Duke Hospice Volunteers

Caring for our patients, their loved ones, and each other

Duke Hospice Volunteer Newsletter

March 2014

Each year in April, we make a point of celebrating and honoring our precious DHCH volunteers. Whether you sit at the bedside, play an instrument, train and handle therapy dogs, audit patient charts, file the stacks of papers we generate, stuff envelopes, make tea and cookies, or any of hundreds of tasks that patient / family care or administrative volunteers undertake, we want to put you front and center at our Annual Duke Hospice Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, held this year at the start of National Volunteer Week, Sunday, April 6 at 1 pm in the Durham office. You make such a difference in the lives of our patients and their families and in the work environment of our agency. You are not only the heart of hospice, you are our community heroes. Please come to our party so we can thank you all in person.RSVP to Carolyn at 919 479-0385 or .

Death over Dinner and The Conversation Project are working together to prompt discussions about one of the most important, expensive events of our lives—death. Our first event was very successful thanks to Susan Price and Sue Graham. One of our attendees, Megan Ramaiya, has offered to organize such an event for the unique perspective of young and mid-career volunteers, people perhaps just starting to contemplate the subject. No matter your age, if you would like to participate in this event or help host another, please let Carolyn know.To learn more, go to

Due to the recent severe weather,Patient / Family Support Volunteer trainingwas postponed tothe weekend of March 21-23. If you want to participate or know someone who is interested, please have them contact Carolyn.

  • Also, if you’d like to add your voice to our ever-popular volunteer panel during training, Carolyn is waiting for your call.
  • And because we are acquiring patients in the outer reaches of our service area, we are in special need of volunteers in the Granville, Vance and Person county areas. Our usual recruitment efforts generally call for us to have an introduction by and to someone in the area. If you know anyone who lives or works in these counties or a group who would like someone to do a presentation on hospice volunteer opportunities, please let Carolyn know.

Bereavement Services For Staff and Volunteers: Each month we offer a Monthly Moment of Remembrance for Duke Hospice staff and volunteers to recognize the losses we experience in our challenging work with hospice. You are cordially invited. Call Carolyn to sign up

Camp ReLEAF 2014 will take place Saturday, May 3, through Sunday, May 4, at Camp New Hope. Once again camp will offer students in grades K-8 who have lost a loved one, the opportunity to play games, roast marshmallows over a bonfire and take part in supportive activities to express their grief. Experienced and new volunteers are welcome (patient/family support volunteer training is needed for new volunteers). If you are interested in volunteering this year, please contact Andi Bowen, bereavement counselor, at 919-644-6869, or , for additional information about camp and the application process.

Also, if you know of a child who might benefit from this camp experience, please let Andi know.

Flu Update: While reported cases of influenza are tapering off,flu inNorth Carolina remains strong and deadly. Recent CDC data shows 74 deaths in our state from flu since the season started in October. Thank you to all of our Duke HomeCare and Hospice staff and volunteers who chose to be vaccinated and are doing a great job using standard health precautions, like scrupulous handwashing. You are the front line of defense for our patients. Please stay vigilant. Remember,

  • Perform handwashing frequently and thoroughly.
  • If you have any respiratory or flu like symptoms, please stay home until you are symptom-free.

Someone’s life may depend on you.

Norovirustypically settles on us at about the same time as flu season. You may have read about the cruise ship that served as an incubator for norovirus this winter. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, fever, headache and body aches. And dehydration is a significant risk. Unlike influenza, you are contagious for up to three days after the end of your symptoms. Fortunately, frequent and thorough handwashing is one of the best preventions.

Annual Gala Rings in Spring!

The 12th annual Oh, What a Night! Gala will celebrate Spring on Saturday, March 29th, in the newly redecorated Grand Ballroom of the Durham Convention Center.Dance the night away to the tunes of the Craig Woolard Band. This year celebrates the departure of winter and the arrival of Spring. Individual seating at the gala is available at $125 and tables of ten are $1,000.Seating includes dinner, dancing, drinks and both live and silent auctions featuring an array of vacation trips (4-day holiday to Palm Beach), unique jewelry, personal services and much more (children’s playhouse, DPAC package including backstage passes, etc.)!

Enjoy a night on the town with us knowing you are helping individuals and families with much needed services right here in our community. Thanks to our generous sponsors, all proceeds benefit our hospice program to help provide end-of-life care in the patient’s home or in one of our two inpatient facilities – the Hock Family Pavilion in Durham or the Meadowlands in Hillsborough. Funds also support our hospice and community bereavement services. To reserve your seating at the gala, or to ask questions, please call Dale Horton at 919-479-0318 or email her at .

Helping Hands for Hospice ConcertLast year after touring our facilities and talking with our staff, Wake County resident Leslie Rutherford wanted to lend a helping hand to our hospice program. She decided to create and host a “Helping Hands for Hospice” concert in Raleigh at the Lincoln Theater. Leslie started by recruiting Durham entrepreneur Thorne Daubenspeck who managed to secure Delta Rae, one of the hottest new bands nationally, to play for the benefit concert! The first-time event was a huge success raising over $24,000 for the hospice program.The concert was so successful that Leslie and Thorne are doing a second concert to benefit the Duke Hospice program. The 2014 Helping Hands Concert features artist Pat McGee with The Jason Adamo Bandand will be held again at the Lincoln Theater in Raleigh on Sunday evening, April 27th. Tickets for the private VIP Reception on the balcony at the Lincoln Theater are $150 a couple. General Admission tickets are $100 per person. Your ticket price includes food and beverages from area restaurants in addition to some kickin’ music.This event was sold out last year! If you’d like to join in on the fun, you can register at

Interesting Websites:

Morning Meditation: Sometimes all it takes to have a good day is a small shift in your morning thinking. If you start the day in a good mood with a positive outlook, you’re more likely to enjoy the whole day ahead. That’s where the “5 Minute Morning Meditation” will come to your rescue.

All Pain Eventually Stops: Primary care doctor blogs about whose pain should be attended at death.

How Death Works: a podcast to complete a series on death by Chuck and Josh of “Stuff You Should Know.

Volunteer Opportunities New and Ongoing, Short- and Long-Term:

Our nextAdmission Packet Assembly (aka PAPER SLAM!) workday will be Saturday, March 29, from 9 a.m. - noon at the Durham office. This group keeps the clinical staff supplied with current intake materials year round. It’s not rocket science, but it may be more important to the efficient running of our programs than rocket science ever will be. Plus there are snacks. Call Carolyn if you would like to participate.

We are on the lookout for Complementary Therapy Volunteers for the inpatient unitincluding Music at the Bedside, Healing Touch and REIKIpractitioners.

All our DHCH (hospice, infusion, home health care, and bereavement) programs value the volunteer support they receive and we have many requests for additional weekday clerical support at the Durham office.

Hock Family Pavilion Volunteer Ambassadors—Our need for Ambassadors at the inpatient unit is ongoing. With a short training program, these men and women serve as the first face of Duke Hospice for the many families and friends of our patients at Hock. They answer phones, direct people to patient rooms and waiting rooms, make cups of tea, conduct tours, and sit quietly with people who just need an ear or a shoulder or a warm, compassionate presence. Call Carolyn for more information.Our patients and their families could really use your support!

Our next Duke Hospice care shawl meeting will be Thursday evening, March 27, 2014, 7 p.m. at Chapel Hill Bible Church. If you like to knit or crochet or want to learn, please consider joining us. Contact Helen Cooper, Duke Hospice knitter extraordinaire, for information or support at . If you have shawls you have finished and would like to donate before our next meeting, call Carolyn to arrange a drop-off. Donations of yarn are always welcome.

Playmakers Repertory at UNCPlaymakers presents the regional premiere ofLove Aloneby Deborah Salem Smith from Feb. 26 – Mar. 16. After a routine medical procedure goes tragically wrong, a lawsuit transforms the lives of both the patient’s family and a doctor charged with her care. Two households navigate uncharted waters of loss, anger, humor and longing on their path to healing. The New York Times calls it a “lucid, deeply nuanced and fearless work.” The Boston Globe says “first-rate … a gleaming gem.”

Book Notes(Reviewed by Annie Hassell, Duke Hospice Volunteer)

LIFE IS A GIFT: Inspiration from the Soon Departed by Bob & Judy Fisher 2008. Faith Words, Hatchette Book Group USA, New York, NY. The decision to enter a hospice program follows a diagnosis of imminent death and an acknowledgment that one's life is coming to a close--a difficult place to be by any measure. Knowing that your hours on Earth are numbered provides a unique venue for introspection. Such was the case for 104 individuals in the care of Alive Hospice (Nashville) who were interviewed by Bob and Judy Fisher. The Fishers collected these generously proffered end-of-life ponderings into an inspirational and provocative book that will inspire you to live life fully.Each story is reflected in thematic chapters--priorities, family, simple pleasures, romance, integrity, regret, forgiveness--crafted into a series of "lessons learned", offering motivation to approach life with more vigor. These powerful stories deliver the clear message that if you wait to really live until you know you are going to die, you risk missing much of the joy life has to offer and the chance to leave a positive legacy. These stories came from a very diverse group of people...from 5-year-old Maddie to older adults from many walks of life. But the one thing they have in common is that their stories give us great insights into life...and how we can live it more fully.

Duke Hospice First Friday Education Series Our volunteers are invited to join our staff on the first Friday of the month (March 7) from 8:30 -- 9:30 a.m. to learn from one of our palliative care physicians. This month’s speaker will be Dr. Brian Talcott, Palliative Care Fellow, who will speak about kidney disease and the decision process for and consequences of stopping dialysis. If you are interested, contact Carolyn for more detail.

Reminders:

  • Tax Time: If you have been logging miles with the volunteer office, your mileage record for your income tax report is available. Contact Carolyn if you want to receive a copy.
  • If you are going to be out of town or become ill and cannot visit your patient, please give Carolyn a heads up. She can sometimes arrange for another volunteer to check in on your patient during your time away from your normal routine. Always take time to refresh your energies when you need to and come back to us and your hospice work with vigor.
  • Submit your paperwork as soon as possible, do your pain screening at each encounter, remember the two patient identifiers (name and date of birth), be mindful of patient confidentiality.
  • Make sure your volunteer badge is current and wear it at all times when you are representing Duke Hospice.
  • Carolyn continues to round with our volunteers. If you would like to meet with her to talk about how things are going or just catch up please give her a call.

What Would You Do?

Most volunteer visits to facilities can be routine – you remember to use Words That Work for effective communication, patient is doing well, staff is happy to see you, bing and you’re done. But, occasionally, an unexpected incident requires you to make a quick decision outside your normal routine. For instance: You are visiting your patient in a nursing facility. As you enter the facility, you pass a few residents in wheelchairs that are congregated in the front hallway. One of these residents is inches away from toppling out of her chair, and is begging you to help her. She is not your patient, and facility policy forbids anyone but employees to physically assist residents.No one in the group is able to help right this woman in her chair. No facility employee is in sight to assist her. If you leave her to search for help, she is apt to fall.

Does the “Take Action” directive in Words That Work apply in this case? What action can you take and who needs to be informed to insure this patient’s safety? What if the action that seems so logical may be violating the facility’s policy? All of a sudden you are faced with that question – what should you do? Please send your responses on how you would handle this actual incident experienced by a Duke Hospice volunteer to and we will include them in the April newsletter. I, and many others, want to know “What Would You Do?”

We are looking for other encounters that we can discuss in future newsletters. Can you share one of your scenarios with us? Was your first patient visit a challenge? Did you walk into a home where you were inundated with medical-related questions from many family members? Were you asked to keep secrets from family or hospice staff? Please share your experience for our next “What Would You Do?” How would you respond? Send your responses and future scenarios to Laura at .

A RESOURCE FOR YOU Continuing Education forMarch Falls PreventionWe welcome your feedback on our continuing education pieces. Please contact Carolyn if you would like more information on a topic we cover in the newsletter or if you would like to suggest or to write an article for a future newsletter.

For more information contact:

Carolyn Colsher, DHCH Volunteer Services Supervisor

(919) 479-0385 (phone) (919) 970-0227 (pager)

Laura Kujawksi, DHCH Volunteer Coordinator (919) 479-0377 Website: dhch.duhs.duke.edu htice

We are here on earth to do good to others. What the others are here for, I don't know.

---W. H. Auden

And thank you, as always, for everything you do for our patients and families. Carolyn and Laura

Mission Statement: Duke HomeCare & Hospice will provide innovative, thoughtful care, using an interdisciplinary team approach, to achieve the best possible outcomes for the patients, families and communities we serve.

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