Hospice offers appreciation to community

The Assured Home Health and Hospice Foundation is hosting “Stuff the Truck for Home Health and Hospice Care” Saturday, June 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Assured’s office located at 1417 S. Pioneer Way in Moses Lake. The public is invited to a community appreciation day to include free refreshments, entertainment, giveaways and a special presentation to the Moses Lake community at 2 p.m. (see below).

Bring donations of household and outdoor goods, furniture, clothing, jewelry and medical equipment to “Stuff the Truck.” Donations benefit Assured Home Health and Hospice patients and their families by providing end-of-life care, medical equipment and bereavement services throughout Grant/Lincoln/Adams Counties.

Many communities have their own volunteer programs for providing similar services to those in need, but this program can provide added benefits to those under home-health and hospice care. “It is open to anyone in the three county-area,” said Julie (Iksic) Johnson of Assured. “It is in no way meant to replace any existing local programs.”

Johnson was no doubt aware of Odessa’s program administered by VFW Post #7395. Post members have in storage such items as hospital beds, wheelchairs, canes, walkers and other medical-care-related products. As with the services provided by Assured Hospice, they are provided to users free of charge, with the simple request that they be returned when no longer needed.

Assured Hospice Foundation executive director Jenny Collins says, “We are a community foundation devoted to patients and their families. While these components are considered essential for the patients and their families, they are not covered by insurance. It is our goal to improve the quality of life for every hospice and home health patient.”

For more information about the event contact Collins at 360-623-1560.

Assured Home Health and Hospice Foundation has donated $5,000 to Assured Hospice for its Comfort Therapy Program. The board of directors for Assured Home Health and Hospice Foundation approved the donation at their May board meeting. A special presentation will be made to Assured Hospice at 1417 S. Pioneer Way in Moses Lake on Saturday, June 28 at 2 p.m.

“Assured Hospice turns to us for help as an additional source of funding for their programs,” said Wilma Wayson, Assured Foundation board president. “They face increasing challenges with steeper cuts and growing need to provide comfort therapies. We are able to help fund Assured Hospice at this level, ensuring these services remain available, only because of community support.”

The Comfort Therapy Program aims to alleviate physical, emotional and spiritual pain and distress of hospice patients and their families, to promote an enhanced quality of life, through non-invasive therapies. The therapies will include massage, Healing Touch, Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, music therapy, animal assisted therapy, aromatherapy, and guided imagery.

Assured Hospice Foundation executive director Jenny Collins says, “Comfort Therapy is considered an essential component of hospice services. As such, it is offered to all patients upon admission, with no cost to patients or their families. This program has been funded by the foundation in other counties since 2002, and we are very proud to be a part of offering it to our community.”

For more information about this program, contact Jenny Collins at 360-623-1560.