Literature Review

Twin Cities nonprofit fighting senior loneliness with flowers CBS Minnesota; by Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield; 10/6/24 One in four senior Americans is living in isolation. And according to the National Institute of Health, 43% of seniors struggle with loneliness. But a group of Twin Cities women are fighting that trend with flowers. Bluebirds & Blooms in Edina looks like a floral shop, and in a way, it is. But workers there aren't making money. Instead, they're making joy. It's a mission so celebrated that they have an overflow of volunteers. Bluebirds & Blooms started in 2018 after one of the creators saw a news story about a charity in Idaho that re-purposed flowers for hospice patients. They decided to create something similar, delivering to senior centers and hospices around Minnesota.

Marshall medical students volunteer for Day of Service CBS WOWK-13 News, Huntington, WV; by Jessica Patterson; 9/11/24 On a day of reflecting and honoring lives lost to a horrific tragedy, people across the country are commemorating the services and sacrifices people made on Sept. 11, 2001, by volunteering in their communities. According to AmeriCorps, America’s National Day of Service and Remembrance is designed to honor and commemorate the heroes of 9/11 including armed forces, first responders, volunteers and countless others, for their acts of service during the terror attacks and in the aftermath. In Huntington, some college students are stepping up to do their part in the local community. Residents from the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine General Surgery Program spent the day volunteering at a local hospice house. The Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice Facility welcomed all the students’ hard work helping to prepare the grounds and gardens for the end of summer. “They are here today to help beautify and plant flowers here at our inpatient unit, the Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House, which is part of Hospice of Huntington,” said Melanie Hall, Hospice of Huntington president and CEO.

Central Coast lavender farm helping cancer and hospice patients in Monterey County KSBW-8 News, Monterey County, CA; by Zoe Hunt; 9/9/24  Lavender Creek Co. has turned its family farm into a source of comfort for cancer and hospice patients in Monterey County. Ryan and Myriah Hopkins are the husband-and-wife duo behind the lavender farm on Carmel Valley Road. They’re using their home-grown lavender to donate products like hand towels and eye pillows designed to soothe and relax, a much-needed comfort for hospital patients. ... "We are donating our lavender that [the Monterey Quilters Guild sews]into eye pillows and then donate it to our hospital or nonprofits," Hopkins said. "Then those go to patients undergoing cancer treatment and hospice care."

After successful IT career, Denise DeLeo finds new meaning in teen hobby LNP / LancasterOnline, Lancaster, PA; by Karyl Carmingnani; 9/4/24 For 50 years, the Lancaster New Era ... highlighted the accomplishments and aspirations of local high school students in a weekly feature known as Teen of the Week. This is one of a series of stories in which we catch up with some of those students highlighted 50 years ago, in 1974, to see how their lives met their teenage goals and what they would tell today’s high school students. When Denise Weitzel was featured as a Teen of the Week in 1974, the bright-eyed 18-year-old had spent three months as an exchange student in a speck of a town in Denmark, was an avid seamstress, ... [Denise] DeLeo got her first sewing machine when she was 12, and made a lot of her clothes growing up. ... DeLeo had an illustrious career in IT, becoming vice president for an information company. But tragedy struck when a disgruntled employee at one of her company’s clients returned to the workplace and gunned down nine people, including her boss. DeLeo decided to leave the industry and help raise her granddaughter instead. And get back to what she loves: sewing. DeLeo also makes memory bears for hospice families. She uses clothing from the deceased person to make personalized keepsakes for family members. 

Hospice student volunteers gain insight into dementia Ahwatukee Foothills News; by Lin Sue Flood; 8/23/24 Once a week, graduate nursing student Merle Tamondong pauses her busy college life to visit Micheline Schulte. They color together, play Micheline’s favorite songs and chat in French, her native language. “When I come here, the only time I’m on my phone is when I’m playing some music, which Micheline likes when we are coloring,” Merle said. “I feel very lucky.” Merle is part of Hospice of the Valley’s College Partners Program, an innovative collaboration with Maricopa Community Colleges, Arizona State University and other schools to provide socialization to people living with dementia and a much-needed break to family caregivers. Hospice of the Valley’s dementia and volunteer departments spearheaded this intergenerational program to help inspire careers in dementia care. ... To date, 106 students have been trained and paired with 123 patients since College Partners launched in 2021 with a grant from Community Care Corps. 

‘Restored faith in humanity:’ What’s it like to volunteer at Mercy Health Hospice of the Valley?[OH] Mahoning Matters; by Kelcey Norris; 8/5/24Jennifer Burgoyne, Hospice of the Valley’s volunteer coordinator, described the volunteering experience as getting “a paycheck of the heart.”

Amid trauma and burnout, it ‘takes courage’ to reflect on mental, emotional well-being Healio; by Jennifer Byrne; 7/31/24 ... [William E. Rosa, PhD, MBE, MS] began to realize that in the stressful, devastating situations he and his colleagues faced daily, there was much to be learned from the principles of trauma-informed care. ... “This is the idea that cultivating an awareness can prevent us from re-traumatizing ourselves and others,” he said. “I think it starts with reflecting on — and telling the truth about — our mental and emotional well-being. That takes courage.” In acknowledging the emotional scars, brokenness and vulnerability that comes from tragedy and loss, individuals can begin to heal a lifetime of stored and unresolved trauma, Rosa said. “As a workforce, you and I see unacceptable rates of suicide, burnout, moral distress and attrition,” he said. “It’s time that we come to safe and supported terms with our trauma — not just as individuals, but as a collective, not only for the patients and families we serve, but for us to survive.”Editor's Note: In this article, Dr. Rosa identified "the emotional impact of taking yet another patient off the ventilator at the end of life." Recent articles we've posted in this newsletter about trauma-informed care been in our "Top Reads." While those articles focused on trauma-informed care of the persons you serve, this focuses on the persons who serve, your all-important direct patient care clinicians.

No One Dies Alone: a movement against isolation and loneliness in the final hours The Optimist Daily; by The Optimist Daily Ediorial Team; 7/27/24 The fear of dying alone is one of the most powerful and agonizing feelings that many harbor, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, this fear sadly becomes a reality. To address this issue, the No One Dies Alone (NODA) initiative trains and supports volunteers who provide companionship to people in their final hours. ... The NODA concept began in 1986 in Oregon, United States [by] Sandra Clarke, a nurse. ... [Alison] Bunce founded Compassionate Inverclyde (CI) in 2016 as an Ardgowan Hospice-funded project, where she worked as director of care. Starting with 20 volunteers, CI sought to sit with people who were dying alone, initially in hospices and local hospitals before extending to private homes. Today, CI has grown substantially, with over 100 volunteers available to provide companionship at a moment’s notice.

Sasha McAllum Pilkington on grace and storytelling at the end of life Psychotherapy.net; by Lawrence Rubin; 7/22/24 Narrative Clinician, Sasha McAllum Pilkington [of New Zealand],  shares poignant stories she co-created with hospice clients which honor and celebrate their lives. [This interview includes: ...]

'Bridal bouquet turned retirement home decor': Virginia friends find ways to repurpose special event flowers WFMZ-TV 69 News, Allentown, PA; by Karin Mallet; 7/10/24 Flowers are just as nice the second time around ... where people are making sure your beautiful blooms don't end up in the trash once your event is over. It just takes a little bit of creativity. Laura Ruth and Rebecca Shelly ... were both navigating motherhood, COVID lockdowns and the loss of their fathers. Creating green spaces gave them both some much needed solace. They realized if flowers had that kind of power for them, they would likely have that kind of power for others so they created "Friendly City Florals." With their team of volunteers, they repurpose flowers from weddings, birthday parties, special events. ...  They spruce them up a bit and then bring them to schools, retirement and nursing homes, hospice and social service centers. It's a great second life for these flowers. The green bridal guide estimates the average wedding produces a staggering 400 pounds of trash.Editor's Note: An adaptation of this--used by several hospices--is to partner with a local florist for them to donate leftover/not-used flowers to the hospice for their inpatient units. A volunteer picks them up and arranges them for hospice rooms. Upon the death, family members are encouraged to take the flowers home with them.

Our Hospice collects food in employee-led drive The Republic; by Staff Reports; 6/20/24 Our Hospice (OHSCI) and Palliative Care collected 500 pounds of food for patients and families in need in an employee-led food drive. “The efforts, enthusiasm, and passion displayed by everyone at Our Hospice is truly astonishing!” said Chealsy Parr, a social worker who led the food drive. “Thanks to the participation of teammates from Greensburg, Columbus, the Hospice Center, Palliative Care, and North Vernon, we’ve significantly impacted those facing food insecurity.” “The employee – led food donations will go a long way to support those in our care who are in need,” said Steph Cain, president, Our Hospice and Palliative Care. [Located in Indiana] Editor's Note: Hospice leaders, how might you replicate this with your employees and volunteers, for the patients you serve? Forward this to the right person who can take this great initiative and make it happen.

Patient’s wish to visit Graceland granted with help of Texarkana’s Heritage Hospice NBC KTAL-6, Texarkana, TX: by Hunter Trombetta; 6/7/24A Texarkana hospice recently fulfilled one of its patients’ wishes. Debora Warren is a patient with Heritage Home Health & Hospice. She says she has been an Elvis fan since she was 10 years old. ... Her favorite Elvis song, “If I Can Dream,” surely takes on a new meaning now because, at the age of 71, her dream to visit Graceland came true thanks to a unique program at Heritage Hospice. “Wishes is a program where we grant our hospice patients their final wishes. Miss Debora Warren wanted to go to Graceland, and so we made that happen,” says Kristy Minton, the Volunteer Coordinator at Heritage Home Health and Hospice.