Wellness Connection DEC 2022

THE THE

W ELLN E SS N WELLNESS CONNECTION CONNECTION December 2022 August 2022 IssueOne Five Issue

H.P.C.W.R.V.

Hospice and Palliative Care of the Wood River Valley

RAINBOW’S END

CHRISTOPHER’S STORY THE CRISIS HOTLINE

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he mission of Hospice and Palliative MEN’S Care SECOND of the Wood River Valley CHANCE LIVING (HPCWRV) is to provide excellence in serious-illness and end-of-life careJENNA’S and bereavement services, as well as STORY support and education for patients, families, caregivers, and the community.

HPCWRV has chosen to remain a freestanding, volunteer intensive hospice to give patients, their families, and the medical community the greatest amount of flexibility and access to end-of-life care. HPCWRV is able to respond to our community needs, goals and priorities, and the people we serve. We are not limited by the restraints of being funded

by Medicare. Our community has made a significant commitment to quality hospice and palliative care, bereavement services and caregiver support through its contributions to hospice.

R E C OV E RY THERE IS HOPE

“The Hospice team was amazing and so greatly appreciated. My mother felt loved and respected. I was supported in every way.”

Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find All of our services are completely myselfConnection, walking around in the daytime and falling back into at night. I funded by Welcome community donations. doof Wellness to the premierWe issue a collaboration not receive of anyRainbow’s insurance End or state money.Center and the Crisis miss you like Recovery Hotline.

Our hell. goal ~ Edna St. Vincent Millay It is a unique model of hospice that is to provide timely information on mental health issues, such as addiction, allows us to help individuals with longer depression, grief, and trauma. We hope to shed light on and encourage prognoses as well as individuals who discussion of mental illness, addiction, and recovery. We will present stories of hope and are still pursuing treatment measures. encouragement as well as essays on related topics. This is just a start. We welcome your In addition to community financial feedback and will be seeking submissions from our readers: wellness23@gmail.com support, we have a dedicated group of 91 volunteers and board members providing services; theyEnd have accumulated ainbow’s Recovery set out 1,327 staffed by good-hearted souls with little hourstothis beyear. different than the traditional or no experience so there were some Hospice and Palliative Care of the substance use disorder treatment facility bumps and crashes along the way.

Each client had a different story, used a Wood River care atA an my friends andValley family provides had attended.

The clinical director and one full-time different drug, but in the end, each was individual’s place of residence. substance abuse counselor and anThere energyis counselor bore the burden of treating the a person in need of unconditional love always an RN on-call 24/7 for emergent healer raved about the potential of the clients, but because we were new, there and care. Once they realized they were needs for patients onSalmon our program. property in Challis on the River as was only a handful at a time. accepted as a whole person and no Last year place our volunteers the perfect for people responded to heal. So itto longer identified by their drug use, they Going forward, we were able to recruit 17 unexpected deaths and provided began. could begin to heal. They would open more and more qualified staff. We emotional and bereavement support to up to each other, counselors, and group The part was converting bed-andworked on honing the curriculum and theeasy surviving family membersthe and logged members realizing they were not unique breakfast facility into client rooms. The schedule to accommodate the needs 2,272 home visits. or alone. hard part was the bureaucratic hoops. of the clients and the requirements of Continued: Next Page The hardest part was finding employees. accrediting agencies. We saw more clients We provided community experiences, and were building a reputation for quality such as the Fourth of July celebrations, When we opened our doors, we were care.

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H.P.C.W.R.V.

All of our bereavement support is free and open to the public even if the loss was an individual who died outside of the Wood River Valley and/or was not receiving our services. Our volunteers and staff provided support to 463 individuals who were grieving a loss.

We have a lending library on a variety of topics: caregiving, grief, children and grief, death and dying. Just visit during office hours and we will help you select appropriate support or educational materials to meet your needs.

“Appreciated all the help and knowledge the Hospice crew brought with them each visit.”

We offer various support groups: • •

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F.R.O.G.S.- a group for 6-12-year-old children who have lost a family member. This group meets once each month.

Caregiver Support Group- for individuals who are caregiving for a family member. This group meets once/ month on the third Monday from 4-5:30 p.m. at our office in Ketchum. It also meets on the first Thursday of the month from 11-12:30 p.m. in Hailey at the Senior Connection.

Spring and Fall Bereavement Groups that are open to adults that have experienced a loss. These groups require a RSVP and are 4 weeks each in length.

Drop-in grief group for 10 weeks during the summer which is open to adults who have experienced a loss. This group meets weekly.

Annual Memorial Tree Event- individuals can submit a name to be read at our Memorial Tree event for a $10/ name donation. The list of names gets read aloud and the lights on the tree are lit representing the names.

Coping with the Holidays grief group that meets before Thanksgiving to collectively discuss creative ways to meet the onset of one of the busiest times of year as a bereaved individual.

Over the years we have offered a variety of other types of grief groups based on need and interest within our

Some of the wonderful staff of the Hospice and Palliative Care of the Wood River Valley (HPCWRV).

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community: Art Therapy Grief Group and Yoga for Grief as well as a group dedicated to surviving spouses with young children.

We can also meet with individuals one on one to discuss caregiving issues, completing advance directives, or bereavement.

In fiscal year 2021 HPCWRV had seven employees working with an average daily census of 56 patients and an annual total of 135 hospice patients. In addition, we provided 1.402 telephone and Telemedicine support to patients, 119 social worker visits, and facilitated 36 support group sessions.

If anyone is interested in knowing more about our grief groups and/or have questions, they should call our hospice office (208) 726-8464. You can also visit our website hpcwrv.org or email us hospice@hpcwrv.org.

If ever comes a day when we cannot be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.

Winnie the Pooh ~ AA Milne

COMFORT IN WORDS

Sharing a list of books addressing grief and loss; may you find comfort in their words: A Grief Observed ~ C.S. Lewis The Year of Magical Thinking ~ Joan Didion Bearing the Unbearable ~ Joanne Cacciatore When the Bough Breaks ~ Judith Bernstein, Ph.D., Interviews with parents who have lost a child The Noonday Demon ~ Andrew Solomon The Madness of Grief ~ Granger Westberg The Grieving Brain ~ Mary Francis O’Connor The Beauty of What Remains ~ Rabbi Steve Leder Darkness Visible ~ William Styron Also, a collection of books by Gary Roe, chaplain and grief specialist: Please Be Patient, I’m Grieving Surviving the Holidays Without You No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear. ~C.S. Lewis Comfort for the Grieving Spouse

‘Tis the season for joyful celebrations, family gatherings, and religious rituals.

Unfortunately, not everyone takes pleasure in these activities.

They may be burdened by grief and loss or suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER From the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

What are the signs and symptoms of SAD? What causes SAD?

Many people go through short periods of time where they feel sad or not like their usual selves. Sometimes these mood changes begin and end when the seasons change. People may start to feel “down” when the days get shorter in the fall and winter (also called “winter blues”) and begin to feel better in the spring, with longer daylight hours.

In some cases, these mood changes are more serious and can affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities. If you have noticed significant changes in your mood and behavior whenever the seasons change, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression.

In most cases, SAD symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer; this is known as winter-pattern SAD or winter depression. Some people may experience depressive episodes during the spring and summer months; this is called summer-pattern SAD or summer depression and is less common.

SAD is not considered a separate disorder but is a type of depression characterized by its recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting about four to five months per year. Therefore, the signs and symptoms of SAD include those associated with major depression, and some specific symptoms that differ for winter-pattern and summer-pattern SAD. Not every person with SAD will experience all of the symptoms listed below.

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summer months) for at least two consecutive years.

However, not all people with SAD experience symptoms every year.

The episodes must be much more frequent than other depressive episodes that the person may have had at other times of the year during their lifetime.

Millions of American adults may suffer from SAD, although many may not know they have the condition. SAD occurs much more often in women than in men, and it is more common in those living farther north, where there are shorter daylight hours in the winter. For example, people living in Alaska or New England may be more likely to develop SAD than people living in Florida. In most cases, SAD begins in young adulthood.

SAD is more common in people with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder, especially bipolar II disorder, which is associated with recurrent depressive and hypomanic episodes.

Additionally, people with SAD tend to have other mental disorders, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, an eating disorder, an anxiety disorder, or panic disorder.

SAD sometimes runs in families. SAD is more common in people who have relatives with other mental illnesses, such as major depression or schizophrenia.

Scientists do not fully understand what causes SAD. Research indicates that people with SAD may have reduced activity of the brain chemical (neurotransmitter) serotonin, which helps regulate mood. Research also suggests that sunlight controls the levels of molecules that help maintain normal serotonin Symptoms of major depression may include: levels, but in people with SAD, this regulation does not function properly, resulting in decreased serotonin levels in the winter.

• Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day Other findings suggest that people with SAD produce too • Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed much melatonin—a hormone that is central for maintaining • Experiencing changes in appetite or weight the normal sleep-wake cycle. Overproduction of melatonin can • Having problems with sleep increase sleepiness.

• Feeling sluggish or agitated Both serotonin and melatonin help maintain the body’s daily • Having low energy rhythm that is tied to the seasonal night-day cycle. In people • Feeling hopeless or worthless with SAD, the changes in serotonin and melatonin levels disrupt • Having difficulty concentrating the normal daily rhythms. As a result, they can no longer adjust • Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide to the seasonal changes in day length, leading to sleep, mood, For winter-pattern SAD, additional specific symptoms may and behavior changes.

Deficits in vitamin D may exacerbate these problems because include: vitamin D is believed to promote serotonin activity. In addition to vitamin D consumed with diet, the body produces vitamin D • Oversleeping (hypersomnia) • Overeating, particularly with a craving for carbohydrates when exposed to sunlight on the skin. With less daylight in the winter, people with SAD may have lower vitamin D levels, which • Weight gain may further hinder serotonin activity.

• Social withdrawal (feeling like “hibernating”) Negative thoughts and feelings about the winter and its If you think you may be suffering from SAD, talk to your health associated limitations and stresses are common among people care provider or a mental health specialist about your concerns. with SAD (as well as others). It is unclear whether these are They may have you fill out specific questionnaires to determine “causes” or “effects” of the mood disorder, but they can be a useful focus of treatment. if your symptoms meet the criteria for SAD. To be diagnosed with SAD, a person must meet the following criteria: • •

Get Immediate Help

If you or someone you know is in immediate distress or is thinking about hurting themselves, call the National Suicide They must have symptoms of major depression, or the Prevention Lifeline toll-free at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the tollfree TTY number at 1-800-799-4TTY (4889). You also can text the more specific symptoms listed above.

The depressive episodes must occur during specific Crisis Text Line (HELLO to 741741) or go to the National Suicide seasons (i.e., only during the winter months or the Prevention Lifeline website at suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

I should know enough about loss to realize that you never really stop missing someone.

You just learn to live around the huge gaping hole of their absence. ~ Alyson Noel

Thoughts I am left with since you’ve been gone.

Deadly spirits live in isolation and the paths that are chosen to escape, the bottle, the pills, the final action.

They will ask for your life, beware.

They start out friendly. Disguised. Please BEWARE. Before you know it, you’ll be worshipping it, craving its comfort, hiding, lying, emotionally, physically, spiritually bankrupt, and full of shame.

One day, the lies turn against you.

Darkness closes in and you no longer hear the truth.

The truth, you could have asked for help.

Someone would have answered, no judgment, no shame!

You do matter.

You are missed.

You brought a special light that the world needed.

Everyone has been left with heartache, questions, and what ifs.

Hopelessness, Helplessness, Worthlessness, Depression, Anxiety, Shame, Suicide, and Death- you are the LIE living in the path taken to escape.

The LIE patiently waits for its next victim to buy and swallow the lies.

Jenna Suicide, you have convinced too many people that you have all the answers to all of life’s problems.

“End it all, you say, the pain will all be over.”

The Truth: the pain is only over for the one who chooses pray that I never forget how I felt in the picture on the left. to believe you.

Everyone else is left with the path of destruction that eighteen months ago, I was hopeless and felt just as worthless.

I prayed that I wouldn't have to wake up to live another day. My The reality is that you will grieve forever. You you left behind. unresolved trauma throughout my life had become too much. I was Trying to pick up the pieces. willofnot “get over” the loss ofaaday loved one.

You will at the height my alcoholism, drinking a fifth and in so much For all who live with the memories of a loved one whoemotional and spiritual pain. heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss listened to the lies, and you are trying to pick up the pieces, I was given a choice and an opportunity eighteen months ago, and WE can find hopehoping and healing. have suffered.

You will be whole again, but it was a way out. I left for rehab you at Rainbows End WE can choose forgiveness and life.

Recovery Center in Idaho. thirty four days the journey youlater willand never be thehad same. Nor should you be the WE can choose connection and bring hope to a hurting only just begun. The last year and a half has been the hardest, same.

Nor would you want to. world around us.beautiful, most rewarding, and most peaceful of most my life.

I have a lovelife andover an understanding for not only myself, WE can choose truth over lies, lovegained over hate, but for those around me as well. I am blessed in my professional death. ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and personal life to help those still suffering today with their TOGETHER, WE CAN RISE!

I

addiction. I have meaningful and honest connections with the people around me today. I am capable of handling even the worst situation with more love and moreSTATEMENT grace today. I am a work in MISSION progress, with the hope every day to be a better me than I was The Wellness Connection was developed to provide timely information on mental health issues, such as addiction, the day before. I have a beautiful and ever growing and changing depression, grief and trauma, and showcase the community nonprofit services. We will highlight the services of a different relationship with a higher power of my own design and I have nonprofit organization each month to give the community a better understanding of the broad scope of services offered. We more blessings and more hope than I could have ever dreamed, will present stories of hope and encouragement as well as essays even on my best day 18 months ago. on related topics. We welcome your feedback. Contact us

at RERCjournal@gmail.com

I wish I could give even just a glimpse of the hope and love I have discovered on this journey. I continue to do the next right thing, let go of things I cannot control, and exist for just one day at a Resources time. Thankful every day for the opportunity to have lived this life.

Rainbow’s End Recovery Center www.rainbowsendrecoverycenter.com | 208 879-2267 Jenna H.

Men’s Second Chance Living www.msclhouse.org | 208 481-0182 Resources

“988” is the nationwide phone number Rainbow's End Recovery CenterLifeline to connect directly to the 988 Suicide and Crisis

www.rainbowsendrecoverycenter.com | 208 879-2267

12 Step GroupMen’s Meetings, Mental Health Group Meetings Second Chance Living www.msclhouse.org | 208 481-0182 The Sun Club www.sunclub.org The Crisis Hotline www.thecrisishotline.org | 208 788-3596

12 Step Group Meetings, Health Group Meetings NAMI www.nami-wrv.com | Mental 208 481-0686 The Sun Club www.sunclub.org

www.nami-wrv.com | 208 481-0686 The Advocates For SurvivorsNAMI of Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault www.theadvocates.org | 208 788-4191 Advocates For Survivors of Domestic Abuse www.theadvocates.org | 208 788-4191

St. Lukes MentalSt. Health Services www.stlukesonline.org Lukes Mental Health Services www.stlukesonline.org 208 788-2134 208 788-2134 The Suicide Hotline | DIAL 988

The Suicide Hotline | DIAL 988 Publisher Nancy Del Colletti, Executive Director, Rainbow’s End Recovery Center

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Editor in Chief Claudia Cabot Mohr, BFA, MFA Contact us: rercjournal@gmail.com Creative Direction Encore Design + Consulting

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