March Newsletter 2024 - Hospice of the Valleys

951-200-7800 / 877-889-0325

Hospice Care
About Us
Patients & Families
Volunteer
Donate
News
Contact

Hospice Honors

We Honor Veterans

March 2024

Request Information

Make a Donation

Volunteer Opportunities

Happy Easter

National Employee Appreciate Day Friday March 1st. This day of recognition was established in 1995 and it truly is a great day to let each Hospice of the Valleys team member know how much your hard work and dedication means. Once again we received a 5 STAR rating from Medicare as well as Top Workplace Award by the Inland Empire Press enterprise for 1the 10th consecutive year. You go above and beyond - and your dedication is so greatly appreciated. You should be proud of the role you play in our success. Warmest thanks to you and all you do.

Community Events Southwest Healthcare Women's Health Expo March 14 10:00 A.M - 1:30 P.M. Pechanga - Summit Ballroom 45000 Pechanga Parkway Temecula Menifee's Annual Senior Expo and Wellness Fair May 4th 10:00-1:00 Sun City Civic Association 26850 Sun City Blvd. Sun City

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 and patients we have been privileged to provide hospice care. "Thank you so much for making our mom's final months comfortable. We appreciate all you did." "From the bottom of our hearts we send our deepest and sincere gratitude and appreciation. Thank you".

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

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.

Empowering Social Workers! Inspiring Action, Leading Change Hospice of the Valleys celebrates Social Work Month in March with the theme "Empowering Social Workers." People become social workers because they have a strong desire to help others. Social workers have a hearty sense of social justice and follow a Code of Ethics that calls on them to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people.. They yare particularly attuned to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. Social work is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It predicts nearly 800,000 people will work as social workers in the United States by 2032, an increase of seven percent of the decade.. The annual Social Work Month campaign in March is a time to inform the public, policymakers, legislators, and employers about how social workers help millions of people every day, helping them to overcome life's hurdles and live to their full potential. You will find social workers everywhere in our society, including hospitals and mental health centers, federal, state, and local government, schools, community centers, corporations, and social service agencies. Hospice of the Valleys celebrates Social Work Month by honoring and highlighting the important role of social workers on the hospice patient care team. Each day, Hospice of the Valleys medical social workers provide support and assistance to patients and families as they cope with life-limiting illness and end of life issues. In addition to providing practical resources to help patients and families navigate the many challenges of a serious illness, they offer compassionate listening and emotional support to patients and families. Please join us in thanking our amazing social workers.

Saturday - March 30th, 2024 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM March Veterans Village 15305 6th St. March ARB, CA 92518 Vietnam War Veteran's Day Veteran's Recognition Ceremony & Car Show Keynote Speaker U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Ronnie Imel Guest Speakers CA Senator 32nd District: Kelly Seyarto Riverside County District 3 Supervisor: Chuck Washington Director of Riverside County Veterans Services: Greg Coffos For more info: johnhernandezvfw@gmail.com or 951-232-8072

The Holy Grail of Hospice Work Mike Patton Bereavement Counselor/Spiritual Care In my faith tradition our "book" begins with the Creator doing some very cool stuff and then calling it "good". At the end of this succinct and profound work, after the crowning creation of many and woman in the divine likeness, the Creator said it was "very good". The light was good, the earth and sea was good, the plants and animals was good, but the male and female human beings was very good. What made the difference? I'm not going to answer that question, but I think the answer to that question is what makes our hospice work... well, very good. When a human being reaches the end of life, when the natural course of life has become obvious enough to the medical community that their untreated health condition will end their life in 6 months or less, then a whole discipline of comfort care (hospice) is deemed appropriate.. For the past 20 years I have been very close to this work as a chaplain and bereavement counselor. The grief that follows the death of a loved one, while unique to each person and dictated by the depth of love shared with the deceased, is so profoundly different from regular life. Grief takes your life by the lapels and shakes it, intimidates it, and often knocks it into a season of dysfunction, or what our metaphor-man (retired Chaplain Bill) often called "tilt" like the old pinball machines would do. Because grief work is so hard I think it immeasurably important to be kind to grieving people, and to encourage grieving people to be kind to themselves. Kindness is not the only element of good hospice work, but it is an essential element if the work is "very good". Kindness as every level of care, (from the home health aides who gently and tenderly perform patient hygiene to the doctors who assess physical needs and prescribe appropriate meds), is the key to great hospice work. It is such an honor to sit in our weekly meetings and see and hear the doctors, nurses, volunteer coordinates, social workers and chaplains participate in the discussion of each patient. Their kindness compliments their professional competence. At the opposite end of our "book" there is a letter addressed to Galatians. In it the author refers to a set of character traits that are consistent with the work of the divine... they are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. While kindness is not the only character trait of good hospice work, in my humble opinion, it is the "holy grail of hospice work".

WC Flyer 2024 QR Code

Grief Watch We'd like to thank Grief Watch for working with Hospice of the Valleys to provide these special Remembering Hearts to our bereaved family members. Hospice Hearts have become an invaluable gift we offer to our patients' families and caregivers. When separated, the tiny inner heart can be placed with the loved one who has died as a reminder of their unbroken connection to those who remain behind.

March 30th is National Physicians Day. Hospice of the Valleys is so grateful to have Dr. Cochrane and Dr. Ryder to care for our patients and their families. Than you both for all you do!

Chocolate- The Heart Healthy Treat Leslee B. Cochrane, MD. Executive Medical Director Chocolate is made from the beans of the cacao tree which is native to equatorial rainforests in Central and South America. The history of cacao dates back for thousands of years and several ancient Mesoamerican cultures including the Mayans and Aztecs were known to prize cacao beans and in fact would use them as currency for trade. Cacao beans were also used to prepare a drink which was used during feasts and festivals as well as for medicinal purposes. Research has shown that dark chocolate contains beneficial compounds known as flavanols which are powerful antioxidants with numerous health benefits. Flavanols fight inflammation and reduce cellular damage. Studies has shown that flavanols increase heart health by helping to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of clotting thereby reducing the risks of stroke and heart disease. Other health benefits of flavanols found in the dark chocolate include their ability to boost immune function, prevent diabetes, improve brain function, enhance athletic performance and reduce stress. Studies have also shown that consuming chocolate causes the brain to release endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. People with depression and anxiety typically have low levels of serotonin which may explain why eating chocolate helps to relieve stress and produce a feeling of well-being. In light of these many positive benefits, dark chocolate can be enjoyed (without feeling guilty) when consumed occasionally as a part of a well-balanced diet. Research has shown that to optimize that beneficial effects of chocolate, you should look for dark chocolate (as opposed to milk chocolate) with at least 70% cacao content. Although the cacao found in dark chocolate has numerous health benefits; you must remember that the sugar, fat and other ingredients that are frequently added to chocolate products have potential negative effects which may offset the benefits if consumed in excess.

Hospice of the Valleys has the best volunteers! We never stop being amazed by the warmth and graciousness of our hospice volunteers. We appreciate all your efforts and so do the patients, families and staff. Thank you!

Sign Up For Our Monthly Newsletter

Name*
First Last
Email*

Δ

View our past newsletters

Hospice Care
Introduction to Hospice
Choosing Hospice
Paying for Hospice
Hospice Of The Valleys Service Areas

About Us
History & Mission
Types of Care
Meet The Team
Testimonials & Videos
Calendar
Community Supporters
Careers
Blog
Contact Us

Patients & Families
Grief Support
FAQs
Resource Library
Notice of Privacy Practices
Notice of Nondiscrimination
End of Life Option Act

Ways To Give
Donate Now
Planned Gifts
Vehicle Donation
Volunteer

© Copyright 2025, Hospice of the Valleys. All rights reserved.

We serve Southwest Riverside and Fallbrook communities.

Website by Stebbins Media