Meet an outstanding person

JULIE PERALTA… YET ANOTHER INSPIRING PERSON

I was at Saint Francis West Hospice a couple of weeks ago and a young lady came into the lobby with a patient in a wheelchair. She parked him about 5 feet from the piano and settled in to listen to my offerings for the remainder of my hour.

While they listened, she was massaging the patient, doing dance moves and singing along with the music. Both were, I guessed, to be Filipino, so I played whatever Filipino music I had with me that day. They danced to Ma Ala Ala Mokaya, Ikaw and a few more numbers. They were having so much fun that I wanted to stop playing and join them. The young lady’s personality was intoxicating.

Most of the patients in a hospice are admitted if they're expected to pass within six months. The majority actually pass within two weeks because they're in a state where they deteriorate quickly. Many can't laugh or even smile. If they tap their feet to the musical beat, we know they're enjoying themselves. So laughing and carrying on is something I've not seen in my 8+ years that I've entertained at hospices.

Julie Peralta, it turned out, was a volunteer and has been volunteering at St. Francis Hospice since this past April. She is a caregiver by trade and decided to volunteer to help with the elderly, sick or handicapped. She is hoping to be a volunteer at the Community Living Center at the Tripler Army Medical Center.

At St. Francis, she assists wherever there is a need for help. She provides companionship, assists the staff in personal care of the patients, feeding and taking the patients out for fresh air.

http://www.stfrancishawaii.org/Hospice/Pages/InpatientFacilities.aspx

Julie was born and raised in the Philippines. She grew up in a farming village high in the mountains and earned a degree in Animal Science and in Agriculture. She was employed by the Philippine Government, working in farm communities helping with sick animals as well as introducing technologies to help the farmers to improve their crops.

Julie went through the Red Cross training program for nurse’s aids when she arrived in Hawaii with her then husband. She soon developed an allergy to latex while working in a nursing home and went back to the Philippines in 2000 because the allergies made her severely ill and she was unable to work. The fresh air at the village’s 7,000 foot elevation and the care her family gave her brought her back to good health.

She and her son came back to Hawaii and she has been working as a personal caregiver since 2005. Her son is in his fourth year at the University of Hawaii, majoring in electrical engineering. She beams with pride when talking about him.

Most of her work comes from referrals from those in the industry, the Child and Family Services and from a home health agency. She struggles to get by but is grateful that she is healthy and able to also give of herself to help others through her volunteering activities.

But life is not all work for Julie. She’s involved in ballroom dancing and is a member of the Hawaii Ballroom Dance Association. If she dances with the same gusto and enthusiasm that I’ve observed in her interaction with patients, she’s likely very good.

Our community is indeed lucky to have people like Julie giving so much of herself to her adopted community and country. She's certainly a jewel of a human being.

NANCY KAIMIOLA SWEEZEY... SPREADING ALOHA

NANCY SWEEZEY, A LOCAL GIRL SPREADING A SPECIAL KIND OF ALOHA


I ran across a very special person doing extraordinary things for people who are  facing a difficult period in their lives. She has been volunteering with hospice programs for 20 years and has been using hula as therapy for cancer patients and their families. I wanted the readers to be aware of people like Nancy, who quietly go about their volunteering because she believes she's making a difference in her community and for people in her community.

Nancy was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii. When she was about four years old, her father, Master Sergeant Robert Sweeney, was killed in Korea. He was a Silver Star recipient. That was one of the many profound events in Nancy's life that led her to the path she has chosen.

In 1979, when Nancy was 33 years old, she joined the Army where she spent the next 21 years serving her country. She would've likely have been the oldest person at boot camp. Older than the cadre, I'm sure. She did that to honor her father and joined despite her family's disapproval. She even took back her maiden name after her divorce to keep her father's name alive.

In 1991, her daughter Tiare passed away in Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington D.C. from an inoperable brain stem tumor. Coincidently, Nancy's mother passed away just 3 months prior to that so it was a trying time for her. This was when she was first exposed to hospice services in Virginia which further molded Nancy's choices in life.

After she was transferred to Hawaii by the Army so she could heal emotionally, she underwent training through Hospice of Hawaii to become a hands-on volunteer. She underwent 18 hours of training and was determined to help the dying and their families transition during this very emotional time in their lives. She has been volunteering at every station that the military assigned her to since then.

Nancy decided to retire from the Army after 21 years and settled down in Washington State to complete her education where she received a B.A. in Psychology and another B.A. in Social Work. She did a thesis on "Death and Dying Across Cultures" in her senior year. Shortly after receiving her degree in 2009, her sister passed away as a result of leukemia and Nancy was able to put her 20 years of hospice experience to use in managing her sister's emotions as well as the emotions of her family.

Many people are afraid to volunteer at nursing homes or in a hospice setting because they fear that getting close to the patients and their eventual death will emotionally depress them. I asked Nancy about that and how she deals with the emotional ups and downs.

She said that she believes that death is a transition into another life and therefore she doesn't experience sadness when a person passes on. And perhaps she has a point there.

Many people look at life and death in terms of themselves and how these events affect them. When one is as giving as Nancy, it is about helping the person and their loved ones to accept death as a transition and only then, can she help them to let go of life.

Nancy still works for the government in finance as a pay officer. While she was completing her college work, she had to do 18 hours of internship. Since she was familiar with the hospice program, she decided to do hospice work for her internship and also included dance therapy for the elderly. Much to her surprise, she learned that many of the breast cancer survivors were young and not elderly as she expected.

The program worked so well that in 2009, the Parks and Recreation department hired her to teach hula as a form of therapy. Her students include people who are breast cancer survivors and well as family members of breast cancer survivors.

They perform at various public functions like the 2010 Dickens Festival.

http://www.weeklyvolcano.com/bars-clubs/photo-hot-spot/art-on-the-ave-tacoma-2010-photos/1444/

Nancy's work has even been touched by a child who was the recipient of the "Make a Wish" Foundation.

http://www.northwestmilitary.com/installations/kids/2010/10/northwest-military-ranger-airlifter-newspaper-JBLM-girl-ready-to-dance-hula-in-paradise-make-a-wish/

Hula wish will come true for Iraq veteran's ill 4-year-old daughter | County G

The dance group dances under the name Kaimiola Polynesian Dance. Kaimiola is Nancy's name that she shares with her grandmother. It means "One who seeks life and to heal" and she fully intends to live up to the name.

Nancy has always considered Hawaii as her home and if things work out, may be making the move to Hawaii in a couple of months if she is accepted by Hawaii Pacific University into their masters program. If that happens, she will be looking to offer hula as therapy for the elderly in nursing homes and continuing her work as a hospice volunteer.

Hawaii will be enriched with the love and aloha that she shares. And our kupunas will benefit from it.

JENNIFER MANN.... A REMARKABLE INDIVIDUAL

JENNIFER MANN.... HOSPICE HAWAII VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR


I got to know Jenn when I noticed her ads in Craigslist, seeking volunteers for Hospice Hawaii. Over the course of a few months, I got to know her via email correspondence and needless to say, I'm impressed with her commitment and professionalism. Her education and training has been in Community Agency Counseling so it is a nice fit for both Hospice Hawaii and Jenn.

Jenn has been with Hospice Hawaii for about 18 months and is involved with recruiting and managing the volunteers. Medicare requires that 5% of a hospice's direct patient care be done by volunteers so hospices depend on volunteers a lot. Yet, the recruitment, management and training of the volunteers are not covered by Medicare reimbursement so they are also highly dependent on donations from the community to cover those expenses.

http://www.hospicehawaii.org/About/MissionOverview.aspx


Volunteers who will have any kind of patient/family interaction are required to complete 20 hours of training after passing an extensive screening process. There is an interview, criminal background check, reference checks and TB checks. Once they begin training, the training process is also used as a screening tool to determine if the potential volunteer is emotionally prepared for this type of volunteering.

Many volunteers choose not to have patient/family contact and these individuals are able to volunteer right away doing clerical or other work not involving patient or family contact. Hospice Hawaii runs  2  training cycles a year so many of those who wish to volunteer right away are able to volunteer in non-patient/family contact situations while they wait for their training period to begin.

Hospice care is a range of services that provides for the health and comfort to individuals who are nearing the end of their lives. Typically, they are individuals who are terminally ill and are expected to live for six months or less and have refused or are not good candidates for additional curative treatment.

The hospice team is made up of physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists, aides, spiritual providers and volunteers. They work together to make the patient and family as physically and emotionally comfortable as possible. Acceptance of the ending of one's life is also a very important part of the program. Many patients, as do family members experience fear, anger, depression and other very intense emotions.
http://malamakupuna.blogspot.com/2010/09/end-of-life-care.html

Volunteer trainees at Hospice Hawaii are trained by their Chaplain, who focuses on the significance of death and the intention and motivation of each volunteer who want to serve. He firmly encourages them to reflect on their own losses in life. The trainees are also exposed to the other members of the staff who each give insights from their own specialty's perspective. They are also exposed to a panel of caregivers so the trainees can obtain firsthand experiences of caring for a loved one facing death. Veteran volunteers also give the trainees insight on their volunteer experience.

After the 20 hour course, all trainees are required to complete 3 two-hour visits to one of Hospice Hawaii's in-patient units so that they gain experience in a supportive environment where staff members are on hand to supervise and mentor them. Following these visits, trainees are paired with veteran volunteers whom they shadow for a visit to a patient's home.

After these steps are completed, the volunteer is assigned his/her own patient. Jenn monitors the volunteers to make sure they maintain healthy boundaries of helping too much or not being able to let go after a death of a patient. Jenn herself volunteers with patients on her own time and that keeps her involved with the issues her volunteers may face from time to time. When Jenn herself needs help and support, the Chaplain is able to supervise and mentor her.

Jenn finds that working with her own patients also feeds her spiritually in ways nothing else does. She is also inspired by her co-workers because they share a common goal.... patients come first.

Many who are unemployed during this downturn in the economy turn to volunteering. Volunteering at Hospice Hawaii keeps one's mind active and also helps in networking for other opportunities. And that makes sense. Many business people are involved with nonprofits and often refer volunteers they meet to their network of business owners when good employment opportunities open up. The life's skills one learns through the volunteering experience are valuable to a prospective employer when he has a key position to fill.

To Jenn and her volunteers, I tip my hat.

MARY ROGERS... HOSPICE VOLUNTEER FOR OVER 30 YEARS

MARY T. ROGERS... Hospice Volunteer


I met Mary as she was getting off her shift as a volunteer at St. Francis West Hospice. She looked Filipino so I played Da Hil Saiyo and followed with Ikaw, 2 very popular Filipino numbers. That got her attention and she decided to stop for a minute. She even bragged that most medical workers today are Filipino so I would be popular with the staff if I played more Filipino music.

I like being popular so I played Maala Ala Mokaya to see if staff members would come out and swoon over me. No such luck. So I took a short break to chat with Mary.

Mary has been volunteering with St. Francis for almost 35 years. She assists patients with whatever they need to have done for them as well as feed them at mealtime. A big part of her job is to keep them company as they face their final days on earth. She makes sure that they are treated with dignity at all times.

Mary grew up in the Kalihi-Palama area as I did. She's currently a Makakilo resident and also plays the ukulele in her spare time.

Mary had always wanted to volunteer and asked around but no one knew how or what she needed to do to get started. Then, in the late 70s, she talked to a priest at a church function who referred her to St. Francis Hospital who had a hospice program that needed volunteers. She jumped at the opportunity. After going through 6 weeks of training, she has been volunteering ever since. St. Francis has since sold their hospital operation and now operate two hospice physical plants, but most of their work is with home services for end-of-life care for patients and families.
http://www.stfrancishawaii.org/services/Pages/SFHospice.aspx

Veteran volunteers like Mary know how important a patient's dignity is. The following is something an old man wrote as he awaited death in a hospital. It was found by the nurses among his belongings after his passing and has been circulated on the internet among healthcare providers since.

Crabby Old Man
What do you see nurses? . . .. .. . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man . . .. . . not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . with faraway eyes?


Who dribbles his food . . . . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . . . . . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . .. . . . the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?


Who, resisting or not . . . . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . . . . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . you're not looking at me.


I'll tell you who I am. . . . .. . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . . who love one another.


A young boy of Sixteen . . . . with wings on his feet.
Dreaming that soon now . .. . . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . . . that I promised to keep.


At Twenty-Five, now . . . . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . .. . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . . With ties that should last.


At Forty, my young sons . . .. . . have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . .. . . My loved one and me.


Dark days are upon me . . . . . my wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . . . shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . . . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . and the love that I've known.


I'm now an old man . ... . . . and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . . where I once had a heart.


But inside this old carcass . . . . . a young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . life over again.


I think of the years, all too few . . . .. . gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . open and see.
Not a crabby old man .. . . Look closer . . . see ME!!


People like Mary don't realize how she has made our community a better one through her volunteer work, but the patients and families she has worked with surely know how she has helped them with her end-of life care.

SUZY HOUSECOAT

Suzy Housecoat... IN HER OWN WORDS


My first volunteer job was with the American Cancer Society's Reach to Recovery program. It is a program that has breast cancer survivors visit with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. It used to be a much bigger program, but through time, hospitals have been getting better at dealing with this sort of thing and now most of them have their own support groups and the like.

Suzy.... beauty, brains and a big heart

Over the past couple of years I've had very few calls. The ACS does a recertification workshop for us every year and that's always nice because we get together and talk about breast cancer issues, but as a volunteer opportunity, it's been pretty disappointing.

Next, I got involved in volunteering at a local hospital in May of 2009. I worked in their Heart and Vascular building with 4-5 others. We discharge patients, take specimens to the lab and run any other errands that are needed. Every once in a while, it can get very busy or even a bit dramatic, helping people get to the ER or even having emotional conversations with people leaving the hospital who have just gotten very bad news about tests that are done.

I really like the people I worked with who range in age from 50-87. The 87 year old is an amazing man - still very active and clear as a bell - great sense of humor too. The hospital auxiliary is instrumental in raising money for the hospital and has made huge contributions. This is the biggest hospital in the northern part of my state. They really depend so much on their volunteers.

And finally, in May 2010, I began to volunteer for a hospice program in the next state. There were a series of training workshops first, which I found very interesting and helpful. I was assigned to an elderly woman who is in an assisted care facility. Actually, she is receiving total care, at this point. She has 2 daughters in their 50s - one lives up north and tries to come and visit when she can, but she works full time and it is difficult. The other daughter has MS and is in a wheelchair. My patient lived with the daughter who has MS.

The daughter runs a business from her home and her mother helped her with the business and prepared meals, etc. The mother had been absolutely fine until having a sudden massive heart attack in April. She was hospitalized, in a coma, on a respirator and they thought she wouldn't make it, but she did and came off the respirator. She's not the same as she was, is bedridden and has short term memory problems. But she knows what's going on and is very depressed and worried about her daughter and her own health problems.

She has progressive gangrene of her feet due to circulatory difficulties, little appetite and is fading away. She is so sad and cries every time I visit. I see her every week and call her daughter after my visit. I act as another set of eyes for her daughters when they can't be there. My job is to visit the nursing home and be a support for her daughter as best I can. I try to get there at lunch time so I can help out with feeding her. It is a very intense and emotional situation. There are financial and insurance issues and all kinds of things they are dealing with. I feel bad for all of them.

Between the two volunteer jobs, the fact that two of my kids are living at home, caring for my parents, and taking occasional art classes, I am very busy! I can't say it wouldn't be nice to be working and earning a paycheck...but there are definite rewards to volunteering and I am very glad to be able to be of some use to the community.

So much suffering out there - so many people are dealing with awful things and going through it all alone...If there's any possibility that I can make a difference, I am glad to at least try. Not sure if all this would make a good blogging story. I am not a hero - just an ordinary person who feels good being useful. People are so appreciative of any little thing...

Editor's note:

I've known Suzy Housecoat for more than 10 years but we've only met through the words we've exchanged over the years via the internet. I have a tremendous amount of respect for her and what she's gone through in life. When she tells me that I'm wrong on something, I listen, because I respect her wisdom.

She is an amateur photographer and recently began  taking painting and drawing classes, which take up much of her time. She and her husband also travel the world frequently.


Suzy is a breast cancer survivor. She has had a number of careers. Wife, mother, and registered nurse. A few years ago, she went back to school to become certified as a science teacher and taught for a few years. And now she volunteers. When I asked her if I could feature her, she was reluctant, mostly because she doesn't think she is a hero, but is just doing practical things to make a difference in this world. She inspires me. I made some changes to her story to make sure the privacy of the patients she assists are protected.


Suzy Housecoat isn't her real name. She is in the Federal Volunteer Protection Program.

End of Life Care

END-OF-LIFE CARE FOR OUR KUPUNAS


When a person's health is in a position where they aren't expected to live for more than 6 months, then end-of-life care comes into play. We all think of hospice care as a facility like a hospital, clinic or a home. It is, in fact, a service rather than a facility. In 90% of the cases, hospice care is provided in the individual's own home.

Under hospice care, a team of people are involved, including the doctor, nurse(s), therapists, volunteers social workers and nurses aids. When deciding on hospice care, the patient and the family has made a decision to refuse additional treatment to cure the ailment. The focus of the team is to make the patient comfortable and relieve any pain he/she may be experiencing.

A big part of the hospice service is the counseling either through faith-based by pastors or via psychologists to prepare the patient and the family members for the expected passing of the individual. And the approach differs based upon a person's cultural and religious beliefs. The Christian, who believes in redemption may seek the following (as expressed by a speaker from Hospice Hawaii): 1. I forgive you. 2. Will you forgive me? 3. Thank you. 4. I love you. 5. Goodbye. That completes the acceptance process of death for that belief system.

A person of another belief system may look at impending death as if one would be looking in a mirror, which reflects how one lived. I would guess that making a list of what the dying person contributed to society and his fellow man would help him/her accept that his/her life was good. Either way, the grief counseling helps them to complete their unfinished work in their relationships.

Someone much wiser than me once said that those facing death usually don't have regrets for what they did in life, but what they did not do. Those who have regrets generally fear death.

By far, most people who utilize hospice care have cancer, followed by end stage heart diseases, end stage liver disease, dementia, lung disease and end stage kidney disease. In many cases, the family members and loved ones are impacted to a greater degree than the one facing death. And certainly, many suffer severe disabling depressions after the death. I know of a number of people, mostly women, who suffered from PTSD as well as schizophrenia. Some can't even leave the house to go to the grocery store unless heavily medicated.

Family members or informal caregivers provide a number of functions to help. They provide companionship, assist in running errands, help in organizing medications, communicating with doctors and nurses, preparing meals, provide transportation and helping to manage the finances. Hospices are always looking for volunteers to help with these functions.

Hospice organizations are always in need of people to work in the office organizing, filing, inputting information on the computers and freeing the paid staff to do other work. Two people, Gail and Phil have been volunteering at St. Francis West for as far back as I can remember. The staff truly appreciate their services.

Phil and Gail in the lobby of St. Francis West

Two organizations in Hawaii that do a good job are St. Francis hospice and Hospice Hawaii.

http://www.stfrancishawaii.org/services/Pages/SFHospice.aspx

http://www.hospicehawaii.org/

Even though one of the hospice organizations listed above is a Catholic organizations, the services and spiritual counseling offered are diverse. Both my parents passed away at St. Francis Hospice's facilities and they were both members of the Buddhist faith. So there are no pre-packaged hospice services because everyone comes from a different cultural, economic and religious backgrounds.

MARTIN DENNY, Mr. Exotica

MARTIN DENNY... An exotica icon


In 1994, my dad was a patient at St. Francis Hospice in Nuuanu. He was in a terminal condition and we were lucky and grateful that St. Francis was able to accommodate us. One morning, I heard someone playing on the baby grand piano in the lobby and went out to check to see who it was.

There was an older gent, with white hair and an equally white mustache playing some easy listening music. He introduced himself as Martin Denny. I was thrilled. A big star and he quietly played there every Thursday mornings to, as he puts it, feed the souls of friends, families and patients to ease the passing of a human being. I have since found that many big name stars do this as part of their way of giving back to the community.

I knew of him because I was a big fan of his when he played at the Shell Bar at the Hawaiian Village. Sounds of "Taste of Honey", "Ebb Tide" and of course, "Quiet Village" come to mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJK2LwD_nEY&feature=related

Originally from New York, where he was a child prodigy, he found himself in Hawaii in 1954 at the age of 43  after serving in WW II. His group accidentally stumbled upon the sounds of frogs, birds, whistles and jungle calls and instituted them in his music. He looked at his music as "window dressing" background to set the mood for visitors to enjoy Hawaii's lush tropical settings.

I learned to hack away at the piano in 2001 and somehow, was drawn to Denny's songs, like "Quiet Village", "Taste of Honey", "Enchanted Sea" and "Ebb Tide" and I still play those songs from time to time. While Denny was a headliner, my music is mostly background "dressing" to set the mood for functions during dinner and cocktail hour. He has had a profound influence on me in my volunteer work as well as the type of music I play.

Martin Denny played his last concert on February 13, 2005 at a benefit to aid tsunami victims and passed away three weeks later on March 3, 2005 at age 93.

Just wanted to feature him because many people volunteer as Martin Denny did, quietly, without a spotlight or demanding credit for it. That's what great people do.

Jay Ogden.... Businessman who gives back

JAY OGDEN, Entrepreneur


Jay Ogden  is a person of varied experiences in the business world. Yet, he sees fit to give back to his community by volunteering his time and expertise in so many different organizations. Let me list a few that come to mind. American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Catholic Charities, Montessori Community School, Catholic Diocese of Honolulu and Hospice Hawaii. Whew!

He currently volunteers at Hospice Hawaii in community respite and companionship services. For those who have been caregivers for aging parents and face end-of-life challenges and Jay has, helping to relieve the stresses that caregivers face is huge. Many times, caregivers’ health deteriorates because of such stress.

One cause of stress for a caregiver is the lack of sleep. I took care of my mom for 8 years and for the last year of her life, she wasn't very mobile and had suffered from dementia for many years. I sometimes woke and found her in the morning, lying on the floor, cold, but unable to get back into bed. They often try to move about and fall at night. So, one has to try to sleep, but always listen for any noise coming from her room. It wasn't until after she passed that I realized that I hadn't had a good night's sleep in over a year. So what Jay does, in offering respite, is very helpful for a caregiver's well being.

Jay, who was introduced to Hawaii over 40 years ago when he was in the Navy, came upon Hospice Hawaii through it’s chaplain, who is an acquaintance he knew from his work at the Catholic Churches. He immediately went through the training program to qualify as a volunteer and has been doing this for almost 3 years.

Jay also volunteers his business skills and resources to local schools and churches through his company, Ogden Agri-Services Corporation. The company advocates organic farming, gardening and land preservation for agricultural use and to reduce waste and pollution in the environment. See his website.

http://www.yourgardenstogo.com/

I got to know Jay through Jennifer Mann at Hospice Hawaii who thinks highly of Jay. Jennifer coordinates the volunteers at Hospice Hawaii.

 http://www.hospicehawaii.org/

I am amazed at how many people give of their time, resources and expertise to make our community a better one. As Jay puts it, “I believe that the blessings in life come into our life as a result of our desire and action to serve mankind.” Very true.