BLOG

As we get older, too often that magical rapture we experienced as children during holidays, in special places or inspired by special people, leaves us. But for the lucky few, it remains. VNA Hospice patient, Doris Gazda, is one of those fortunate few, and it’s thanks to Snow White. At 82-years-young, and with all her faculties intact, Doris’ passion for the leading Disney lady is as strong as ever. Her VNA Home Hospice care team, including her beloved music therapist, Paloma Infante, took note – how could they not when Doris had an entire armoire filled with mini statues of various versions of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in addition to a few other Disney characters? Moved by Doris’ visible passion, they informed the VNA Director of Volunteer Programs and Hidden Treasures Thrift Store, Sara Bumgarner, who jumped into action and planned an amazing afternoon luncheon, which included transportation to a surprise location and that was funded by Project Wish, a VNA & Hospice Foundation-supported program that grants wishes to end-of-life patients.

When the van came to pick up Doris for the outing, she was surprised to be taken to McKee Botanical Garden in Vero Beach, a place she hadn’t been to in eons. “I said, ‘Why the heck am I going to McKee Garden?’ Little did I know, soon we’re sitting down at a table with beautiful napkins and placemats and all these nice ribbons and various colors in front of me, and at the end of the table everybody was sitting around, and Paloma is over there, and then Snow White walks in – that girl plays the part so perfectly – and she’s got a beautiful voice,” said Doris. As if it couldn’t get any better, Doris recounted, Paloma presented her with a picture of Snow White, who was played by a friend of Paloma’s from college, Carly Graef, a music therapist in West Palm Beach. At the bottom of the picture, “Snow White” wrote a note that read: ‘To Doris from Snow White,’ which thrilled Doris. “She’s got beautiful handwriting; that girl never left character, and it was so delightful, and they had sandwiches and stuff, although I could have cared less about the food. You have all this wonderment around you, and Snow White would sing any song I wanted, and Paloma knew them too because she used to sing a lot of songs from Disney.”

Doris’ joy was visible to all. “Her smile was contagious,” said Paloma. “The luncheon was a success! We came together as a team, and all brought something special to help Mrs. Doris’ dream come true. We had Disney come to her! I wanted to do my best of making the experience as interactive as possible. By having Snow White there, Doris was able to share all her stories and sing her favorite songs with the character she loves most.” The VNA Director of Volunteers and Hidden Treasures concurred: “Mrs. Gazda was beside herself with Joy. She immediately began to tell Snow White about her Snow White collection,” said Sara, adding a few compliments for Snow White herself. “She was engaged with the patient the entire time. She never broke character. Her voice was amazing!”

This beautiful afternoon would not have been possible without the generous benefactors of Project Wish, which is fully funded by donations. Project Wish is just one of many VNA & Hospice Foundation-supported programs, which include the VNA Hospice House, bereavement services, Camp Chrysalis (for children who have lost a loved one), and the Mobile Health Clinic. All of these programs have one thing in common: to provide VNA patients with quality care regardless of their ability to pay. And when it comes to Project Wish, there is extra joy involved. Doris, who clearly savored every moment of her special day, makes this very clear. “There’s not a thing in this world, and there never will be anything that could bring such joy… never, never in my life could I imagine such joy,” she said, with a sparkle in her eyes.

And it turns out Doris’ love for, and loyalty to, Snow White – and the seven dwarfs – paid off in spades about 35 years ago when Doris was at Palm Beach International Airport trying to go through security en route to visit her mother in Massachusetts and discovered that she had left her driver’s license at home. “Security said, ‘Do you have anything with your picture on it? I had nothing, and then I remembered I had several pictures of me with Snow White and the seven dwarfs that I had taken recently at Epcot, one photo with each of them individually that I was going to show my mother,” said Doris. “So, the guy’s looking at the pictures, each one of them a separate picture, and then let me go through. I was able to get on the plane.”

Simply recalling this and other Snow White memories brought so much delight to Doris – and is perhaps her secret to longevity – because by the time this interview took place, about a month after her luncheon, she was no longer on hospice. A lot of people don’t even realize that this is possible; they erroneously think that hospice is ‘giving up’ on life when actually it is all about optimal quality of life. And if a patient’s health improves to the point that their doctor deems them well enough to not be on hospice, then that is exactly what will happen at the VNA. Whatever the case may be, there is one thing for sure, every VNA hospice patient will be treated as well as Doris because VNA caregivers will always go that extra mile to make sure wishes come true. And the gratitude with which this particular wish was received was priceless. As Doris herself put it: “That afternoon was worth $1,000,000 – just the joy of that day. No anniversary gift, birthday gift, or Christmas present will come anywhere near that day.”

*The VNA & Hospice Foundation is able to offer programs like Project Wish to patients like Doris thanks to the generosity of donors. If you’d like to learn how you can support the VNA & Hospice Foundation, please visit vnatc.org.

Nonagenarian Bob Albietz and his younger brother Don moved to Vero Beach from the West Coast of Florida for one reason: to fish in the ocean. “The water’s too shallow on the West Coast,” said Don. Unfortunately, the brothers, who are Veterans, never had a chance because only a few weeks after calling Vero Beach their home, Bob began having severe breathing problems and went to see a doctor. “It didn’t take long. The doctor was with Bob about an hour and said, ‘There’s something wrong,’ and that’s when we found out he had throat cancer,” said Don.

The cancer turned out to be terminal, and Bob spent the next few months in the hospital until he was strong enough to return home. Before discharge, the doctor recommended hospice, and Bob chose the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA). VNA Hospice care focuses on quality of life, with an emphasis on pain management, support for the patient and their family, and counseling, in addition to many other services, such as music therapy and pet therapy.

While Bob was pleased with VNA’s services, he was also frustrated because he thought he’d never fish again. But when his VNA Hospice Counselor learned about this, she enlisted the help of VNA’s Volunteer Department, and under the auspices of a VNA & Hospice Foundation supported program, Project Wish, was able to make Bob and Don’s dream come true. Through careful planning, the Project Wish team coordinated with Wounded Waters, a local nonprofit that takes Veterans out fishing free of charge, and a couple of weeks later Bob and Don spent a lovely afternoon doing just that.

The outing included a VNA Hospice volunteer presenting Bob with a handmade American flag blanket, part of the We Honor Veterans program that VNA Hospice is a proud Level 4 partner of. We Honor Veterans was developed by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veteran Affairs that addresses the unique needs Veterans have when it comes to end-of-life care.

Don was happy his brother received the patriotic blanket and grateful for the delightful afternoon spent together. “We didn’t catch any fish, but it was a great day anyway,” said Don.

The day was also made possible thanks to the excellent care by Bob’s hospice nurse, Mary Brown, who identified a change in medication that could help reduce swelling he had been experiencing in his ankles that confined him to a wheelchair. Once the swelling abated, he could use a walker, allowing him to be mobile enough – and confident enough – to participate in the fishing trip. “I was really excited about the walker because he really wants to be independent,” said Mary.

As for their part, Bob and Don had a blast. “They treated us like kings,” said Don. “Yeah, that’s quite an outfit…these visiting nurses are great!” added Bob.

Providing quality care like the kind Bob received is the VNA’s norm and part of its mission to recognize the extra attention that is due to Veterans. It is the reason why VNA Private Care coordinated with Veterans Affairs (VA) on a relatively new initiative, Non-Institutional care, that ensures Veterans age safely in place at little to no cost to themselves. It does this by contracting with companies that offer private care, in this case the VNA.

The VNA’s commitment to ensuring optimal care for Veterans is also made possible through the generosity of our donors, who support programs like Project Wish that help provide these men and women who have given so much to our country the best end-of-life care possible.

A big shout-out to Veterans – we thank and salute you! And a round of applause for our benefactors – we couldn’t do it without you!

Like many, the COVID-19 epidemic hit *James hard. “I lost my job and health insurance,” he said, and worse, he never recovered either. Six months ago, however, he qualified for Medicare – a relief since he has had myriad health issues, including Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. But Medicare doesn’t cover all of his expenses, and it’s been a struggle to pay his bills. This issue came to a head when he ended up in the emergency room after a heart attack. His release was contingent upon him receiving home health care, and he opted for the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA), whose mission is to provide health care for people regardless of their ability to pay. He said his choice turned out to be a “life saver” because he qualified for the VNA’s Charitable Care program, an initiative that ensures people who are under and un-insured still receive the high-quality home care that they need and deserve. It is funded by the VNA & Hospice Foundation through philanthropic contributions. Because of the generosity of VNA’s donors, James received physical therapy at home and also qualified for the VNA’s Telehealth Program. “I checked my vitals daily on the (telehealth) machine. If there was anything off, a nurse called and followed up. It was very helpful,” he said.

To find out more about the VNA & Hospice Foundation’s Charitable Care program or to make a secure online donation to support this program which helps the VNA provide care for our friends and neighbors throughout Indian River County, visit here.

*Not his real name

For a child, the loss of a loved one can be devastating and understanding the feelings that come afterwards can be confusing. VNA’s Camp Chrysalis, a one-day bereavement-focused camp that is offered through VNA’s Hospice program, provides a way for kids who have experienced a death to better understand and cope with their emotions.

Our most recent Camp Chrysalis was held on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at the Environmental Learning Center (ELC) in Vero Beach. Camp activities, which were conducted by VNA-trained counselors as well as ELC staff, were designed to help children work through their grief and understand that their emotions are a normal part of the grieving process.

The children began the day with a yarn ball activity where everyone stood in a circle and took turns throwing the yarn to each other while holding a piece of it. Then they introduced themselves and the loved ones they lost. “At the end, you see a web of yarn and how we are all connected by death,” explained Melissa King, VNA Director of Bereavement Services. “And we each cut a piece of the yarn to be connected after we leave camp.”

Other activities included canoeing along the Indian River Lagoon and taking a ‘nature journaling walk’ where the children went on a guided tour of the ELC’s beautiful grounds, walking among the trees, plants and flowers with a journal that was gifted to them and drew pictures of their lush surroundings. Another activity was the Touch Tank, where the kids had the opportunity to hold sea life, including starfish, crabs, and sea urchins.

There was also a group bereavement session that involved therapeutic writing. In addition, the children enjoyed a unique music therapy session that incorporated musical instruments and storytelling where the children learned that there are different ways to grieve. To bring the day full circle, Melissa had the children make memory lanterns that they could take home with them. The project entailed the campers writing their favorite memories about their loved ones who had passed away on tissue paper and decoupaging them on mason jars with the help of an instructor. Inside the mason jars there were battery operated tea light candles that the children could turn on later when they felt lonely and needed to connect with their loved ones.

Based on the children’s response to the memory lanterns as well as the day’s other activities, Melissa deemed the camp a success. “I was really encouraged in their sharing and exploring not only their grief, but also the ELC and the activities there,” she said.

It is important to remember that Camp Chrysalis may be the first step on a child’s personal grief journey, and it is currently the only camp in our community focused on children and their distinct bereavement needs. There is no cost to attend Camp Chrysalis, and this wonderful VNA & Hospice Foundation supported program is made possible by generous funding from the Otis G. Pike Charitable Trust and Quail Valley Charities (a huge thank you to both).

Many people associate the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) exclusively with hospice, however, we offer so much more, including multi-faceted home care services. These services are offered to all members of the community, regardless of their ability to afford their care. That’s because providing quality healthcare to local residents who are uninsured and underinsured is a key aspect of the VNA’s mission, which sets us apart from other local home health agencies.

Our home health services provide comprehensive coordinated care through an interdisciplinary team of professionals who work closely with our patients’ physicians to arrange care in their home or place of residence. Our focus is to provide compassionate, innovative care of the highest quality, setting the standard for patients and caregivers needing home health services. These services include cardiac care, wound care, cancer care, neurological/dementia care, fall prevention, and care for chronic illnesses such as COPD and kidney disease.

VNA also offers the Hospital Prevention Program (HPP), a patient-centered home health service launched last year. It’s geared toward helping high-risk patients with severe diagnoses, like end-stage respiratory disease and congestive heart failure, who are susceptible to hospitalization or rehospitalization, remain safely at home. Not only do patients benefit physically and mentally, but they avoid high costs associated with hospitalization.

This respectful, comprehensive approach to healthcare is reflected in another VNA program, Community Health Services, which is supported by the VNA & Hospice Foundation. This includes the VNA Mobile Health Clinic, which provides affordable healthcare to the vulnerable in our community, including many young families.

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), who are qualified to examine, diagnose and prescribe treatments and medications, see patients for illnesses such as upper respiratory infections; eye and ear infections; minor cuts, skin infections and rashes. They also provide school and sports physicals for Indian River County students. Our APRNs also provide health education and health screenings throughout the community to promote living a healthy lifestyle.

This holistic approach to healthcare is also a cornerstone of VNA’s flagship program, hospice. Home hospice care is provided by a patient’s interdisciplinary team that’s comprised of a medical director, residential nurse case manager (RNCM), social worker and chaplain. Home health aides, volunteers and music therapists are also integral parts of the team. Routine care may include pain management, symptom management, assistance with daily tasks and personal hygiene, like bathing, and emotional and spiritual counseling for the family. The frequency of visits by VNA caregivers is based on the patient’s plan of care developed by the interdisciplinary team and family.

For those patients who require intense around-the-clock care, VNA Hospice House is another option. The VNA Hospice House feels like a comfortable, elegant home-away-from-home that includes beautifully appointed patient rooms. Fortunately, VNA Hospice House is also available to home hospice patients for five days once a month for Respite Care. The goal is to provide the primary caregiver, usually a family member of the hospice patient, “time off” from caregiving while their loved one receives 24/7 coordinated care from the in-house VNA Hospice House staff.

If you would like to learn more about services supported by the VNA & Hospice Foundation, please visit www.vnatc.org.

“My mom dying in a hospital was not the best, so that’s when I became interested in hospice,” says Karen Formont, a volunteer for the Visiting Nurse Association’s (VNA) Golf-A-Thon, VNA & Hospice Foundation’s annual fundraising event. During the monthly Golf-A-Thon meetings, Karen learned about the two types of hospice care VNA offers: home hospice care and in-patient hospice care at VNA Hospice House, a state-of-the art facility in Vero Beach for end-of-life care. She was impressed by VNA’s comprehensive approach to hospice, and when her aunt became sick, advised her cousin to contact the non-profit. “My cousin’s first opinion was, ‘Oh hospice, that’s dreary. You’re just kind of sent there to die,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh, you know nothing about hospice.’”

Fortunately, Karen’s cousin took her advice, and her mom spent her final days comfortably at the VNA Hospice House. “Afterward, my cousin was just crying on the phone with me (saying) ‘thank you so much, what a wonderful way for everyone to say goodbye to her.’ I think the problem with hospice is people don’t know what they don’t know,” says Karen.

During Karen’s aunt’s stay at the VNA Hospice House, her care included music therapy, a special VNA Hospice program that Karen said her late aunt and extended family thoroughly appreciated. Another VNA service Karen was educated about was advance care planning, something she had personal experience with before her mom and dad passed away. “It’s easier for the person to make the decisions about themselves than it is for the family, and I think that’s another thing they’re very helpful with here at VNA, helping you with the steps to take,” she says.

Witnessing her aunt’s experience with hospice made Karen appreciate the benefits of having hospice care sooner rather than later. “I wish that people would contact this organization before the last few moments of someone’s death and realize they can get the support both before and after their loved one’s death,” she says.

Karen’s recent familial experience with hospice has also inspired her to volunteer even more. “I want to start sitting with people (on hospice) that have no one to be with them because I just think it’s very important to have someone in the room,” she says. “Everybody deals with death at some point, whether it’s a spouse, a parent or a child, and that’s why I feel really passionate about it.”

To learn more about VNA services or becoming a VNA volunteer, please visit www.vnatc.com.