leslein

Dan Levens

Wayne Lewis

Lois Lex

Diane M. Loeffelholz

Thomas C. Maas

Ronald N. Maiers

Vicki Maiers

Charles Malone

Sharon Mangler

Lois A. Manternach

Diann Marsh

Jane Martin

Duane Matt

Nell Matt

Mary Sue McAllister

Phoebe McCrea

Myrtle "Jean" McCubbin

Dorothy McDermott

Dr. Brenda McKinney

Monica Meissner

William Meissner

Delores Merritt

Celestine Meyer

Pauline M. Meyer

Dennis Meyerhofer

Alice E. Meyers

Alice Miller

Berdena “Birdie” Miller

Rita Mohr

Debra Morgan

Bernita M. Moser

Linda Mushrush

Merlin Nauman

Pat Nauman

Fred Neiers

Fr. Mark Nemmers

Deb Nesteby

Robert Nesteby

Dave Neuhaus

Mary Noonan

Eleanor (Kohn) Nunez

Elmer Oberbroeckling

Delores O’Brien

Ann O’Hea

Bill & Barbara O'Rourke

Deb Ostwinkle

Ernest & Del Rose Ostwinkle

Juanita Ostwinkle

Ron Ostwinkle

Sandy Ostwinkle

Ken & Monica Pancratz

Richard Peterson

Clarence Pfab

Lyal Pfeiler

Michael "Mike" Pickel

Shirley Pins

John & Rita Pothoff

Bob Powers

Donald Price

Florence Puls

Elaine Rapp

Herb Recker

Mildred Recker

Jimmy Redfearn

Wayne Reicher

Gloria Reiter

Jean Reiter

Dewayne "Bama" Revis

Rosemary Richman

Laura Riedl

Joe Riesselman

Mark Ring

Mary Roddy

Fred & Virginia Rohner

Dave Rossman

Geraldine R. Roth

Keith Roth

Peter Roth

Wayne Roth

William & Jean Runde

George & Kaye Running

Del Scales

Harry Schiffman Family

Marlene Schlarmann

David Schleicher

Janet Schmitt

Gerry Schnieders

John A. Schoen

Helene Schoenhard

Gerald F. Schwartz

Paul Shanahan

James Sheehy

Edward Small

Sarah Smith

Joe Spark

Ron Spillane

Rose M. Spillane

Robert A. Spoerre

Bob & Lu Stecher

Lillian Steger

Janice Stierman

Eleanor Stocke

Mary C. Stoffel

Sr. Clara Streng

Albert Stuart

Jerold Stumpner

Jim Sysko

John Taylor

Benedict & Luella Tekippe

Florence "Pat" Thill

Iva Ungs

Rosemary Uthe

Mary Jane Vaassen

Doris Virtue

Claudette Dawn vonKeltz

Dorothy Vorwald

Sympathy to...

Hospice of Dubuque Staff

Angelia Henslee on the death of her husband's grandmother, Jeanette Laufenberg, on January 10.

Hospice of Dubuque Volunteer Families

• Charles E. "Chuck" Hawkins, who died January 6.

• Mary Catherine Zapf, who died January 17.

• Rev. Josephine "Jo" Green, who died March 1.

Richard Wachter

Don Wasmundt

Barb Weber

Kathern Wedig

Donald "Donnie" Welsh

Brad Welter

Margaret & Norbert Welter

Ed Welu

Daniel Wessels

Henry J. Wilhelm

Joanna Wolbers

Patricia Woodard

Arden Woodrum

Mary Catherine Zapf

Businesses, Groups, and Matching Gifts

Andersen Corp.

Asbury Fire Dept.

A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Charitable Fund

Barry & Kathy Bromberg Endowment Fund

Cody Family Fund

Danaher Corp

Hartig Drug Customers of Galena

Home+Floor Show

Iowa Fields of Opportunities

Randall W. Lengeling Fund

Jim & Jane Meyer Charitable Gift Foundation

Constance Norby Gift Fund

Principal Financial

Runde Chevrolet, Inc.

Philip & Thelma Schlueter

Family Endowment Fund

Sisters of Charity BVM

Sisters of St. Francis

Theisen Supply, Inc.

Bob & Donna Wahlert Donor Advised Fund

In Kind and Loan Closet

Best Western

Dean Burkle

Nancy Diehm

James & Linda Erpelding GSEIWI

Hills & Dales

Seton Catholic School

Hospice of Dubuque Welcomes

Andrew Rang, Hospice Nurse Case Manager, who joined the team in February. He received his associate's degree from NICC and graduated from Grand Canyon Univeristy with a bachelor's degree in nursing. Andrew has 11 years of nursing experience. He is married to Christie and has two children, Lincoln and Arya. Together, they enjoy playing video games and hiking.

Sasha Merfeld, Hospice Nurse Case Manager, who joined the team in March. She graduated from Clarke University with a bachelor's degree in nursing and has over 7 years of experience in nursing and psychology. Sasha is married to Eli and has three children, Sophia, Brayden, and Easton. She enjoys traveling with her family and altering dance costumes in her free time.

Teresa Cline, Bereavement Associate, who joined the team in April. She graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a bachelor's degree in child and family studies/gerontology. Teresa is married to DJ, has two children, Ashlyn and Elijah, and three cats. Together, they enjoy listening to music and watching football and hockey.

Congratulations to... Hospice of Dubuque Staff

Hillary Wilson and her husband, Jacob, on the birth of their daughter, Lillian Elizabeth Wilson, on March 20.

Hospice of Dubuque is once again participating in Great Give Day, which is organized each year by the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. This online charitable event will be on Wednesday, May 15, from midnight to midnight. A gift of $10 or more qualifies Hospice of Dubuque for matching gifts. Mark your calendar to support your local nonprofit hospice!

Hospice of Dubuque - Your 5-Star Hospice!

Visit www.medicare.gov/care-compare

On February 21, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) updated its Care Compare website with the most recent eight quarters of data. Hospice of Dubuque, your local, nonprofit hospice, continues with the highest rating possible, which is five stars!

CMS first began publishing star ratings for hospice providers in August 2022, based upon responses to the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Hospice Survey. This survey is completed by family members following the death of their loved one to assess satisfaction with the hospice services they and their loved one received. The survey data is used to update the star ratings each quarter. Hospice of Dubuque has consecutively received a 5-star rating from the start!

HOSPICE OF DUBUQUE HAS RECEIVED A 5-STAR RATING FROM THE START

Only 253 of 2,024 hospices in the United States currently have a 5-star rating. This places Hospice of Dubuque among the top 13% of hospices in the country! We are proud of the high quality care our tri-state community receives from its local, nonprofit hospice!

Volunteer Spotlight

Anna Ranaldi, Hospice of Dubuque Volunteer

Anna grew up in an Italian-American neighborhood west of Chicago and was amazed by the hospice care and support her parents and in-laws received. When she moved to Galena, she heard wonderful things about our non-profit hospice and wanted to use her time and talent to give back through volunteering.

Integrity, resiliency, a strong work ethic, responsibility, and "charity in your heart" are talents Anna learned from her mother. Anna’s mother also modeled how to give freely to people who are in need, especially the elderly. Anna embraces time with hospice patients, listening to their life stories. She also enjoys reading historical fiction and cooking for family and friends.

Anna has a Bachelor's degree in international business and foreign language, and she spent 35 years with Northern Trust Bank holding various leadership positions until her retirement in 2021.

Thank you, Anna, for joining our dedicated group of volunteers. We are blessed to have you as part of the Hospice of Dubuque team.