Larimer County Hospice

Guests last week included:
Betty Sue Allen, mother of Susan Van Deren
Sol Alsina, former Rotary Exchange Student from Buenos Aries, and Marisa Ryber, stepdaughter of Ron Clark. Both of these ladies were guests of Ron’s.

Ralph Moore was elected as our President Elect. He will be installed as president in June of next year.

PROGRAM:

Our program for the day was supplied by a guest from last week, Gail Neben. Gail is new member of the Ft. Collins Downtown Club and is the director of marketing for Larimer County Hospice which is in its 30^th year. It provides hospice care in the Loveland-Ft. Collins area. Neben said they are largely funded through Medicare and Medicaid, private insurance and donations. No one is turned away. Neben said that hospice is there to provide honor, dignity, peace and to surround the person with love as their life comes to an end.

Neben said that although more than 50% of all patients stay in their homes during hospice care, there is a wing of McKee Hospital with seven beds that serve the purpose also. She said they give comfort care only and do not provide palliative care. Patients in hospice last an average of 30 days longer than those not using hospice care. Each patient is assigned a care team which may include one or more of the following: Registered nurse, medical director, Certified Nurses Aides, social workers/councilors, chaplains, music therapist, massage therapist, trained volunteers, and grief counselors for the families. She commented that the chaplains do not preach, but walk the spiritual path with the patient.

Those who stay in hospice care for six months are required to be reviewed to see if hospice is still needed. Neben said that in addition to their normal funding, they hold four fund raisers per year and some people leave money in their wills or buy insurance policies naming hospice as beneficiary. Also, families and friends of patients can buy memorial “leafs” or memorial bricks.

Tornado relief: We were pleased to have a representative of the Loveland Rotary Club stop by to give us a check for $5000 for the tornado relief fund.

Quiz: Herbert Hoover was the first American President to have a telephone on his desk in the oval office. Next question: How did the Pittsburgh Pirates get their name?