Why I Became a Pet Companion Dog for Hospice

By Finley
(as told to Linda Donovan)

Finley with owner Sue Murphy

Woof.  I’m Finley and I’d like to discuss what some people might refer to as a “pet project.” That’s right. I’m a pet companion for Hospice of Santa Cruz County and I visit with hospice patients and help to comfort them. If they are tired, I’ll sit quietly next to them and gently offer support. I try to bring a smile to their faces and make a real effort to wag my tail to show appreciation. I’d like to share with you some of the reasons why I chose this occupation. First, let me tell you a little about my history.

Before I became a pet companion for Hospice of Santa Cruz County, my life was so routine. I slept about 16 hours a day, took a short walk here and there, watched TV, and ate whenever food was placed in my bowl. And I made sure to bark to announce the arrival of visitors to my house. But I wanted much more than that. I wanted the excitement and challenge of making a doggone difference in this world. My owner Sue, is a hospice volunteer visitor and she signed me up to be a hospice pet companion. I had to undergo a lot of training – and believe me, this took time, and a lot of work before I got certified. But, hey, it was worth the effort.

I could bark on forever about what this job means to me, but it’s more important to focus on what I bring to hospice patients and their families. They look forward to my visits. After all, I’m cute and really friendly. Of course, not all hospice patients are dog people.  But for those who are, I really enjoy visiting and accepting hugs and petting.  If I can bring a smile to a patient’s face, my work is successful!

If you’d like to learn more about the pet companion program, or if you’d like to be a pet companion, contact Radha or Judy in our volunteer department at (831) 430-3000 and they can share details about becoming a certified pet companion.

And, on behalf of all pets everywhere I encourage you to hug your pet today…it makes everyone feel good!

American Red Cross Santa Cruz County Medical Heroes

On Wednesday, May 14th the American Red Cross hosted their annual community heroes breakfast.  Dr. Vanessa Little, Emmi Schambeck, R.N. and Tree Dunbar, R.N. were chosen to be honored as the medical heroes of Santa Cruz County.

Dr. Vanessa Little
As Chief Medical Director at Hospice of Santa Cruz County, Dr. Vanessa Little is overseeing the medical care of 191 patients and their families today.  She leads a team that helps her to perform this important task – a cadre of physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, hospice aides and volunteers work together in an interdisciplinary team approach to ensure that individuals facing their final months, days and hours can live in comfort and with dignity.  What makes Dr. Little a genuine hero is her fierce commitment to truth, for it is in having difficult conversations with patients and families that Dr. Little often witnesses profound healing.

Many physicians decide to go into hospice and end-of-life medicine later in her careers, but Dr. Little had a feel for what hospice care could be like at an early age.  “Growing up in my home was pretty interesting,” shares Dr. Little.  “My father was a physician so we grew up hearing conversations about medical situations.  My mother rehabilitated animals so it wasn’t uncommon to have wildlife hospice care happening right in our kitchen.  My mother taught me about the importance of allowing a peaceful and dignified death to happen.”

It was during Dr. Little’s residency at Brown University that she realized her desire to study and practice hospice and palliative care medicine.  She recalls a particular patient who was actively dying and remembers the moment that she spoke with his family.  “The easiest thing to do was to not tell them what I knew from a medical standpoint,” she shares. But she mustered the courage and told the patient’s family that she thought he would die that night.  And, the patient did die that night.  “I was scared – scared of being wrong, scared of making people sad, but I realized the importance of facing those fears,” she describes.  “The truth is too important and you don’t want a patient and family to miss the opportunity to be with that truth and to say goodbye”.

When asked what she loves about working in hospice, Dr. Little mentions the interdisciplinary team that cares for the patients and their family.  “I am one spoke on the wheel of this team,” she shares.  Each day, Dr. Little collaborates with the Hospice of Santa Cruz County physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, aides and community medical partners who are caring for the hospice patients and their families.  “A lot of my ideas are around medications and how to make our patients comfortable,” she explains.  And while Dr. Little recognizes that physical comfort is an important piece, she also acknowledges the importance of finding emotional and spiritual reassurance.  The hospice team works together to address these issues that patients and their families are facing.

Dr. Little reflects on the unexpected gift that serious illness can be.  “Illness and death can bring out the best in people,” she shares.  “It demands authenticity.  For me, that authenticity, that truth feeds me.  It’s an honor to be part of people’s lives during this once-in-a-lifetime experience.” Dr. Little also thrives on finding the right solution for a patient and family so they can live in comfort and with dignity.  “It is not a recipe,” she explains.  “We are constantly asking ‘what does this patient, at this time, in this environment, with these caregivers, and with this disease process need?’  People are unique and we do our best to make sure their unique needs are met throughout their time in hospice care”.

We recognize Dr. Little’s medical expertise and the gift of presence, mindfulness and compassion that she brings to hospice staff, physician colleagues, community partners, and the patients and families we serve.  Dr. Vanessa Little is truly a hero and gift to our community.

Dr. Vanessa Little, from left, and nurses Tree Dunbar and Emmi Shambeck.  (Kevin Johnson -- Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Tree Dunbar, R.N. and Emmi Schambeck, R.N.
Between the two of them, Hospice of Santa Cruz County nurses Tree Dunbar and Emmi Schambeck have 57 years of experience in caring for the seriously ill and dying in our community.  When asked about what inspires her the most, Emmi answers simply, “Every day inspires me.”  Tree is inspired by the universality of the experience.  Working with people who are dying, knowing that we will all someday experience death, could seem depressing.  These two heroes embrace the challenge and handle the most complex medical and emotional cases because they believe that every one of us is entitled to live, and die, with dignity.

Emmi Schambeck and Tree Dunbar are team leaders at Hospice of Santa Cruz County.  In their role, they each oversee the care of about 60 patients.  They support teams of nurses, social workers, chaplains and aides who provide day-to-day, direct care to patients and their families.  Trust plays an important role in their daily work.  “There is no other situation in which people are so trusting,” Emmi shares.  “Often this is a first time experience for a family and they want guidance”.  Hospice care is provided in residential homes, nursing homes and facilities, and Emmi reflects on both the privilege and responsibility of accompanying a patient and their family on this final journey.  “I offer my expertise and experience and know that the patient and family will choose the tools and support they need.  Each patient and family is different so we first find out what is important to them and then offer our expertise and support.”

The daily activities that these two clinicians perform are diverse and become more complex based on the patient’s needs. Tree and Emmi are skillful multi-taskers.  When they are serving a younger patient, they are busy ordering medications and supplies like a  hospital bed for the home while ensuring  that the patient’s children have the emotional support they need though the process.  When supporting a homeless patient, they can spend hours negotiating with community partners to find appropriate shelter and caregivers so that the patient will be comfortable and safe.   Recently a patient shared that he wanted to marry his longtime partner before he died.  Tree worked with the team to arrange this wish and the team’s chaplain married the couple just days before he died.

Amidst the daily work of management and logistics, Tree and Emmi are deeply drawn to the mystery.  While they feel a sense of accomplishment in treating the physical pain and the emotional and spiritual concerns of their patients, they realize that they are not fully in control of the situation.   “As much as we medicalize it, there is still a mystery to how it unfolds,” Tree shares.  “We try to reassure our patients and families, ease their fears, and help them prepare and understand what to expect.  And then we accompany them through the mystery – it’s an incredible privilege.”

In their respective 30 and 27 years of hospice work, Tree and Emmi have helped thousands of patients and families live, and die, in comfort and with dignity.  They have mentored scores of young nurses, helping them to become seasoned end-of-life care professionals.  Their heroism comes in their openness to show up every day knowing that each patient and family situation they will encounter is unique.  We recognize the profound commitment and dedication these two professionals make to Hospice of Santa Cruz County and to our community.

Dr. Vanessa Little, from left, and nurses Tree Dunbar and Emmi Shambeck. (Kevin Johnson -- Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Birthday Parties, Hospice, and You

By Linda Donavan

Grief Support Volunteer

Hospice of Santa Cruz County

So many of us like to have birthday parties and celebrate the occasion with friends and family. However, at some point in our lives we may even no longer want, need, – or have room for – gifts. After all, how many pairs of slippers can anyone wear at one time? So, when my late husband’s mother, Elinor, was getting ready to turn 90, she made a great decision. She knew how much Hospice of Santa Cruz County helped her son, Paul, and our family with compassionate care and support during his illness. That’s why she asked people to donate to Hospice of Santa Cruz in his memory instead of giving her presents at her birthday party.

The party was a wonderful occasion, where family and friends got together to share how much we love and appreciate Elinor and how grateful we are to have her in our lives. Her idea of having people contribute to hospice in Paul’s memory made the celebration even better because we knew that the money was going to such a great cause. Donations to hospice help pay for grief support services, transitional care for seriously ill people not ready for hospice, end-of-life and caregiver education, and many other programs and services that support our community.  Just knowing that people at the party were helping hospice gave us another chance to honor Paul and feel like he was still there with us in spirit at this wonderful event.

So, the next time you’re planning a birthday party, think about how you can make a difference. If you’d like your guests to make donation in the memory of a loved one instead of receiving gifts, just add this information to the invitation:

Please make a contribution to Hospice of Santa Cruz County in the memory of (add the person’s name) in lieu of gifts. You can make the contribution online at www.hospicesantacruz.org/donate .  Or, mail a check to Hospice of Santa Cruz County, 940 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley, CA, 95066. In the note section of the check be sure to write “in memory of (add the person’s name).

You probably know that old expression “you can’t have your cake and eat it, too,” which means you can’t have the best of both worlds.  I think you can. You can have a party, eat the cake, and make a difference by having your guests donate to hospice.

Five Excuses for Not Doing an Advance Healthcare Directive: Attend a Free Session to Help You Make Your Wishes Known!

Completing an Advance Healthcare Directive doesn’t take much effort but many people have excuses for not completing or updating theirs. Do any of these reasons sound familiar?

1. My pen ran out of ink
2. I plan to live a long time
3. My relatives will figure it all out
4. I’m too busy
5. I don’t like talking about this subject or even thinking about it

If you haven’t completed a directive, you’re not alone. According to a study conducted in late 2011 by the California Healthcare Foundation, while 82% of Californians say it’s important to have end of life care wishes in writing, only 23% say they have done so.  An Advance Healthcare Directive is a very simple form that can be completed quickly and it gives you a chance to make your wishes known.  This way your loved ones don’t have guess about how to handle tough decisions related to your health. You get the peace of mind that they are following your guidance and they don’t have to worry whether they’ve made the right decisions.

We think this is so important that we’re offering free, 30-minute Advance Healthcare Planning Sessions throughout the county in honor of National Healthcare Decisions Day (April 16). We will assist you in updating or completing your Advance Healthcare Directive.

Santa Cruz
Monday, April 14, 2 - 4  p.m. – Dominican Oaks, Oaks Room, 4300 Paul Sweet Road, Santa Cruz
Tuesday, April 15, 1 - 3 p.m. – Garfield Park Village, Scott Hall, 721 Bay Street, Santa Cruz

Watsonville
Wednesday, April 16, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Senior Circle Room, Watsonville Community Hospital

Scotts Valley
Friday, April 18, 1 - 3 p.m. – Scotts Valley Senior Center, 370 Kings Road, Scotts Valley

Aptos 
Saturday, April 19, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Aptos Library, 7695 Soquel Drive, Aptos

Call ahead to reserve your spot: 831.430.3078.

Little Hands with a Big Heart

Good things certainly do come in small packages and that is true of little Nitzana Cohen.

Nitzana (calls herself Neeblet), is a four year old Santa Cruz resident that has the heart and compassion of someone ten times her age.  Recently Nitzana came to Hospice of Santa Cruz County’s Mary and Richard Solari Center for Compassionate Care in Scotts Valley with a personal donation of $13.10 to help comfort hospice patients. Her donation was accompanied by a small selection of toiletries that she personally purchased for a patient in need of comfort and love.

Nitzana’s “giving passion” was instilled in her and her siblings by parents Myriam and Mike Cohen.  Mike Cohen told us that during the year, his three daughters Hadassah, Nitzana and Ziva contribute money that is earned, found or gifted to them as a way to give back to the community.  Mom, Myriam tells us that the discussion of who the recipients will be at the end of the year is a very serious and involved process.  The girls are educated about the different non-profit organizations that offer services that better the community such as feeding the hungry, caring for the dying, and housing stray animals.

The Cohens believe that pre-school children have much time to learn the art of giving back to the community and they have found that it is difficult to find activities that pre-school children can participate in to encourage the principle of giving.  The Cohens have created opportunities for the girls to experience the joy of giving by reaching out to neighbors in need and offering time to Alzheimer patients that enjoy a conversation with a loving child. Family field trips are also encouraged to the local animal shelter where the girls bring clean blankets for the animals.

Little Nitzana was probably expecting to meet a patient when she visited our administrative offices not realizing we care for patients in their homes and residential facilities.  When the Hospice receptionist witnessed Nitzana’s giving heart, she and her family were invited to view a memorial table that honors patients who have passed.  As the family looked at the newspaper clippings and memorial candles honoring loved ones, Nitzana’s older sister, Hadassah, recognized a member of the community who had died and then it all became real and personal to the girls. In that moment little Nitzana’s special donation became a very meaningful and satisfying experience for a child with a big heart.

Thank you Cohen family for reminding us of the importance and joy of giving back! And thank you Nitzana for a very big life lesson taught by a very little girl!    

Remembering Bobbie Bihn

Longtime and beloved Hospice of Santa Cruz County volunteer, Bobbie Bihn died on February 28, 2014. In her 34 years of volunteer service, Bobbie remained a calm, gentle presence and support for grieving community members and hospice families.

We had many opportunities to honor Bobbie for her compassionate work.  A few years ago, we sat down with her and she shared how she came to hospice volunteering.  Here is her story of a life well lived:

Bobbie’s interest in hospice began when she attended the Death and Dying class at Cabrillo College in the late 1970’s. Bobbie was drawn in when one of her classmates told the story of how her grandmother died at home with the support of hospice. She had never heard of hospice before, but felt the need to learn more. So in 1980, when Hospice of Santa Cruz County was just two years old, Bobbie signed up as a volunteer and began answering the phones. “People would call and it was an honor to help them,” Bobbie remembers. Four years later, she attended the first grief support training offered by Hospice and found her niche.

Bobbie facilitated a weekly drop-in grief support group open to anyone in our community who has experience the loss of a loved one. “As a facilitator of the group, the most important thing I do is give participants space. It’s always fascinating to me how people interact with each other. There’s a thread that runs through each of us – a common bond that has brought people together. I don’t try to make them feel better – I can’t. I can only create the space where they can share their grief and know that others understand,” Bobbie says.

Many come reluctantly, Bobbie shares. “But, at the end of the session, they see they are with others who understand, and I invite them to join one of the upcoming 8-week groups. Almost all of them join a group. And, the healing begins.”

Bobbie shared that she felt privileged to be a part of the healing journey and acknowledged how much her volunteering had enriched her own life. “I am always happy to go… each week….I always look forward to it.”

Bobbie Bihn will be remembered for the many gifts of kindness, humor, and compassion that she shared with our community.  She lived from her heart and we all were the recipients of that loving kindness. 

The 2nd Annual Hike-Bike for Hospice of Santa Cruz County is Coming this Summer!

Save the Date and Pre-register for the 2nd Annual Hike-Bike for Hospice of Santa Cruz County on Saturday, August 23rd, 2014 at Roaring Camp & Henry Cowell Big Trees State Park.

Join us for this special community family event takes time to remember our loved ones.  The memorial Hike-Bike through Henry Cowell Big Trees State Park is a perfect way to honor the path that every life takes. Enjoy, a full day of family activities at Roaring Camp including  an outdoor hike or bike through the redwoods, great food, fun, music and games for all ages!

Based on the great success and positive feedback from our first year Hike-Bike attendees, we are taking this event to a new level of family fun at Roaring Camp Railroads and Henry Cowell Big Trees State Park!  Save the date and plan to join us from 9am-2pm, as Hike-Bike will include the following family fun and good eats:

• A registration hot breakfast you can take on your hike or bike.
• Scenic Hike or Bike to honor your loved one through the majestic Henry Cowell Redwoods (appropriate for all ages and all levels of activity – choose trails from 2 miles to 7 miles)
• Interactive booths including the “Tribute to a Loved One” tent and our “Friends of Hospice” Oktoberfest booth.
• A Roaring Camp BBQ lunch with all the fixings for adults and children (includes beverages and dessert). 
• Face Painting and Bounce House for the Kids.
• Toe tapping, live musicians during lunch.
• Hosted picnic games including tug of war, water balloon toss, bingo, horseshoes, volleyball, softball, gold panning and more!
• Pre-paid parking at Roaring Camp will also be available to the first 65 cars to show for the event.

Pre-Register now and save $10 per person!  The pre-registration fee of $25 per person gets you all the fun listed above.  To receive your pre-registration discount call Adrienne Meier at 831 430-3086 (Pre-registration is limited to the first 100 folks so call early).

Reminder: Don’t forget to start collecting Hike- Bike pledges from friends, family and co-workers since $50 worth of pledges gets you a 2014 Hike-Bike T-shirt!

All funds raised from Hike-Bike benefit Hospice of Santa Cruz County programs to ensure compassionate hospice care for our loved ones and support grieving families in the community. The funds directly support charity hospice care for uninsured and homeless community members; the We Honor Veterans program; the Pet Companion Program (certified companion dogs and their owners visit our patients); and grief support services for adults and children including a weekend camp that supports grieving children and teens.

Help us raise over $25,000 this year!

Watch a slideshow of last year's Hike-Bike below:

Community support makes these programs possible.  Thank you!