June Newsletter 2024 - Hospice of the Valleys

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happy-fathers-day

Hiring Nurses We're hiring Nurses! If you're looking for a career that is as rewarding professional as it is personally, look no further. We offer positions for nurses who will have 24/7 access to a medical director with only a 12-patient caseload. Providing an excellent work/life balance, Hospice of the Valleys is a 5-star hospice and the recipient of the Inland Mpire Top Workplace from 2014-2023.

Notes from Friends Hospice of the Valleys serves hundreds of patients every year. We honor them by sharing their stories. They remind us every day of the meaning and purpose of our work and that human connection is at the heart of the hospice experience. The following are notes Hospice of the Valleys has received from the families of patients that we have been privileged to provide hospice care. "The care, kindness and compassion of every staff member who offered support to my mother was absolutely amazing. Your quick response assessment of her needs and determination of appropriate necessary changes was unparalleled. Dr. Cochrane and Monica were not only kind, but superb." "I would refer you to anyone I know or hear about that could use your service. Thank you so much for the care you provided my father."

Celebrate the Heart of Volunteering Become a Hospice Volunteer Hospice is about family and community... And volunteers bring heart to hospice. Our team always had the need for volunteers in patient support, music, veteran to veteran support, fundraising, administrative support and more. Hold a Hand-Give a Hug-Touch a Heart. Becoming a hospice volunteers is a meaningful and rewarding experience. You can make a difference! *Seeking bi-lingual volunteers for patient support and music* Hospice of the Valleys: Canyon Lake, Fallbrook, Hemet, Homeland, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Murrieta, Nuevo, Perris, Quail Valley, Romoland, San Jacinto, Sun City, Temecula, Wildomar, Winchester Please contact Chrisy Lawless, Volunteer Manager 951-200-7800 or CLawless@hovsc.org for more information. You may also refer to our website page HospiceoftheValleys.org for new training updates.

Seeking Fundraising Volunteers - You can make a difference - Outgoing and Self-Motivated - Detail-Oriented and Good organization skills - Ability to Interact Positively with Guests and a Team. If this sounds like you, we'd love to talk with you about how you can help! Please contact: Chrisy Lawless 951-200-7800 | CLawless@Hovsc.org

Join us for our 26th Annual Wine & Chocolate Fundraiser An Evening in Paradise Benefitting the Patients and Families of Hospice of the Valleys Saturday, September 21,2024 5:03-10:00pm 5:30 Food, Wine & Beer Tastings Live Music by Ben Benavente, Silent Auction, Raffle & More 7:00 Seated Dinner, Program, Live Auction & Dessert Monteleone Meadows 35245 Biggs Road, Murrieta, CA 92563 Tickets: $110 Tropical attire suggested This is an outdoor event HospiceoftheValleys.org 951.200.7800

Benefits of Vitamin D Leslee B. Cochrane, MD. Executive Medical Director Vitamin D has long been recognized as an essential component to a healthy immune system and necessary for overall health. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a wide variety of conditions including infections, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, hypertension, muscle weakness, rheumatoid arthritis and numerous cancers. Most people know that Vitamin D is necessary to maintain strong and healthy bones; but Vitamin D is also a hormone. Vitamin D is unique in that it is the only vitamin that your body can synthesize; but it requires regular sun exposure for your body to maintain adequate levels of Vitamin D. Once Vitamin D is activated in the liver it helps to regulate the levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood stream which in turn support bone metabolism and the circulation system in addition to the immune system. The longer daylight hours during summer provide a great opportunity to optimize your health by having some fun in the sun. While it is true that excessive sun exposure can increase the risk of sunburns and skin cancer, the current trend toward avoiding sun exposure altogether has been shown to have negative health effects. Sun exposure in moderation has several vital health benefits, which should be balanced against the risk of certain types of skin cancers caused by excessive sun exposure. One of the key benefits to sun exposure is maintaining optimal levels of Vitamin D. Your body actually needs at least 20 minutes of direct sun exposure two to three times per week in order to produce an adequate amount of Vitamin D. People at increased risk for Vitamin D deficiency include the elderly, obese, dark skinned individuals, lactose intolerant individuals, and those with limited sun exposure. Common dietary sources of Vitamin D include fortified milk, salmon, tuna fish, and eggs. Because most people do not consume adequate quantities of these foods, vitamin D supplementation is necessary to achieve the recommended daily allowance of 600-800 IU of Vitamin D per day for adults. If you are concerned that you may have a Vitamin D deficiency, the best way to determine your risk is by asking your healthcare provider to run a blood test to check your Vitamin D levels. In addition to boosting Vitamin D levels, sun exposure has also been shown to elevate mood by increasing serotonin levels as well as improving sleep and promoting weight loss. Below are a few tips to help you receive the benefits of sun exposure while minimizing the risks of sun burns which lead to skin cancer. Always protect your face and ears with sun screens and hats are they are the most susceptible to skin damage. Allowing 20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure to your arms, legs and trunk before 10 am and after 3 pm three times per week should provide adequate Vitamin D levels while minimizing the risk of sun burns and skin damage. If you plan to be in the sun for longer periods remember to find adequate shade and use sunscreen and sun protective clothing. As summer approaches take advantage of the great outdoors and catch some fun in the sun - it will help boost your mood and Vitamin D levels for improved health.

Genuine Gentleness Mike Patton Bereavement Counselor/Spiritual Care I have heard of a trend in certain communities that have decided to change the image of the Christian leader, Jesus of Nazareth, from the historically and biblically familiar 'meek and mild' Son of God to a more Rambo-like chartacter that is filled with rage and super-power. Before I bash the trend, I will admit that one of my favorite images from the gospel writers is a rather obscure recollection of what happened when the Nazarene was about to be arrested by a band of armed soldiers and a few official led by Judas, the disciple turned traitor. When the 30-year-old Jesus asked, "who is it you want?" they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." He identified himself as the one who they came for and at once, they "drew back and fell to the ground." So awesome! That glimpse of "super-Rambo-like-power" was immediately restrained by the young leader, and the soldiers went ahead and arrested him. My point is not a relegious one, just that such power was witness and immediately restrained. According to my understanding of the word, "gentleness" or "meekness" means "strength under control." That is why I am opposed to the aforementioned trend. Especially in our work in the field of hospice care, we need to exercise gentleness when we are caring for our patients and their families. I see it happen regularly with our brilliant nurses, home health aides, social workers and doctors. They all exercise genuine gentleness. Controlled strength is developed over time, too. Youthful vigor and strength is a great asset and can be channeled into wonderful causes and achieve great things. But genuine gentleness is a product of wisdom and learned and earned over years of life experiences and relationship challenges. Gentle answers to questions that arise from fear or distress, gentle nods of understanding when a patient or family member expresses anger or disappointment, and kind words of respect to one another when we differ in our opinions... all factor into our strength under control. For the past nine and a half years I have watched the Hospice of the Valleys staff operate with genuine gentleness and I continue to learn great things from my colleagues. It is pretty easy to get amped up about our differences, and to be scared or threatened into a "fight or flight" mode by the divisive climate of our world. But I want to advocate for the wise and tried strategy of exercising personal restraint, showing kindness, and being genuinely gentle. It is so much more effective and positively powerful than selfishly demanding anything. For me, it takes a strategy of "stop and think" before opening my pie hole! Then offering a reasonable and thoughtful response, whether it is a agreeable or contrary, is genuine gentleness.

Hospice of the Valleys has the Best Volunteers! We never stop being amazed by the warmth and graciousness of our volunteers. Many times, I know that the volunteer has shuffled their schedule to accommodate whatever work needs to be done. We appreciate all your efforts and so do the patients, families and staff. Thank you!

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