Programs

When the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) cares for a hospice patient, our focus is on ensuring they experience optimal quality of life at all times. One way the VNA achieves this is through Project Wish. Project Wish is a donor-funded program that allows the VNA to grant end-of-life wishes.

As VNA clinicians and social workers interact with our patients, they help identify last wishes. These wishes could be reliving experiences they once enjoyed, experiencing something on their bucket list, tying up loose ends or even simple requests like a home repair that would improve their care environment. Some wishes are simple to orchestrate and some require more planning and coordination. A dedicated team of volunteers help execute these wishes, arranging transportation, trying to find in-kind donors willing to supply their services and so much more. These generous volunteers and the donors who fund Project Wish impact the lives of our patients by giving them an experience that will improve their quality of life during a difficult and emotional time.

In September 2023, Project Wish was able to grant three wishes to hospice patients. First, we were able to help a hospice patient replace their broken air conditioner since he did not have the funds to pay for a new one. A local church donated the window unit and Project Wish donors covered the cost of installation. Now this hospice patient can keep receiving care in his home comfortably. The second wish was for a hospice patient with a love of fruit. Her shopping volunteer noted that her weekly food costs were mainly from the fruit purchased that she really enjoyed. However, the high cost of fruit was hurting her small food budget. This patient’s hospice counselor asked the Project Wish team if we could send her a fruit basket. Thanks to Project Wish donors, the VNA was able to subscribe this patient to a monthly fruit basket for three months so she can enjoy something she loves without worrying about how she would pay for it. The last wish granted in September was also about creating a comfortable environment for a patient. This patient’s counselor noted that the family did not have any living room or kitchen furniture in their home; our patient was sitting on a beach chair. Our Project Wish team knew that the VNA’s thrift store, Hidden Treasures, would be able to assist with this wish. Project Wish purchased a couch and dining room set, and some end tables and lamps were generously donated from Hidden Treasures as a surprise for the family. What makes this wish very special is that the end tables given to this family were donated by a long-time VNA Hospice volunteer whose wish was for her belonging to be donated to Hidden Treasures when she passed.

Often when we hear about granting wishes we tend to think of grand trips and experiences of a lifetime. For many of our patients, their wishes are simple, and September’s wishes demonstrate that: a new window unit air conditioner, some fruit to enjoy, and a comfortable chair to sit in. Even the smallest wishes can have a huge impact on a patient’s life. Imagine being at home, receiving hospice care with no air conditioning when it’s over 80 degrees outside. The end-of-life journey is difficult to navigate and doing so in an uncomfortable environment makes it even more difficult. Replacing an air conditioner seems like such a simple ‘ask,’ but even granting a small wish like this makes an immediate positive impact on our patient. Sara Bumgarner, Director of Volunteer Services and the head of our Project Wish Program, shared: “One of my favorite quotes that speaks to the mission of Project Wish is from actor, Misha Collins. He said, ‘Even small acts of kindness can make a profound difference to someone else.’ For our hospice clients, it is the small kindnesses that bring joy, contentment and quality of life.”

Whatever the wish is, the VNA and our Project Wish team do their best to try to make it happen. Since 2019 we have granted over 30 wishes thanks to the generosity of our donors, volunteers and community partners who have donated their services. Your continued support of this program will allow the VNA to keep granting these wishes. A donation to Project Wish contributes toward an experience that brings a smile to the faces of our patients and families. As they navigate a difficult and emotional time in their lives, the experience created by granting their wish helps us achieve our mission to ensure our patients experience optimal quality of life.

If you would like to support Project Wish and positively impact the lives of our patients, please visit: vnatc.org/project-wish/.

In February 2023, Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter announced that he was entering hospice care. Over six months into his hospice care, Former President Carter is still receiving the care he needs at his home in Georgia. Hospice has long been a word with negative connotations, becoming synonymous with imminent death. When a loved one hears the word ‘hospice’ from a doctor, they believe that hope is lost, and someone’s passing is impending. That couldn’t be further from the truth about hospice care.

According to the National Institute on Aging, hospice care “focuses on the care, comfort, and quality of life of a person with a serious illness who is approaching the end of life.”  Hospice is often elected when a patient has no possible treatment options or elects not to undergo continued treatment for a life-limiting illness, and the medical care received switches from curing the patient to ensuring the patient is comfortable.

At the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA), our hospice care provides the following:

Hospice care has specific guidelines for eligibility; typically, it is for patients with a life-limiting illness who have a prognosis of six months or less and are no longer seeking curative treatments. Additionally, a physician’s referral is needed before a patient can receive hospice care. The VNA’s mission is focused on ensuring all our patients experience optimal quality of life at all times, the cornerstone of the definition of hospice care.

It’s often the myths pertaining to “what is hospice” that prevent patients from starting hospice at a time when they would most benefit from it. Many times, patients only receive hospice care for a few days prior to their death. Former President Carter’s announcement was a gift from a very philanthropic man, a gift of knowledge and understanding of hospice that he shared with the world. Now six months into his hospice care, Former President Carter exemplifies the fact that hospice is not just for that last week or those last few days before someone passes. Hospice is a care plan focused on the comfort of the patient so that they can live those last few months with dignity and optimal quality of life. It creates an environment that removes the biggest fears people have about death – being in pain, being alone, and being a burden to others.

Former President Jimmy Carter will be remembered for many accomplishments – his presidency, his philanthropic endeavors, and his Nobel Peace Prize to name a few. For the VNA, we are forever grateful that he decided to put a spotlight on hospice care, bringing awareness to millions of what hospice truly is and hopefully dispelling the many myths surrounding the word. We can only hope that his announcement will make it easier for patients and families to elect hospice care, knowing it’s about living more than dying.

In 2007, Deb Lockwood began her relationship with the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) through our annual Golf-A-Thon fundraiser. Deb and her husband Mike, members of Indian River Club, wanted to support their club pro, Joe Kern, during his marathon day of golf that benefited the VNA’s Charitable Care Program. As friends of Joe’s, they wanted to volunteer their time out on the golf course the day of the event and make a donation to support him.

Shortly after Deb began volunteering for the Golf-A-Thon, her father-in-law needed home hospice care from the VNA. Deb thought that hospice was only for the last week of someone’s life, but her experience with VNA Hospice for her father-in-law’s care opened her eyes. Deb saw firsthand that hospice is so much more. Of the VNA’s services, Deb noted: “It was an awesome way for him to be able to stay at home because that’s what they wanted, to be able to have quality care come to the house.”

It wasn’t just the care he received, it was the support for the family as well. Deb was impressed by the educational component of hospice care, helping the family understand the different stages of end-of-life. “It was a great way to help not only him but also a family through end-of-life,” she said.

After her firsthand experience with the VNA, Deb has continued her support through her Golf-A-Thon participation. She continues to donate her time volunteering the day of the event and financially support the VNA through this annual event. Serving on the Golf-A-Thon Committee for Indian River Club since 2019, Deb loves that she can see her effort through the end result. Deb has seen the Golf-A-Thon become more successful year after year. She knows she is a part of making that happen while helping patients receive the care they need.

Her time on the Golf-A-Thon Committee also gives her the opportunity to learn more about VNA’s programs and services through educational sessions held with the 60-plus members of the Committee. Deb was surprised to learn about the breadth and depth of VNA’s services, including the VNA’s Respite Care Program at the VNA Hospice House, We Honor Veterans, the VNA Mobile Health Clinic and so much more. Deb’s involvement with the Golf-A-Thon as a donor, volunteer and Committee member has reinforced her belief that the VNA’s mission is a good cause worth supporting.

Deb’s philanthropic endeavors span across multiple non-profits in our area. She served for many years on the board and committees of the Indian River Community Foundation. She has an active role with Head, Heart & Hands of Indian River Club as well. It was this work that made her aware of the needs in our community. For a long time, Deb thought of philanthropy as exclusively monetary donations because while she was busy traveling most weeks of the year for work, she only had time to write a check. But when her travel time lessened and she retired, Deb realized that donating time is also needed and can be just as meaningful as a monetary donation. She enjoys volunteering to assist organizations with their strategic planning as well as events like the Golf-A-Thon and plans to continue to do so.

Deb told us: “I think philanthropy is important not only for the community and the organizations and the people that need the help but also for you as a person to reinforce just how thankful you should be.” We are thankful there are people like Deb in our community who understand the importance of philanthropy and are willing to donate their time and funds to ensure those who need help receive it. Deb and others like her are champions of the VNA, philanthropically supporting us to ensure we can achieve our mission in the community.

The VNA Hospice House opened its doors in 2000, creating a place where hospice patients could go when they could no longer manage their care at home. Careful consideration was taken to ensure the 12-bed facility felt more like a home and less like a cold, sterile medical facility. The VNA wanted to ensure that patients at their end-of-life journey had a space for them and their families to experience dignity and compassion in those final days.

Kate Freeman knew of VNA Hospice through her clients and the community. She experienced the VNA firsthand in 2019 when she visited the VNA Hospice House to see a close friend, experiencing his passing while there. “The whole experience was really rather beautiful and peaceful,” Kate said of her first VNA experience.

In 2022, the Freeman Family faced a tragic situation that brought them back to the VNA Hospice House for their son Jack. While Jack was in the hospital, Kate made the decision to bring him to the VNA Hospice House, knowing she wanted to be in a place that would focus on a peaceful transition for both Jack and her family. Kate knew moving Jack would mean he and the family would have privacy while surrounded by dignity in a non-institutional setting.

The Freeman’s knew this was not a typical hospice case. Jack had been young and physically healthy, but a mental health crisis had become too much for him. The situation was emotionally intense for the whole family, but to Kate, being at the VNA Hospice House was about giving the family and Jack the opportunity to say goodbye. Jack’s siblings noted the importance of having space to say goodbye to their brother in their own way. The ability to have privacy and leave the room to visit the gardens or gathering space made the whole experience feel more personal to them.

Of the whole experience, Bill Freeman said “The entire environment…the staff was extraordinary.” Kate added that peacefulness surrounded the entire four days Jack spent at the VNA Hospice House. The family was able to come and go as they needed, with family members arriving late at night or early in the morning and his siblings staying overnight and sleeping sometimes on the floor next to Jack’s bed. The room’s porch allowed the family another space to sit and visit with friends who would come by to give support to the Freeman’s during this time. Kate noted that “people react differently to grief and tragedy” and the VNA Hospice House’s thoughtful setup gave the family the different spaces they needed to process this situation.

Summarizing it perfectly, Kate noted that the VNA Hospice House “let us be Freeman’s” and handle things their own way. The staff balanced giving the family the space they needed during such an emotionally charged experience while providing the care that Jack and the family needed. Kate and Bill believe that it would have been a challenge to find the space to do what they needed to do in a hospital setting, so they know they made the right decision to move Jack to the VNA Hospice House. And the family is grateful for this community resource. “All your donors gave us that gift,” Kate notes of being able to say goodbye to Jack in a way that was dignified and peaceful.

Through the generosity of our donors the VNA Hospice House was built and later renovated. And every year, our donors, understanding the importance of this facility, support the operation of the VNA Hospice House through donations to the VNA & Hospice Foundation. Our loyal donors are the reason that the Freemans, and so many other families, have the support and space they need during an emotional and challenging time. Supporting the VNA brings dignity, peace and compassion to patients and families experiencing end-of-life.

If you or someone you know is struggling, there are a variety of resources in our community. You can call The Mental Health Association (772-569-9788),  or The Mental Health Collaborative (772-217-3663) to get the support needed.

At the VNA, we recognize that our nation’s Veterans deserve our appreciation because of their selflessness. And as a nation, this is recognized by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) which in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched the We Honor Veterans Program. This program focuses on “respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful acknowledgement.”¹  The goal of this amazing program is to help Veterans peacefully move through their end-of-life journey by providing educational tools and resources to those providing hospice services to the brave men and women who have served our country.

The four goals of this program are to promote Veteran focused educational activities, increase an organization’s capacity to serve Veteran patients, support the development of strategic partnerships within the community, and to increase access to care for Veterans and improve the quality of that care. The We Honor Veterans Program aims to help hospice providers understand the unique needs of Veterans to ensure they receive the care they need and deserve.

The VNA is a proud Level 3 Partner in We Honor Veterans. To obtain that Level 3 status, the VNA provides Veteran-centric education to staff and volunteers, seeks to identify patients with military experience, continues to build organizational capacity to provide care for Veterans, and develops relationships with other Veteran organizations. Some of the ways that the VNA shows Veterans our appreciation, in conjunction with our staff and Volunteer Services Department, is:

• • • Conduct a pinning ceremony to Veterans on hospice service, with a VNA volunteer or staff service member presenting the pin and a certificate to the patient.
    • Present a handmade red, white and blue blanket to Veterans on hospice service, made by VNA volunteers.
    • Provide Veterans staying in the Hospice House with a red, white and blue plaque noting their Veteran status on the door to their room.
    • Participate in community-wide events and initiatives supporting our Veterans.
    • Plan and execute Veterans Day ceremonies at assisted living, skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities with pinning ceremonies, patriotic music and a celebratory reception.
    • Pair volunteers who served in the military with Veterans on hospice service with our Veterans-to-Veterans Program, providing assistance to help these patients stay in the comfort of their homes longer.

We strive to give our Veterans the best care because they sacrificed so much for us. The VNA is committed to ensuring our local Veterans have their unique needs met when we provide services to them. As we strive to become a Level 4 Partner in We Honor Veterans, the VNA hopes to expand our community collaborations with other Veteran organizations, creating a safety net of resources Veterans can rely on for access to the highest quality care.

To learn more about We Honor Veterans, visit: https://www.wehonorveterans.org/about/

If you would like to help support We Honor Veterans at the VNA, you can donate today to help purchase supplies for Veterans projects at: https://vnatc.org/patient-wish-list-items/

For more information about the VNA’s We Honor Veterans Program, please contact us at (772) 567-5551.

¹ https://www.wehonorveterans.org/about/

For patients who receive in-home hospice care, it’s often family members who become the patients’ primary caregiver. The end-of-life journey can be physically, emotionally and mentally exhausting. Even though caregivers receive support from VNA Hospice clinicians, they can still easily become overwhelmed, making it difficult for them to not only care for their loved ones, but for themselves as well.

The VNA Hospice Respite Care Program can help those primary caregivers by having the hospice patient stay at the VNA Hospice House. The Medicare benefit allows for up to five days each month in respite care, covering transportation and a five day stay in the Hospice House. This break for the primary caregiver gives them the opportunity to recharge and rest, resulting in less caregiver burnout and more energy to devote to their loved ones.

It’s vitally important that caregivers understand they have resources like this to help them during such a difficult process. And they can rest easy because a respite stay at the Hospice House means that their loved ones will be well cared for 24/7 in a homelike environment. The spacious 12,000 square-foot building has 12 private patient rooms with attached baths, which are beautifully appointed to feel like a home and not a hospital room. The Hospice House also has state-of-the-art technology, an in-house chef, and other amenities that patients and families can enjoy in a cozy, inviting environment.

When a patient is on respite care in the VNA Hospice House, they are comfortably cared for by VNA staff while their primary caregiver can take the time they need to rest, travel, and get things done that they otherwise couldn’t when caring for the patient. Respite care is about providing round-the-clock care the patient needs, while the primary caregiver can take the time to care for themselves.

The Hospice House is a vital community resource completely funded by our donors. The VNA would not be able to provide respite care without your philanthropic support. If you would like more information on the VNA Hospice Respite Care Program or how you can support the VNA Hospice House, please visit https://vnatc.org/programs/hospice-house/ or call (772) 567-5551.

Vero News highlighted our Project Wish program on their online publication. Project Wish is a unique hospice program dedicated to providing wishes to end-of-life patients.

Click here to read the full article.

For more information or to donate, visit https://vnatc.org/project-wish/