As of September 2, the total raised for Women Swimmin' 2014 is over $374,000!

We wish to thank everyone who gave their time, talents and money to support this event. We also extend a special thanks to our corporate sponsors. They covered all event expenses, so that the money raised by swimmers and boaters will go toward patient and family services, including subsidizing patient care at the Nina K. Miller Hospicare Residence.  

Would you like to volunteer with Hospicare? We depend on volunteer community members to help our agency carry out our work. Our trained volunteers visit patients in their homes or assisted care facilities, offering practical help and companionship. They also assist the agency in other ways, depending on their interests and backgrounds. 

Right now, we are especially looking for licensed massage therapists who would like to volunteer to work with patients.

Fall volunteer training will be held on two consecutive weekends: September 13 & 14 and 20 & 21. All sessions are 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Nina K. Miller Hospicare Center, 172 East King Road, Ithaca. Attendance at all four sessions is required. Before registering for training, prospective volunteers must submit an application form, available on line.  

 

One of the tragedies in our society today is that many of us experience our grief alone, feeling that there must be something wrong with us and that certainly no one we know of has ever felt or behaved in these strange ways. Fearful of embarrassment or of appearing "crazy" to others, many of us hide our true feelings of grief.

It's important to understand that you are not strange in your grief reactions. Your grief may manifest itself in any one or more of the following ways:

Physical reactions may include disruptions to eating and sleeping. Other physical reactions may include weakness, pounding and/or heavy feeling in the chest, shortness of breath.

• I feel sick to my stomach. I just can't eat!
• I have trouble getting to sleep and, after I finally do, I only sleep for a few hours before I'm up again.