Thank You for Your Service

Honoring our Veterans

Dr. Leslee B. Cochrane, Executive Medical Director

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite Holidays of the year. What I love the most about Thanksgiving (in addition to all the great food) is spending time together as a family and reflecting on the many things we have to be thankful for.

At the top of my list each year are my family, their health and the many blessings of living in a free country. With Veterans Day just around the corner, I am reminded that "freedom is never free" and I am especially thankful for all those brave men and women who have served in the military to protect and defend the many freedoms we are blessed to enjoy.

Did you know that every day over 1,800 Veterans die? That is more than 680,000 Veterans per year or about one in 4 people who die annually. A vast majority of these Veterans are not enrolled in the VA and may not be aware of the many end-of-life care resources available to them through the Medicare Hospice Benefit and additional support available through the VA. As our nation celebrates Veterans Day on November 11th, Hospice of the Valleys salutes our Veterans! We feel that honoring our nation's Veterans includes supporting them throughout their entire lives including providing compassionate end-of-life Hospice care.

At Hospice of the Valleys, we are proud to participate in the We Honor Veterans Program which is a specialized program developed by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs designed to improve access and the quality of care for Veterans in our community. Through his outreach program, Hospice of the Valleys has been able to connect Veterans with valuable resources to assist with the cost of providing additional care as well as providing pinning ceremonies which are an opportunity to honor our veterans and thank them for their service.

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care month, and it only seems fitting that I acknowledge how very thankful I am to work with a team of caring and dedicated professionals who are committed to helping patients be comforted and cared for when they can no longer be cured. If you know a Veteran who would benefit from the specialized care hospice brings to people facing serious and life-limiting illness, please reach out and let them know that Hospice of the Valleys is here to help them.

Coping With the Holidays

By: Dr. Lynn Euzenas

Director of Spiritual Care & Bereavement Services

Dear Friends:

The holiday season is fast upon us. Seasonal celebrations and traditions bring joy, reconnection with loved ones, restore our spirits and refresh us; these are the promises of the season.

There is, however, a paradox. The holidays can also be a time of challenge, stress, or sadness; particularly if you are caring for a loved one who is ill, are newly bereaved, or are not feeling all that well yourself. For those who have lost dear ones, the festivities of the holidays can accentuate the sense of loss or loneliness of missing a dear one. Tender memories can become more painful during the holiday season.

This is why Hospice of the Valleys' Bereavement Department holds an annual Coping With the Holidays event. This year's event is being held on Tuesday, Nov. 21st, at 2:00 p.m., at the Mary Phillips Senior Center, 4185 6th Street, Temecula, CA. Two of our bereavement counselors, Mike Patton and Bill Koster, will present information on different ways of coping with the emotions of the holidays, battling the holiday blues, and finding constructive ways of getting the support you may need during the season. Discussion and sharing will be a part of the event. The event is free and open to the public.

We hope that your holiday season is rich with love and joy! If you think you may entertain a bit of the holiday blues, please consider joining us and November 21st. It's always a good thing to add some constructive and supportive tools for coping to your holiday gift bags!

Happy Holidays to All,

Dr. Lynn Euzenas

Happy Thanksgiving. Hospice of the Valleys wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving. We ar eall so very thankful for our generous and caring community.

In This Issue

Thank You for Your Service

Dr. Leslee B. Cochrane, Executive Medical Director

Coping With the Holidays

By: Dr. Lynn Euzenas