The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Hospice care encompasses patients
Hospice’s public-media relations manager said caring for the family as well as the patient is a part of the agency’s mission.
Janice Wright often reminds her caregivers that she’s quite content.
Despite dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and congestive heart failure, a perpetual smile and pleasant demeanor give credence to the fact that she’s peacefully happy.
Sally Wright, of Willoughby, is Janice’s daughter who credits much of her mother’s cheerful state to Hospice of the Western Reserve team members who care for her.
The team, comprised of social worker Kerri Williamson, registered nurse Regina Mesa, nursing assistant Desirea Johnston, and spiritual care coordinator Barb Holzhouser, has been attending to Janice since July when Sally moved her parents from Lima, Ohio, to Mentor.
Janice and her husband Paul reside at Governor’s Pointe, an assisted living facility in Mentor.
“The communication that we’ve had and the caring, love and support from the hospice team has just been wonderful,” Sally said.
“This is the way it’s supposed to be,” said Tim Yowell of Mentor who is Sally’s fiancé.
The couple, who planned to wed over the Thanksgiving holiday, decided to arrange an engagement party in October to celebrate their upcoming nuptials.
One of their wishes was to have Janice attend.
“I had asked hospice if they could possibly help. They transported her there and it is something I’ll never forget,” Sally said.
Thanks to the work of the team along with a hospice volunteer, the beaming mother-of-the-bride was able to take part in the festivities and meet many of her future son-in-law’s family and friends.
“I enjoyed it very much. It was such a nice idea,” Janice said while recalling the event.
Laurie Henrichsen, Hospice’s public-media relations manager, said that caring for the family as well as the patient is a large portion of the agency’s mission.
“It’s part of the deeper work that we do,” she said. “People are aware of the medical side but they may not be aware that we support the entire family.”
A special Hospice program often fulfills both patient and family wishes.
“Our Moments to Remember program focuses
on enhancing the quality of life for hospice patients by giving them the opportunity to see a special request or wish come true,” states information from Hospice. “It could be as simple as providing cookies from a favorite childhood bakery or as intimate as hosting a
great- granddaughter’s baby shower at one of our inpatient care units.”
Helping to ensure that Janice would look and feel her best for the engagement party was a special manicure provided by Johnston.
“She’s always had her nails painted,” Johnston said. “To give patients a little piece of themselves back to them is important.”
During a recent interview, Mesa assured that Janice would enjoy a “fluff and puff” of her hair prior to the wedding ceremony set to take place at Governor’s Pointe.
Yowell noted that although Sally and he chose to make arrangements for the simple service on their own, the Hospice team offered to help.
Henrichsen said that every family is different and that “we meet them where they’re at.”
Yowell, whose sister and daughter are former Hospice employees, sings praises of the agency whose mission states in part is “to relieve suffering, enhance comfort, promote quality of life, foster choice in endof-life care and support effective grieving.”
He noted that Hospice focuses on relationships, a highly important and sensitive element during families’ critical times.
“(The teams) loves their patients,” he said. “We have no idea in this area how fortunate we are to have them.”