December News & Events
Join us for music, poetry and folklore    
Gifts of the Winter Solstice    
 

  

Winter will soon be officially here--and it's time to celebrate the gifts this season brings.

 

On December 21, Hospicare will hold a Winter Solstice celebration in our Great Room at the Nina K. Miller Hospicare Center. The evening's gathering will feature music, poetry and folklore related to the winter solstice and the gift of community. This event is free and open to the public, although donations are appreciated.

 

What:
Gifts of the Winter Solstice
Where:
Hospicare, 172 East King Road, Ithaca
When:
December 21, 7:00 PM

Jayne Demakos, harp and vocals 
Elizabeth Simpson, cello
Max Buckholtz, violin
Doug Robinson, guitar
Alice Saltonstall, vocals
Leslie Schultz, vocals
Readers: Jimmie Schultz, Jeff Collins, Kira Lallas

For more information contact Jayne Demakos at jdemakos@hospicare.org or 607-272-0212.

Community Fundraisers   
 
Many of our community supporters are planning fundraisers for Hospicare during this holiday season. Here are two. We thank everyone for their generosity and kindness during this season of giving.  

 

Festival of Wreaths 

Danby Federated Church is once again having its Festival of Wreaths with all proceeds going to Hospicare.

 

This year's event will be December 6, 6:00-9:00 PM and December 7, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. Along with hundreds of beautiful Christmas wreaths to chose from, the fundraiser will also include holiday decorations, free refreshments and Christmas cookies by the pound.

 

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?  

The Homecoming Players are offering an encore presentation of their acclaimed production Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In the spirit of the season, all profits from the show will be shared between Hospicare and three other local human service agencies: Planned Parenthood of the Southern Finger Lakes, the Tompkins County SPCA and Tompkins Learning Partners.

 

Performances will take place Friday and Saturday, December 13 and 14, at 7:00 pm, and Sunday, December 15, at 2:00 pm, at Ithaca's Hangar Theatre in Cass Park. All tickets are just $20.  

 

To purchase tickets visit TheatreIncognita.org.
  
Caring for Your Ill Loved One  
 
 
Adapted from an article by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.

 

We all want to be supportive when a loved one is dealing with a serious illness. Yet, talking about the illness and what the future may hold is never easy. Approach your loved one in the way you think most likely to put them at ease. Remember, they may be in need of additional comfort and kindness right now.

 

Here are three of the most common issues people facing serious illness must deal with.

 

It is common for people with serious illness to feel afraid of the future, be angry with the healthcare system, worry about their family or grieve the loss of their "normal" life before the illness.

 

What you can do

  • Listen with respect and empathy; take the lead from your loved one about how the conversation should go.
  • It's all right to admit you don't know what to say and to acknowledge that talking about illness and the future is difficult. What is important is that you reach out and offer support.

To read more, click here. 

 
We Celebrate Our Outstanding Supporters in the Community     
 
On November 8, Hospicare held its 30th Anniversary Celebration. As part of the festivities, we created two new awards to recognize the contributions of those who have helped us reach this milestone.
Alma Coats, wife of Dr. Roy Coats, presents the award to Dr. Charles Garbo of CHOA. (Photo by Ed Dittenhoefer)
We presented the Dr. R. Roy Coats Compassionate Care Award to Cayuga Hematology Oncology Associates in recognition of their keeping to the highest standards of patient care as exemplified by the life and work of Dr. Coats, Hospicare's first medical director. We thank CHOA for consistently providing compassionate care to our patients, allowing them to live their lives as fully as possible.
Hospicare Executive Director Dale Johnson presents the honor to Marlaine Darfler.
(Photo by Ed Dittenhoefer)
We presented the Hospicare & Palliative Care Services Volunteer Award to Volunteer Marlaine Darfler, LMT, in recognition of her long-term, consistent and dedicated commitment to Hospicare's mission. Marlaine has been involved with Hospicare from the very beginning; she was part of the early committee that convened to explore the idea of creating a hospice in our community!

Representatives of Ithaca Bakery/ College Town Bagels received their award at the AFP luncheon. 

A week later, on November 15, Hospicare was pleased to support Ithaca Bakery/College Town Bagels as they accepted the award for Corporate Philanthropist of the Year from the Finger Lakes Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Hospicare was a co-nominator of IB/CTB, and Melissa Dunham, Hospicare Event Coordinator, presented them with the award.

IB/CTB has supported Hospicare, as they have so many other organizations in our community, by donating nutritious, tasty food for our fundraisers and other events. Every year they provide the bagels, coffee and other breakfast food for hundreds of participants of our Women Swimmin' for Hospicare event. Thank you IB/CTB!

 

Save the Dates!

  • Women Singin' 12/3, 1/7 (1st Tuesday of the month) 5:30-7:00 PM
  • Evening Support Group for Newly Bereaved 12/4, 1/8 (1st Wednesday of the month--January date changed due to holiday) 5:30-7:00 PM 
  • Tuesday Lunch Group 12/10, 1/14 (2nd Tuesday of the month) Noon
  • Evening Support Group for All Bereaved 12/18, 1/15 (3rd Wednesday of the month)  5:30-7:00 PM  
  • Wednesday Breakfast Group 12/18, 1/22 (4th Weds. of the month--December date changed due to holidays), 8:30 AM 
  • Coping with the Holidays one-time session, 12/4, 12:00-2:00 PM   
  • 15 STEPS Fundraiser 11/28-12/1, all day
  • Festival of Wreaths Fundraiser, Danby Federated Church, 12/6, 6:00-9:00 PM & 12/7 10:00 AM-5:00 PM 
  • Good Grief Event for grieving children & their caretakers, 12/12, 5:30-7:30 PM
  • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Fundraiser, The Homecoming Players' production at the Hangar Theatre, 12/13-14, 7:00 PM & 12/15, 2:00 PM 
  • Gifts of the Winter Solstice 12/21, 7:00 PM    

For more information on any of the above groups or events, please call 607-272-0212, or visit our Events page to download a PDF of our current calendar.

 
Our mission is to bring medical expertise and compassionate, respectful care to people and their loved ones at any stage of a life-threatening illness, and to provide information and education about advanced illness, dying and bereavement to the entire community.
In This Issue
Winter Solstice
Community Fundraisers
Caring for Loved One
Celebrating Supporters
Save the Dates
In the News
Websites of Interest
Support Our Mission
In the News

Women Singin' Offers Comfort Through Song
The Ithaca Times features an article about Hospicare's Women Singin'.

Planning for a Future in the Face of Terminal Illness
People are living longer with terminal illness and careful financial planning can help them stay solvent.

For Those at Death's Door, a Case for 'Life Panels'
A son argues that his mother's wish for quality, rather than length, of life would have been upheld if she could have designated a "life panel" to oversee her final days. 

    

When the Doctor Disappears
Should doctors stay connected with patients who transition to hospice services? 
Websites of Interest

Whole Animal Veterinary Hospice Services
Local Tompkins County veterinarian Katherine Goldberg focuses on hospice for animals. 
 
The longest running  Alzheimers disease and caring website offers resources and advice. 

Health Journeys
An online site offering resources focusing on mind- body practice, especially information about health and guided imagery.    
Reaching out
Donate
Help terminally ill people spend the end of their lives peacefully and without pain.

Our Wish List
Items to make patients and their families more comfortable.

Quick Links

Contact us:

607.272.0212
www.hospicare.org
info@hospicare.org

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