Hospice offers holiday comfort in Sisters

The holiday season is a time of joy for many, but for those who are grieving the death of a loved one, it can be the most difficult and depressing time of year.

Fortunately for residents of Central Oregon, Hospice of Redmond-Sisters offers unique events each December to honor those who have passed on and to provide support for those who are grieving.

One of the most moving and profound of these events is the annual Light Up a Life celebration, which will be held this year at 4 p.m., on Saturday, December 15, at Sisters Art Works, 204 W. Adams Ave. The hour-long ceremony is open to anyone in the community and provides a special way to remember a loved one.

"It's a beautiful way to bring people together," says Diane Kellstrom, bereavement coordinator for Hospice of Redmond-Sisters. "During the ceremony, everyone has a chance to light a candle in honor of a beloved friend, family member or pet, and they can also place a bow on a special 'remembrance tree.' Participants are invited to submit the name of their loved one to our office, and these names will be read out loud at the gathering by Hospice staff members. This year Katie Cavanaugh will be performing, and she's written a special song for the ceremony."

Hospice has been providing patient care, grief support services, youth counseling and volunteer programs since 1981. What began as an all-volunteer agency with only six patients per month has now grown to become an important force in the community.

Although the main office is in Redmond, a satellite office is housed in the Sisters Art Works building, and three Hospice staff members - Sue Stafford, Diane Kellstrom and Dee Dee Burke - are Sisters residents. There's also a large pool of volunteers from Sisters, and several of our local businesses help sponsor Hospice events.

Sue Stafford works in the Sisters office and is in charge of the "Transitions" program, which is designed to help individuals and their families cope with a life-limiting illness.

Unlike the Hospice program which deals with the impending death of a patient, Transitions can step in as soon as a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, with a prognosis of up to 18 months is confirmed.

Transitions services are free of charge to the patient; all funds come from donations. Hospice services are covered by Medicare and private insurance if the illness leading to the need for Hospice is covered. For individuals with no health insurance, Hospice services are free, which is why the agency's fund-raising activities throughout the year are so vitally important.

One resident of Sisters, Margaret Zimet, recently lost her husband, who was in the Transitions program before moving into Hospice care. Margaret's mother was also a Hospice patient prior to her death two year ago, and now her father is receiving Hospice services. All three - husband, mother and father - were cared for by registered nurse Dee Dee Burke, who Margaret now considers to be a member of the family.

"The hospice team made our lives much more comfortable," Zimet said. "They helped when I didn't know what to do, giving me advice and guidance and connecting me with the resources I needed. I felt completely secure in their care. My husband's death was very difficult, and the Hospice people helped me get through it. They're extremely generous with their time, and the volunteers helped with errands and emotional support. I can't imagine having gone through that without them."

Some of the services provided by Hospice of Redmond-Sisters include:

• Networking: Helping the client and family navigate the resources available in the community.

• Friendship and support: Support and companionship for client and family by trained volunteers.

• Respite Care: Providing time off for the caregiver in need of a few hours away.

• General Help: Running errands and providing light housekeeping.

"It's all about going the extra mile to improve somebody's quality of life," said Stafford. "And it reaches beyond just the people who receive Hospice care. We have a program now for kids in the juvenile court who use their community service hours helping Hospice and Transitions families. Just this week we had some wonderful kids split, deliver and stack firewood for one of our patients. Volunteering and donating makes everybody feel better all the way around."

For more information or to have the name of your loved one added to the Light Up a Life event, call Hospice of Redmond-Sisters at 548-7483 or visit redmondhospice.org.