IN THIS ISSUE:3 PalliaCare Cincinnati

brings new services into the home

4–5 Hospice of Cincinnati celebrates 40 years and its team members

8 Using art to help children grieve

T H E N A T I O N ’ S F O U R T H O L D E S T

H O S P I C E •

F A L L 2 0 1 7

Pilot arts program chooses Hospice of Cincinnati Musicians, dancers and visual artists are

delighting patients and families at The Margret J. Thomas Inpatient Care Center in Blue Ash thanks to the Arts in Healing Initiative Hospice Pilot. The Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) chose Hospice of Cincinnati to partner on this two-year pilot to provide creative experiences for patients and families receiving end-of-life care in our community.

“Creativity allows people to appreciate new dimensions of support that can inspire emotional and physical healing,” explains Tina Bross, Supervisor, Hospice of Cincinnati Holistic Services. The Arts in Healing pilot expands opportunities for patients who already may access Hospice of Cincinnati’s own robust art and music therapy programs.

Joyce Bonomini, Director of Education and Community Relations, CAA, explains why they chose Hospice of Cincinnati. “I researched all of the hospices in the area,” she says. “It was import-ant that we work with a non-profit organization committed to diversity with an authentic desire to serve their patients and the community-at-large. Hospice of Cincinnati fit that description.”

Eleven artists, each using their individual artistic talents and skills, visit patients in their rooms and the family gathering areas of The Margret J. Thomas Inpatient Care Center. All artists received orientation and training on hospice policies and procedures prior to seeing patients. The two-year pilot program was developed and is being administered by the CAA with funding from The Patricia Kisker Foundation.

Violinist Lauren Schloemer played old favorites from the 1950s and 60s for patient Carole Grebe. Her face lit up when she heard the opening strains of Danny Boy, one of her favorite songs. Because of her health issues, Grebe has been at the Blue Ash facility for a few months, providing her the opportunity to develop a relationship with Schloemer and several of the other artists.

She beams as she chats about the music. “It makes me feel wonderful,” she says. “I had a few friends visiting last week when Lauren was here and it was like we had our own personal concert! She played all the old Irish tunes we just love.”

Grebe also excitedly talks about the yoga she practiced with another artist the day before. Bross explains that the movement artist, Ian Forsgren, not only dances, he also engages patients in gentle movement if they are interested and feeling up to it.

“It is all about looking for ways in which we can bring something else to enhance our patients’ quality of life,” Bross concludes.

Violinist Lauren Schloemer delights Carole Grebe by playing some of her favorite songs from the 50s and 60s. Celebrating 40

years of caringPassionate team members have been the backbone of our success for 40 years, helping make Hospice of Cincinnati the most preferred hospice in the region. What better way to celebrate them than through a 70s-themed party? (See page 4.)

Tian Jiang, Business Analyst, and Tina Bross, Holistic Services Supervisor, prepare to disco at Hospice of Cincinnati’s team member appreciation party Aug. 25. A special thanks to Cooper Creek Event Center for donating the venue fee.

Message from the CEO

“The nation’s fourth oldest hospice” represents more than the age of our program. It represents 40 years of leadership, growth and meeting

community need. As we end this year and look to the next decade, we reflect on Hospice of Cincinnati’s vision:

“Through the leadership of Hospice of Cincinnati, our region embraces the value of end-of-life care and planning and relies on Hospice of Cincinnati for the highest quality end-of-life and bereavement services. We are recog-nized for providing compassionate physical, emotional and spiritual care in an atmosphere of sensitivity and respect.”

Our vision underscores our origins and directs our future, which includes educating our community on the benefits of hospice care and the value of earlier referrals. As the oldest and largest hospice in Greater Cincinnati, we continue four decades of influence in our community regarding excellence in end-of-life care.

We embrace our leadership role and appreciate the community’s recognition of our expertise. This leads more doctors and families to choose us over any other hospice in the area. Our grief programs continue to grow, serving more than 5,400 adults and children each year. Organizations like Arts in Healing recognize our leadership and choose us to partner with on new programs. (See page 1.) More importantly, we believe our leadership is creating a shift in how Greater Cincinnati families perceive hospice care.

Today, more patients come to us having already shared with their families the kind of care they want at the end of their lives. This has meant more patients pursuing hospice care sooner, rather than in a crisis or for the final few days of life.

As we continue to grow—now serving more than 750 patients a day—we thank our team members, trustees and loyal supporters, past and present, who have dedicated their lives to this sacred ministry. We embrace our vision and believe in its impact. And we are honored to continue as our community’s most trusted resource for compassionate end-of-life care.

Warm Regards,

Sandra LobertPresident and CEO

OUR MISSIONHospice of Cincinnati creates the best possible and most meaningful end-of-life experience for all who need care and support in our community.

DID YOU KNOW…

You can help Hospice of Cincinnati celebrate 40 years of caring for our community.

• Make a gift in honor of a physician, nurse or staff member who made a difference to you, your family or your loved one and share a brief note of thanks.

• Make a gift in memory of your loved one. Dedicate a brick, tree, bench, bird feeder or room in their name at one of our inpatient care centers.

• Designate Hospice of Cincinnati to receive memorial donations in lieu of flowers.

• Include Hospice of Cincinnati as a beneficiary in your will/trust, IRA or life insurance policy.

• Join our team of volunteers by calling 513-246-9166 or emailing JoAnn_Ropp@TriHealth.com.

• Arrange a fundraiser or make a donation by contacting Lori Asmus at 513-246-9340 or Lori_Asmus@ TriHealth.com.

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New service to fill gap in care

To meet the needs of very ill patients living at home, Hospice of Cincinnati has been involved in developing a new ser-

vice, PalliaCare Cincinnati, an extension of TriHealth’s inpatient palliative medicine service. Palliative care provides relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness.

This new community-based palliative care program provides services to TriHealth patients and their families facing serious illness by focusing on improving their overall quality of life and placing an emphasis on acute symptom management, address-ing immediate psychosocial needs and conducting goals of care discussions in the patient’s home. PalliaCare nurse practitioners work together with the patient’s primary care or specialty physi-cians. Certain criteria must be met for patients to be eligible for PalliaCare services.

PalliaCare Cincinnati is different from hospice care. There is no life expectancy limitation, and patients can choose to continue to receive curative treatments while receiving palliative care.

Hospice of Cincinnati Board welcomes new membersMarilyn J. MaagMarilyn Maag is an attorney with Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP and an Ohio State Bar Association Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. She facilitates the decision-making processes of individuals and families involved in these issues.

Maag is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and chairs its subcommittee on end-of-life law. She has helped draft and promote MOLST (Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) Ohio legislation.

“I am happy to work with others to create quality end-of-life care for patients and their families through Hospice of Cincinnati,” Maag says.

“Marilyn has long been a passionate supporter of excel-lence in end-of-life care and has supported others in deter-mining and documenting their wishes,” notes Sandra Lobert, Hospice of Cincinnati President and CEO. “We are very pleased to have her join our team.”

Beena MathewBeena Mathew, Senior Vice President, Fifth Third Bank, oversees strategy for 1,150 retail bank branches as Director of Retail Strategy and Sales Effectiveness. Prior to this role, she oversaw 1,900 employees in 300 retail branches throughout Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia.

Mathew is active in the com-munity, championing cancer prevention and treatment programs, leadership for women within the business commu-nity, and diversity and inclusion at Fifth Third and beyond. She also is an executive sponsor of the 2017 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Campaign.

“I am deeply committed to helping ensure that every person—regardless of background or personal beliefs—should have equal access to Hospice of Cincinnati’s superior end-of-life care when facing a serious illness,” Mathew says.

Sandra Lobert, President and CEO of Hospice of Cincinnati, explains that Mathew brings a great combina-tion of professional experience and understanding of the Hospice of Cincinnati mission to the Board of Trustees. “She has a direct connection with the importance of quality end-of-life care and is aware of some of the barriers that come into play,” Lobert says. “Beena will be a great addition to our team.”

Gourmet Melodies delights allMore than 500 guests tapped their toes to a variety of live musical groups while sampling delectable goodies catered by Vonderhaar’s Catering at this year’s Gourmet Melodies held Aug. 12 at Smale Riverfront Park. Guests were treated to a spectacular view of the Cincinnati skyline while raising more than $85,000 for Hospice of Cincinnati. Many thanks to all of our sponsors, especially our presenting sponsor, TriHealth.

Brian and Lisa Higgins take a whirl on Carol Ann’s Carousel.

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Team members party like it�s 1977 Hospice of Cincinnati

celebrated its 40th birth-day with a team member appreciation party Aug. 25 at the Cooper Creek Event Center. Guests wore costumes representing the 70s in honor of 1977—the year Hospice of Cincinnati was founded. Bell bottoms, afros, disco attire and even Princess Leia were seen in the happy crowd of current and retired employees. After a delicious grill out, DJ Ackerman kept the crowd on their feet grooving to the best hits of the 70s. Employees were encouraged to bring an item to place in a time capsule to be opened in 2057. The evening included a launch of 40 sky lanterns, orchestrated by Rozzi Fireworks. Many thanks to the Employee Engagement Team for its hard work on a wonder-ful evening of team building and celebration.

In this issue, we commemorate Hospice of Cincinnati’s 40th anniversary by celebrating our staff. Our 500-plus team members are experts in understanding the needs and expectations of our patients and family members and customizing care plans to meet their needs. The dedication of our team members and leaders—past and present—has translated into tremendous growth, which has enabled Hospice of Cincinnati to care for more members of our community with our compassionate, comprehensive services. We deeply appreciate our team members and their commitment to our mission: To create the best possible and most meaningful end-of-life experience for all who need care and support in our community.

Chief Operating Officer Janet Montgomery (far left) enjoys a relaxed evening with her marketing team.

Chief Medical Officer Manish Srivastava, MD, dons a 70s afro wig and disco clothes along with Puja Srivastava, MD (left), and hippy President and CEO Sandra Lobert.

Team members take to the dance floor with the encouragement of DJ Ackerman and some popular 70s tunes.

Anne Gastright, RN (left), catches up with Hospice of Cincinnati's first Medical Director, Cornelia Dettmer, MD (center), and first Executive Director, Leigh Gerdsen, RN.

The West Care Team stops dancing for a few minutes to take advantage of the fantastic photo booth.

Chief Medical Officer Manish Srivastava, MD, and Pam VanHart, Manager of Support Services, enjoy the creativity of employees' outfits..

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Thank you to our supporters who helped honor our dedicated team members with a spectacular and memorable 40th anniversary celebration:

Cooper Creek Event CenterBethesda Foundation

DJ Ackerman

Vonderhaar’s Catering

Bechhold and Gerdsen: Long-time leaders leave lasting impact

The strong foundation built by long-time Medical

Director Rebecca Bechhold, MD, and Executive Director Leigh Gerdsen positioned Hospice of Cincinnati as the largest hospice in the Greater Cincinnati area. Under their combined 66 years of leadership, Hospice of Cincinnati grew into a geographically diverse organization with inpatient care centers in Blue Ash, Anderson, Hamilton and Western Hills, along with robust home care and long-term care programs.

Dr. Bechhold began working with Hospice of Cincinnati in 1982, shortly after she started her career as a medical oncologist. Hospice of Cincinnati had recently opened Cincinnati’s first inpatient hospice unit—only the fourth in the nation. She was named Medical Director in 1988 and Chief Medical Officer in 2008 as Hospice of Cincinnati opened inpatient care centers and regional offices throughout Greater Cincinnati.

As Hospice of Cincinnati’s Medical Director for almost 30 years, Dr. Bechhold’s impact is still visible throughout the organi-zation, even after her 2015 retirement. “I was intimately involved with every aspect of Hospice of Cincinnati, from developing medical protocols to hiring key staff to implementing strategic marketing programs,” she says.

When Hospice of Cincinnati began caring for patients, Gerdsen was one of three nurses seeing hospice patients through the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA). “We expected to see 50 patients the first year,” she remembers. “The need was so great, we saw 50 patients the first month.”

Gerdsen helped open the original inpatient facility in the Deaconess Building next to Bethesda Oak Hospital in March 1981 and became its Director in December of that year. “We had 16 patient rooms and one bathroom,” Gerdsen fondly recalls. “It was an incredibly unique opportunity. It was like setting up a hospital. We hired the staff, set shift hours and determined the best way to run things. There was no precedent. How many times in your career do you get to do something like this?”

“It is impossible to describe all the contributions that Dr. Bechhold and Leigh have made to Hospice of Cincinnati,” says Sandra Lobert, Hospice of Cincinnati President and CEO. “It is hard to even imagine our program without their knowledge, experience, leadership and compassionate hearts. The two of them are really responsible for Hospice of Cincinnati being what it is today.”

Leigh Gerdsen and Rebecca Bechhold, MD, dedicated a combined 66 years of expertise, helping make Hospice of Cincinnati the leader it is today.

Growing to serve more familiesThrough our dedicated leaders and passionate team mem-bers, Hospice of Cincinnati has grown to serve more than 750 patients each day wherever they call home: one of our inpa-tient care centers, a long-term care facility or their own home. This growth allows us to serve an increasing number of families each year who need our care and support, providing them the best possible and most meaningful end-of-life experience.

Joann Rome-Session, RN, enjoys the opportunity to celebrate with Chief Medical Officer Manish Srivastava, MD.

The East Care Team demonstrates the camaraderie that helps produce caring, supportive care for every patient and family member.

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Grateful family hosts fundraiserThe Bolce family put their gratitude for Hospice of Cincinnati to work this summer by organizing a fund-raiser in memory of Debbie Bolce, who passed away in April while a patient in the East Homecare program. “My mom received the best care from Hospice of Cincinnati, especially during her last few days,” says her daughter, Carie Moeckel. The fundraiser was held at Lindale Golf Club, which is owned by Bolce’s sister, Melissa Kirkpatrick. Donations and a percentage of the day’s sales from 13 vendors totaled $500, which the family proudly donated to Hospice of Cincinnati. Kirkpatrick shares, “The event allowed me to give back for everything I personally received from Hospice.”

GIVING WAYS

Debbie Bolce’s family visits the Anderson Inpatient Care Center to deliver the donation they raised in her name. Pictured left to right are Lisa Steelman, RN, Nurse Manager; Melissa Kirkpatrick, Bolce’s sister; Carie Moeckel, Bolce’s daughter; Irene (Fender) Phillips, Bolce’s mother; and Roxanne Schneider, RN, the nurse who cared for Bolce.

IRAs can be tools for giving

When Janet’s daughter, Diane, died at age 50, Janet was surprised to learn she was half-beneficiary of her daughter’s IRA. But

that’s not the only thing that surprised her. “I was shocked by the taxes I had to pay because of the IRA,” Janet shares. “It was such a waste. Diane worked her whole life for those retirement funds.”

Janet then discovered that she could make qualified charitable distributions up to $100,000 ($200,000 for married couples who each qualify separately) from the IRA without having to pay federal income taxes on the distributions. Additionally, the charitable distri-butions count toward the RMD (required minimum distribution). To qualify, the distributions Janet makes must transfer directly to a qualified charity, like Hospice of Cincinnati, and are not tax deduct-ible. (See “Important considerations and qualifications.”)

“I enjoy making gifts from the IRA to charities that Diane and I both love,” Janet explains. “I feel like I’m continuing her legacy and helping those organizations do great work.”

We are grateful to Janet and others who use this strategy to make a difference in the lives of patients and families served by Hospice of Cincinnati. For more information on IRA charitable distributions and other ways to support the mission of Hospice of Cincinnati, please contact Lori Asmus at 513-246-9230 or Lori_Asmus@TriHealth.com.

Information gathered in collaboration with Hospice of Cincinnati board member Cynthia Yozwiak, Senior Financial Advisor, CRPC®, Merrill Wealth Management. Remember to consult your own financial advisor(s) on how this and other charitable strategies fit into your overall plan.

Important considerations and qualifications for IRA gifts

• You must be 70½ or older at the time of distribution.

• You may distribute from your traditional IRA or rollover IRA.

• Distributions can’t be made from Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plans.

• You and your spouse may make combined distributions up to $200,000, provided each of you:

- owns at least one IRA

- is at least 70½ years old at the time of distribution

- qualifies to make charitable distributions up to $100,000 from your respective IRAs

• Donor advised funds and certain private foundations are not eligible charities. Check with your tax advisor on each charity for eligibility.

• You must obtain written acknowledgement for each IRA contribution from each qualified charity.

• You cannot receive any goods or services in return for an IRA charitable contribution.

• You can use your contribution to meet your minimum required distribution up to the entire $100,000 per person each year.

Interested in hosting your own fundraiser for Hospice of Cincinnati? Visit HospiceofCincinnati.org/donate.shtml or contact Lori Asmus at 513-246-9230 or Lori_Asmus@ TriHealth.com.

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Volunteers honored for direct patient careCongratulations to the following direct support volunteers who were recognized at the annual Donna West Memorial Lunch.

Arlene Rosen Central Team Arlene Rosen serves up break-fast and comfort every Friday to patients at The Margret J. Thomas Inpatient Care Center in Blue Ash. She also visits Hospice of Cincinnati patients in long-term care facilities. “Volunteering at Hospice of Cincinnati has provided me the opportunity to meet so many amazing people—both staff and patients—who have helped me become a better and more appreciative person,” she says.

Margie BlackEast TeamMargie Black brings a calming presence when she volunteers at the Anderson Inpatient Care Center every Friday morning. She even puts staff at ease. “Margie is dedicated to her work and is always happy to help in any way that she can,” notes one of her team members. “She takes her time with each patient and brings them a sense of dignity and respect that they so need at the end of their journey.”

Anna HarperNorth TeamInspired by the care her husband, Donald, received while a patient at the Hospice of Hamilton Inpatient Care Center, Anna Harper serves lunch to patients twice a week. Staff members note she does whatever is needed—from sorting linens to filling in for other volunteers. “Anna embraces the true volunteer spirit,” com-ments Nan Zupancic, Hamilton Inpatient Care Center Social Worker. “She gives with great sincerity and compassion.”

John HomoelleWest TeamJohn Homoelle volunteers in honor of his mother, who was cared for by Hospice of Cincinnati at a long-term care facility. A dedicated spiritual support volunteer, John visits patients at several west side long-term care facilities. Patty Daum, West Long-Term Care Team Chaplain, says, “I couldn’t do it without John. I’m so grateful that he makes the time to provide such wonderful service to patients and families.”

Hospice of Cincinnati volunteer Arlene Rosen brings breakfast and a smile to Carole Grebe, a patient at The Margret J. Thomas Inpatient Care Center in Blue Ash.

Taking time for a quiet cup of coffee and meaningful conversation with patient Richard Jackson is one of the many ways volunteer Margie Black proves to be an invaluable member of the care team.

Volunteer Anna Harper provides comfort to patients at the Hamilton Inpatient Care Center in memory of the compassionate care her husband received from Hospice of Hamilton.

Volunteer John Homoelle provides spiritual support to Hospice of Cincinnati patient Helen Duncanson, a resident of Western Hills Retirement Village.

Congratulations and many thanks to these volun-teers as they celebrate ser-vice milestones with Hospice of Cincinnati. Their dedication and support is an inte-gral part of our care team provid-ing each patient with personalized, high quality care.

30 Years Joyce Meier-Burgess

25 Years Jo Ann Bachmann

20 Years Lin Grieser Gloria Kelley Trina Liss

15 Years Ginny Ingle Marilyn Kaiser Gerry Knable Jane Spille

10 YearsAmy Abell Elizabeth Bellew Leslie Bergen

Rosanna Bretz Penny Clark Barbara Cooper Frank Eberle Mary Lee Eberle Michelle Emerling Richard Gruber Nancy Hill Dotty Hischemiller Richard Hoehn Mary Perry Sally Rush Sally Sakalas Betty Shiflet Ronald Staggs Mary Ann Stang Shirley Swarts James Tewel

Deborah Voss Janet Weise Janet Wendel Lynn Wertheimer Lynn Woodward Nancy Jane Woody Jaye Yorio Robin Zoller Millie (Woof ) Zoller

5 Years Rita Alexander Yolanda Alvarez Kathryn Back Rosalee Campbell Karen Carey Dean Carroll Constance Conlon

Dulce (Woof) Conlon

Emily Crawford Oliver (Woof )

Crawford Michelle Davidson Rosemary Deitzer Melanie Drake Tom Duvelius Carol Ferron Pat Geiss Pat Haizman Anna Harper Allison Howell Karen Howell Shaunessy (Woof)

Howell Mary Hunter

Mary Ann Jacobs Lu Ann Jansen Judith Mattingly Catharine Miller Sandra Nichols Katharine Pinto Rene Recchia Art Rettinger Sue Rice William Ropp Rick Russell Abdoulaye Saine Jeffrey Schneider Christopher Torbeck Lalitha Umanath Maranell Wilson

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Helping children grieve through artGrief can be overwhelming for anyone. For a child or teen, verbalizing their feelings can be

almost impossible. Children lack the vocabulary to talk about death, and many teens choose not to do so. Fernside uses expressive arts in its support groups, providing an alternative for children to share their feelings or memories without saying a word.

Veteran group facilitator Diane Lux explains that the process of making the artwork is often as meaningful to the child as the finished product. She describes a project where each child designs a clay mask—a visual representation of what they are feeling. “The inside of the mask may contain feelings (words) they are holding in and are not ready to share,” Lux explains. “The outside rep-resents what they believe others see.”

All volunteer facilitators are introduced to expressive arts during their training program, notes Fernside Outreach Coordinator Christi Kettman. “We provide each new facilitator with an Idea Book to help them guide group discussions and incorporate expressive art activities into weekly support groups.”

A teacher for more than 19 years, once Lux retired, she knew how she wanted to give back to the community. She became a group facilitator for 4th and 5th grade children at Fernside. “I lost my sister-in-law at a very young age, and I saw what her three children got out of Fernside,” Lux remembers. “It meant so much to my brother.”

She continues, “When children are forced to experience this intense new set of emotions due to the loss of a loved one, they need this kind of support. It is very gratifying to help them along their grief journey.” Fernside group facilitator Diane Lux works with Blake Lindemann on an art

project during a weekly support group.

Published by Hospice of Cincinnati4360 Cooper Road, Suite 300Cincinnati, OH 45242513-891-7700© 2017 Hospice of Cincinnati, Inc.All rights reserved.HospiceOfCincinnati.org

Hospice of Cincinnati issponsored by Bethesda Inc.in collaboration withTriHealth and Mercy Health.

Printed on Recycled Paper

Non-profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDCincinnati, OhioPermit No. 9177

The Goldstein Family Hospice of Cincinnati and Fernside Grief Center is the first com-prehensive bereave-ment center in Greater Cincinnati focusing on both adult and children’s grief. Services are free and available to all. For more information about our programs and how to register, please call Hospice of Cincinnati at 513-891-7700, Fernside at 513-246-9140, or visit HospiceOfCincinnati.org/grief_support.shtml.

Where’s the donor list? Looking for the list of tribute gifts? To save both money and trees, Hospice of Cincinnati has moved its list of tribute gifts—now numbering more than 3,000 a year—to our website. Please visit HospiceOfCincinnati.org/donorlist to thank the many who have donated to Hospice of Cincinnati. The list will be updated quarterly and archived for viewing.