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In this edition of News from Agrace HospiceCare:
Volunteers Transform Care
Is Health Care Reform Here Yet?
March Madness at Agrace HospiceCare?
Jayme Roth Named General Manager in Rock County
Clinical Positions Announced
Recognizing Loyal Donors
Willpower
Calendar of Events
Volunteers Transform Care
The world seems to be moving faster every day. But one thing hasn’t changed: Good health care doesn’t happen in a hurry—especially at the end of life. “It’s the nearly 1,200 members of our community who volunteer here that contribute significantly to the personalized, comprehensive, high quality and, most important, unhurried care that Agrace HospiceCare is known for,” says Kellee Hanson, volunteer services manager. She notes that this is twice the number of paid employees. “Agrace HospiceCare is truly a community hospice,” she says.
Because of the time they can devote, volunteers elevate the service that Agrace HospiceCare is able to provide. Here are three examples:
 Tuck-in Volunteer Georgette Horne
Georgette started out as a greeter three years ago and stepped up to her new role last fall. As a tuck-in volunteer, she calls patients’ families at home on Thursdays, to ask if there’s anything they need before the weekend. “I sense sometimes that people would not have called for help because they didn’t want to bother anyone,” says Georgette. “But that’s what we’re here for.” She usually makes between 10 and 19 calls. “You can tell by their voice that they’re really happy to have someone check in,” she adds.
 CNA Assist Volunteer Jim Spilburg
CNA assist volunteers help certified nursing assistants provide personal care to patients in the Inpatient Unit. A volunteer since 2006, Jim says that whether patients are aware of his presence or not, it doesn’t affect his care. In training, he learned that Agrace HospiceCare doesn’t look at the patients as dying. It’s end of life, and patients are living until they are no longer living. “To me that makes a huge difference,” he says. “It’s just a special place.”
Vigil Volunteer Darcy Keehn
 When Darcy first heard about the Vigil Program, she got excited about providing companionship for actively dying patients who didn’t want to be alone or whose family needed a break. She volunteers up to four times a week often between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. “It’s just wonderful to be able to step in and help with what, for us, is a small thing—to sit with somebody,” says Darcy. The families she spells are often on overload. “They are so relieved that someone is willing to come in so they can get a little break to pull themselves together. It’s enormous for them.”
There are lots of things volunteers can do—weeding outside, doing office work, helping run the thrift store or holding a patient’s hand. “It doesn’t really matter what you do; it all impacts how everyone works here,” says Georgette. “You feel so good about what you’re doing even if it’s just filing papers.”
Is Health Care Reform Here Yet?
In south central Wisconsin, the Affordable Care Act of 2010 seems far from us, yet health care reform has already started to impact Agrace HospiceCare. As a result of the new legislation, Medicare hospice patients are required to have a faceto- face visit with a hospice medical director or nurse practitioner before being recertifi ed for their third Medicare benefi t period (approximately six months) and every 60 days after that.
The new rule was put in place to limit waste, fraud and abuse by organizations that are billing Medicare for patients who are not eligible for hospice services. Agrace HospiceCare’s spotless record in this regard has contributed to our remarkable growth. “The fact that we have seen relatively few of our patients discharged for hospice ineligibility speaks well of the RN case management and review process that doctors rely on to recertify patients,” says Chief Medical Offi cer Dr. Bruce Agneberg.
“The new rule has brought a signifi cant change in our practice, however,” he adds. Instead of seeing doctors on an as-needed basis, approximately 150 patients each month will be required to receive a doctor visit—a visit that is considered “administrative” and is not billable. Regulations such as this one have been on the rise while overall, the hospice industry has seen decreasing reimbursement.
The good news is that Agrace HospiceCare has successfully implemented the new regulation. Since January 1, 2011, our medical directors and our nurse practitioner have made nearly 400 timely visits.
March Madness at Agrace HospiceCare?
 It didn’t happen in March, but Agrace HospiceCare patient Carl Sunby, 86, must have thought it was madness when he got to meet University of Wisconsin–Madison men’s basketball coach Bo Ryan and spend time with the team during a practice. Carl, a former coach himself, had expressed a wish to “just be in the gym one more time.” Thanks to Agrace HospiceCare’s Wish Program, he had the pleasure of being in the gym—with the Badgers!
Carl’s Agrace HospiceCare team knew of his coaching background and worked with the Wish Program to fi nd a way to recognize him. He coached high school sports in Wisconsin for nearly 40 years.
Since Carl came to Agrace HospiceCare in September 2010, his care team has been able to manage his symptoms well. He’s complimentary of his whole team but singles out his nursing assistant, Ginny Grant, for special mention. “When she comes to the place, it really brightens things up,” says Carl. “We just have fun.”
With support from Agrace HospiceCare, Carl’s new wish is to pass his father’s age, which was 86 and a few months. “So I reached the fi rst part!” says Carl triumphantly.
News Shorts
Sips, Sounds & Support for Agrace HospiceCare
 More than 270 area residents gathered at Sips & Sounds on March 5 in Janesville to support Agrace HospiceCare.—and sample a delicious selection of wines and appetizers from local vendors. Our annual wine-tasting event raised $40,000 to support the patients and families served by Agrace HospiceCare. Platinum sponsors of the event were Blain’s Farm & Fleet and Madelyn Company. Thank you to all of our sponsors, event volunteers—and of course, wine tasters!
Jayme Roth Named General Manager
 Jayme Roth has been promoted to development manager/ general manager–Rock County. Jayme came to Agrace HospiceCare in November 2006, and was most recently development manager in Rock County. In her role as general manager, Jayme will also provide consistent and clearly identifi ed leadership for our staff, our partners and the community in Janesville and the surrounding area. In her ongoing role as development manager, she will continue to lead all fundraising efforts in Rock County. She will develop and maintain individual and corporate donors, assist with planned giving and fund development, and help with special events.
Clinical Positions Announced
  Agrace HospiceCare has announced two clinical position changes: Denise Gloede (far left) has been named vice president of access, a new position, and Shawnee Parsil (near left) has been promoted to director of home-care services. Denise was most recently vice president of admissions and hospice for Home Health United. She has 14 years of clinical experience, ranging from acute care to long-term care. In her new role, she will lead census growth, partner relations and management service organization offerings. Shawnee started at Agrace HospiceCare in 2005 as a volunteer coordinator, and became leader of her team in 2006. In the intervening years, she took on progressively more challenging leadership positions. In her new role, all home-care team leaders, both in-home care teams and long-term care teams, will report to Shawnee.
Recognizing Loyal Donors
 “Loyalty and friendship, which is to me the same, created all the wealth that I’ve ever thought I’d have.” —Ernie Banks, Chicago Cub Ernie Banks’ words ring true for Agrace HospiceCare, too. The extraordinary loyalty of our friends has made Agrace HospiceCare the world-class organization it is today. This is why Agrace HospiceCare recently established the Decade Club, which recognizes the more than 600 individuals, businesses and organizations that have donated annually for more than 10 years. Many members of the Decade Club have supported our work for more than 20 consecutive years. We caught up with a few members who were happy to share their reasons for giving.
Janice Anderzon has been supporting Agrace HospiceCare for 25 years. “I’ve seen Agrace HospiceCare in action with both my brother and friends, and the care given is superb,” says Janice. “It’s a wonderful organization that provides and cares for the needs of folks who are facing a most diffi cult time in their lives.”
“It is the most upbeat place. Staff members always have a smile,” say Agrace HospiceCare volunteers Sharon and Jim Olle. When they consider making a donation, Agrace HospiceCare is always at the top of their list. “Agrace HospiceCare does good work, and people can depend on the organization.”
Kris Kennedy shared that supporting Agrace HospiceCare was always important to her. “But it became more so with my husband’s end-of-life illness,” says Kris. “The care that Agrace HospiceCare provided was so special, and I am most grateful to the organization. It was life-affi rming to me at a very diffi cult time.”
Our Decade Club members have been like Agrace HospiceCare’s own gardeners, planting seeds year after year, helping Agrace HospiceCare grow. We are honored to recognize the dedication of these special donors. They’ve really helped Agrace HospiceCare along the way!
Willpower
Willpower. You may groan, but you know it’s necessary if you want to stick to a diet or clean the garage. Instead, think of it this way: Willpower is the positive impact you can have on your favorite charity by including a gift in your will.
Gifts left through a will are an important source of funding for Agrace HospiceCare, especially as businesses and foundations have reduced their charitable giving in recent years. No matter the size, a donation through your will allows you to make a difference in the lives that follow. Your gift is a promise that exceptional end-of-life care will be available to future generations.
Chances are you’re already planning to leave photos, recipes and other treasured items to your family. Why not think about leaving a legacy by updating your will to refl ect your commitment to the Agrace HospiceCare mission?
To get started, contact your fi nancial advisor (a financial planner, lawyer or accountant) and ask for help in establishing a charitable Think beyond cash—you can leave real estate, insurance policies property to charity. You Agrace HospiceCare a benefi insurance, To make a simply include will: “I give to following: __________________, as an unrestricted in the area of greatest
Donors who notify Agrace HospiceCare intentions are enrolled Circle, our donor recognition society, receive special invitations to many Agrace HospiceCare events. For more information about placing Agrace HospiceCare in your will or other ways to support the work we do, please contact Donor Services at (608) 327-7180.
Calendar of Events 2011
May 10: Q&A Seminar – Caring for Someone with Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia
May 16: Q&A Seminar – Making the Agrace HospiceCare Choice; optional building tour to follow
May 18: Janesville Golf Classic – Glen Erin Golf Club, Janesville. Join the fun and camaraderie of a great day on the greens. Foursomes are $500; individuals are $125. Sponsorship levels are still available! Register online at Agrace HospiceCareinc.com or call (608) 314-2923.
June 4: Tent sale at Agrace HospiceCare Thrift Store–East. Celebrate our first anniversary with oodles of bargains—all $5 or less!
June 14 Q&A Seminar – What You Should Know About Planning a Funeral
July 8 & 9: Olbrich Botanical Gardens 2011 Home Garden Tour – Agrace HospiceCare is one of seven exceptional gardens on the tour. Tickets available May 1 at Olbrich Botanical Gardens.
July 12: Q&A Seminar – Spiritual Needs and Questions at the End of Life
July 18: Q&A Seminar – Making the Agrace HospiceCare Choice; optional building tour to follow
Please visit Agrace HospiceCareinc.com view other upcoming events.
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