June 2016 News & Events
Memorial Event June 9
Join Us for Illuminations

Luinarias glow in the dusk.
 
Join us on Thursday evening, June 9, for Illuminations, our annual memorial event. It will be held in the gardens of the Nina K. Miller Hospicare Center in Ithaca. The pathways around our building will glow with luminarias, each dedicated to the memory of someone who has died.

The service includes live music, spoken words and refreshments. The evening concludes with the a performance of "Taps" and candlelight on the Hospicare pond. 
 
Luminarias can be personalized for a suggested donation of $25. Donations are greatly appreciated but not required. All are welcomed to attend regardless of whether your loved one was a patient with Hospicare at the time of death. 
 
The event begins at 7:30 p.m. The program of remembrance begins at 8:00 p.m. 

Visit the Illuminations website for more information.
  
It's an Honor to Volunteer with Hospicare       

Picture of Cheryl Jewell
 
by Cheryl Jewell

I started volunteering at the Nina K. Miller Hospicare Residence in April 2012. I have learned something special from each individual I have encountered.

I have been moved by the look in patients' eyes when I have held their hands and they are unable to speak. I have sat next to others who were unconscious, or who could no longer speak and were unable to open their eyes. I have put my hand on top of their hand and have felt their heart beat slow down or their hand twitch slightly as they manage to just barely move a muscle. Just bringing a patient a meal or a beverage is rewarding because they smile or say thank you, and I know they feel loved . . .

Read more about Cheryl's experiences volunteering with Hospicare.  

Pet Peace of Mind Program Helps Patients Care for Their Pets  

 
Sharon Shinkle's dogs Yogi and Shelby meant the world to her. When Sharon began receiving hospice services in Palm Harbor, Florida, she also learned of a program that would help her care for her dogs and plan for their future after she was gone.

Hospicare, too, assists patients with pet needs as much as possible. While we do not have a special pet program like the one in Florida, we do help patients and their families connect with other local resources like the SPCA of Tompkins County and Cortland Community SPCA, both of which can help find new homes for pets.

In addition, Hospicare has a pet care fund that was established by the family of a former patient who loved animals. It exists to help cover the costs of pet care for patients who cannot afford it and/or to help with relocation costs of pets after the owners die. For more information about the pet care fund, e-mail Mike Katz at mkatz@hospicare.org. 
 
Men Supporting Men
How Men Grieve Support Group   

Image of an upset man.
 
Men and women often grieve in ways that may seem quite different from each other. Modern bereavement support recognizes this. To give men a space and a time to recognize their own grieving process, Hospicare is offering a one-evening grief support group for men only.  
 
This is an opportunity to connect with other men who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Local Therapist and Hospicare volunteer Craig Kukuk, LCSW, will facilitate an open discussion among men around the topic of grief. Craig has run grief groups for many years and has helped facilitate men's retreats. He creates a safe space for men to process their grief. 

This support group will be held Tuesday, June 7, 6:00-8:00 PM, at the Nina K. Miller Hospicare Center in Ithaca. Free and open to all men, but please register by June 3 with Donna George, LMSW, FT, (dgeorge@hospicare.org) or call 607-272-0212.
 
Save the Dates! 
Held at the Nina K. Miller Hospicare Center
172 E. King Road, Ithaca, NY
  • Women Singin' (1st Tuesday of the month), 6/7, 7/5, 5:30−7:00 PM
  • General Support Group for All Bereaved (1st & 3rd Wednesdays of the month), 6/1 & 6/15, 7/6 & 7/20, 5:30−7:00 PM
  • Monthly Bereaved Parents Group 1st Thursday of the month--July meeting moved to the second Thursday of the month), 6/2, 7/14, 5:30-7:30
  • How Men Grieve For men only. A chance for men to connect with other men who are grieving. Tuesday, 6/7, 6:00-8:00 PM.
  • Illuminations Our annual summer memorial event. Thursday, 6/9, 7:30-8:30 PM
Held at the Cortland Hospicare Office
11 Kennedy Parkway, Cortland, NY
  • Morning Support Group for All Bereaved (1st Tuesday of the month), 6/7, 7/7, 10:00−11:30 AM
  • Afternoon Support Group for All Bereaved (3rd Thursday of the month), 6/16, 7/16, Noon−1:30 PM
  • Evening Support Group for All Bereaved (2nd Wednesday of the month) 6/8, 7/8, 5:30−7:00 PM
Held Offsite
  • Women Swimmin' Laps for Hospicare Ongoing March 1−August 13. Register online to participate. In lieu of swimming across Cayuga Lake, you can swim in a pool of your choosing, wherever you wish, to raise money for Hospicare.
  • Women Swimmin' 2016 Saturday, 8/13. Begins at sunrise.
  • Hospice Foundation of Cortland County Volunteer Recognition Luncheon Thursday, 9/8. Mark your calendar! More information coming soon.
  • Sandra Lipsitz Bem Lecture Thursday, 9/22. Mark your calendar! More information coming soon.
  • Annual Hospicare Recognition Luncheon Thursday, 10/6. Mark your calendar! More information coming soon.
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. Some workshops and events require preregistration.
 
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.

Women Swimmin' is August 13.

 Support a Swimmer now!

In the News

For Loved Ones of Critically Ill Patients, Hope Often Trumps Understanding of a Physician's Prognosis
Caretakers for critically ill loved ones often don't understand nor do they agree with the doctor's prognosis.

Songs for the Dying: Hospice Choirs Provide Peace, Comfort
Hospice choirs bring peace and hope to the dying--and they're becoming more and more common.

After Life's Twists, a Final Goal: Dignity and Peace
A hospice patient and her nurse share a close, loving relationship as the patient seeks to keep control of her life all the way to the end.

A doctor at a children's hospice reaches out to a dying boy's grandfather, and helps him find a measure of peace.

Suicide Tourism: Traveling for the Right to Die and the Ethical and Legal Dilemmas That Come With It
This in-depth article looks at death with dignity across the globe and especially the phenomenon of terminally ill people traveling to other states or countries to end their lives.

Website of Interest

Bios Urn
This biodegradable funeral urn holds cremation ashes in a chamber below growing medium for a tree seedling. Once planted in the ground, the urn will disintegrate as the tree grows, and the ashes will help nourish the seedling.
 
two hands clasping
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. 

Amazon Smile
Shop through Amazon Smile, and 0.5% of your purchase price will be donated to Hospicare.
Quick Links  

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info@hospicare.org

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