Hospice of Southern Illinois

Premiere Local Hospice Provider

17 Ways Hospice of Southern Illinois Made an Impact in 2017

17 Ways Hospice of Southern Illinois Made an Impact in 2017

Hospice of Southern Illinois is looking forward to 2018 and is more committed to our mission than ever: to enhance the quality of life for individuals and their loved ones touched by a terminal illness.

  1. Served over 39,000 families since 1981 – we are your local, not-for-profit hospice with our roots starting right here in Belleville and Marion.
  2. Celebrated our 36th year of service in this community – Hospice of Southern Illinois is the leader and has caregivers with expert experience in end-of-life care.
  3. Welcomed Amy Richter as our President & CEO – our former CFO of 8 years stepped up to lead our mission-driven organization.
  4. Presented with Business of the Year – received this honor from the City of Marion Chamber of Commerce for our dedication to the community.
  5. Collaborated with community organization, Shoeman Water Project –we donated gently-used shoes to make clean water using the funds from shoes, which also got a 2nd life. 
  6. Volunteers donated over 10,000 hours – individuals came together and shared their time and talents with patients, families and employees to support our mission.
  7. 9% of volunteer hours were direct patient care – Medicare requires 5% of volunteer hours are patient care. Our dedicated volunteer team exceeded the requirement.
  8. Achieved We Honor Veterans Partner, Level Four – showing our dedication to Veteran End-of-Life care, our Marion Location received the highest recognition of the We Honor Veterans Program.
  9. Community Benefit Activities – we are committed to the communities we serve providing uncompensated services targeting community needs related to end-of-life care.
  10. Presented and hosted over 150 presentations– we offer presentations, education, and resources at a minimal cost to healthcare professionals, organizations and community groups.
  11. Welcomed Mandy Daniels as our PGY2 Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacist – our pharmacist provides direct patient benefits: streamlined symptom management and medication review for reduction of medication side-effects.
  12. Hosted the Virtual Flight of Honor in Aviston, IL – Took over 25 Veterans, over 100 community members and several community leaders on a virtual tour of military monuments in Washington D.C. Veterans were then honored and recognized for their service.
  13. Collaborated with community organization, Belleville Area Humane Society – we collected “wishlist” items for local animals to help improve their quality of life at the shelter.
  14. Received a unique donation from “Bears Because I Care” – Noa Grace Welborn donated bears for distribution to children experiencing grief and loss of a loved one.
  15. Reached 3,000 Likes on Facebook – we want to be your resource for hospice education and news locally. We appreciate the support of our advocates, patients and community online.
  16. Our PGY2 Residency Program is American Society of Health-System Pharmacist (ASHP) Accredited – in collaboration with SIUE School of Pharmacy, we are the first and only ASHP accredited PGY2 in Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacy Residency Program fully funded by a hospice.
  17. Celebrated a 109th Birthday – our Belleville Location care team helped celebrate the life of a patient and her caregiver shared her appreciation for our care, support and the celebration.

Hospice of Southern Illinois Nurse with Patient

Hospice of Southern Illinois Nurse with Patient

Amy Richter, President and CEO

Amy Richter, President and CEO

 

 

City of Marion Chamber Awards Dinner

City of Marion Chamber Awards Dinner

 

Shoeman Community Project

Shoeman Community Project

 

Hospice of Southern Illinois' Volunteer

Join our dedicated team of over 300 volunteers

Veteran Hospice Volunteer

Veteran Hospice Volunteer

We Honor Veterans Program Level 4 Status

We Honor Veterans Program Level 4 Status

Tree of Life Memorial Service to honor and memorialize loved ones

Tree of Life Memorial Service to honor and memorialize loved ones

Community Education and Public Speaking

Community Education and Public Speaking

Dr. Mandy Daniels, PGY2 Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacy Resident

Dr. Mandy Daniels, PGY2 Pharmacy Resident

Virtual Flight of Honor in Aviston, Illinois

Virtual Flight of Honor in Aviston, Illinois

Belleville Humane Society Community Project

Belleville Humane Society Community Project

"Because I Care Bear" Donation

“Because I Care Bear” Donation for children experiencing grief

We made it to 3,000 Facebook Likes

3,000 Facebook Likes

Dr. Middendorf, Chris Herndon, Dr. Mandy Daniels, Amy Richter

Dr. Ellen Middendorf, Dr. Chris Herndon, Dr. Mandy Daniels, Amy Richter, CEO (L to R)

Celebrated a 109th Birthday – Belleville Location care team helped celebrate the life of a patient

109th Birthday Party

 There comes a time to ask how hospice can help

109th Birthday Celebration!

109th Birthday Celebration

109th Birthday Celebration

109th Birthday Celebration in East St Louis, Illinois

Hospice of Southern Illinois is here to help improve quality of life, the very basis of the hospice philosophy. Improving quality of life includes celebrating life and special moments along the way, specifically a very special birthday of our patient, Parthena Mims. Parthena celebrated her 109th birthday on December 18, 2017. Family, friends, and Hospice of Southern Illinois’ caregivers and team surrounded her on this very special day. “Unbelievable,” adds Grandaughter, Carla Ransom, who shares her appreciation for Hospice of Southern Illinois’ quality care for her grandmother and the support she receives as a caregiver. 

“They have been wonderful for her. All of her care and everything that she needs, they have been fantastic.  Doesn’t matter what time of day or night, all I have to do is make a call and they are there,” Carla states. Utilizing Hospice of Southern Illinois’ programs and services sooner has allowed Carla to understand and experience the full range of services we provide including regular nursing visits, volunteer assistance, and social work support. Carla also mentions, “They have been great for me. The social worker gives me calls every other week to check on my status.” Hospice is the additional support caregivers can count on during the uncertainty in the months, weeks and days ahead. We are an extra helping hand for your loved one’s care and provide emotional support when you and your family need it most. 

Learn what hospice care can do for you and your family before you need it. There comes a time… to ask how hospice can help. 

Giving Tuesday 2017

Now in its sixth year, #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.

Hospice of Southern Illinois’ mission is to enhance the quality of life for individuals and their loved ones touched by a terminal illness. We are proud to share that in 2016, 75% of Hospice of Southern Illinois’ dollars go towards programs and services. We are the experts in end-of-life care providing extra support to patients and their families. We ensure patients’ wishes, needs, and wants are carried out at the end of their life focusing on improving the individuals quality of life. 

Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Giving Tuesday! Consider Hospice of Southern Illinois as your not-for-profit to donate to during the Giving Season! Generous financial support from the communities we serve allows Hospice of Southern Illinois to provide hospice care in the absence of insurance coverage. Thank you for supporting your local not-for-profit!

Click Here to Donate!

American Pharmacists Month: Myth 5

By: Amanda Daniels, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care, Hospice of Southern Illinois

October is American Pharmacists Month and we are excited to present to you a series of myths throughout the month by our very own, Amanda Daniels, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care! Our series will help expand your understanding of the field and debunk some myths in the field of pharmacy.

MYTH 5: Medications should be kept in the bathroom or near the kitchen sink

Many people like keeping their medications where they can be easily accessed. These spots include in the bathroom cabinet or on the counter near a sink. However, when kept in or near humid environments, your medications have the chance of breaking down more quickly and becoming less effective over time. To prevent this from happening, medications should be stored in a dry, cool area.  Nightstands or dressers are a great spot to both store your medications properly and remind you to take your medications each day.

Click here to learn more about our PGY-2 Pharmacy Residency Program.  

American Pharmacists Month: Myth 4

By: Amanda Daniels, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care, Hospice of Southern Illinois

October is American Pharmacists Month and we are excited to present to you a series of myths throughout the month by our very own, Amanda Daniels, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care! Our series will help expand your understanding of the field and debunk some myths in the field of pharmacy.

MYTH 4: You can stop taking your medication once you start feeling better.

Many people stop taking their medications because they started feeling better. This is particularly common with antibiotics and other medications that treat common diseases that individuals can’t feel, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.  If a person feels good and wants to stop taking medications, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.  If it’s a prescribed course of antibiotics, it is crucial to finish out that course and take all of the medication as prescribed because of the increase in antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is when bacteria start becoming unaffected by our available antibiotics and these antibiotics will no longer treat these common bacteria. When a full course of antibiotics is not finished, the bacteria that haven’t been killed become resistant. These resistant bacteria then start to grow and cause more infections that are harder to treat. 

Click here to learn more about our PGY-2 Pharmacy Residency Program.  

American Pharmacists Month: Myth 3

By: Amanda Daniels, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care, Hospice of Southern Illinois

October is American Pharmacists Month and we are excited to present to you a series of myths throughout the month by our very own, Amanda Daniels, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care! Our series will help expand your understanding of the field and debunk some myths in the field of pharmacy.

MYTH 3: Hospice stops all medications

It’s often said that family members wish to avoid hospice services because they’re afraid that hospice will stop all the patient’s medications. This is not true! Once admitted, the medical doctor will look over all medications and decide what is important to continue at that time. The medical doctor may stop medications that have no benefit, such as multivitamins, but may continue any other medications he or she feels is necessary to aid in patient comfort.  If there is any question regarding why certain medications are stopped or continued, please ask a hospice team member. The primary goal of hospice is to aid in patient comfort.

Click here to learn more about our PGY-2 Pharmacy Residency Program.  

American Pharmacists Month: Myth 2

By: Amanda Daniels, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care, Hospice of Southern Illinois

October is American Pharmacists Month and we are excited to present to you a series of myths throughout the month by our very own, Amanda Daniels, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care! Our series will help expand your understanding of the field and debunk some myths in the field of pharmacy.

MYTH 2: Natural supplements are always safe.

When you think of natural supplements, it is often thought that these are safe because they come from nature. What many individuals don’t know is that these supplements are not held to the same standards that medications are when it comes to quality and purity. Since these supplements are not regulated as strictly, these supplements may have other ingredients that aren’t listed on the label, some of which can be very dangerous by themselves or when mixed with other medications.  In addition, some supplements that people take for various reasons have major drug interactions with commonly prescribed medications. For this reason, it is advised to let a doctor or pharmacist know any over-the-counter supplements being taken. This helps ensure that all of these supplements and medications are working safely together and people aren’t in danger from any major drug interactions.

Click here to learn more about our PGY-2 Pharmacy Residency Program.  

American Pharmacists Month: Myth 1

By: Amanda Daniels, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care, Hospice of Southern Illinois

October is American Pharmacists Month and we are excited to present to you a series of myths throughout the month by our very own, Amanda Daniels, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care! Our series will help expand your understanding of the field and debunk some myths in the field of pharmacy.

MYTH 1: Morphine kills hospice patients

Perhaps one of the most common myths about hospice services is that morphine kills hospice patients.  Morphine was first introduced over 200 years ago and it is used to treat shortness of breath and pain. It can also help with anxiety and help make the heart work better. While morphine does have some serious side effects when using too high of a dose, a doctor and nurse are monitoring the patient daily to ensure safe use.  In the hospice setting, morphine is used to relieve shortness of breath and pain in an effort to provide comfort to our patients.

Click here to learn more about our PGY-2 Pharmacy Residency Program.  

References

  1. Kuebler KK, Heidrich DE, Esper P. Palliative and End-of-Life Care. Clinical Practice Guidelines. Second Edition.

HOSI Announces Pharmacy Residency Program’s 2nd Year

Hospice of Southern Illinois Announces Pharmacy Residency Program

Hospice of Southern Illinois is announcing our 2nd year with a PGY-2 (post-graduate, year 2) in Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacy Residency Program. In collaboration with the SIUE School of Pharmacy, we remain the only PGY-2 (post-graduate, year 2) in Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacy Residency Program fully funded by a hospice, in the United States. We are pleased to introduce and welcome the full-time, on-staff, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident, Mandy Daniels, PharmD. Our patients, families and organization will directly benefit from this very special program, which is 1 of 14 in the country and the only one fully funded by a hospice. Dr. Daniels will play a critical role in delivering the highest quality end-of-life care to patients and families we serve. She will also help us grow and continue providing top-notch, end-of-life care as your local, not-for-profit hospice. Mandy shares in our excitement, “Practicing as a pharmacist at Hospice of Southern Illinois allows me to work within an interdisciplinary team to provide the highest quality end-of-life care to meet the needs of both the patients and their families.”

 “We have collaborated with Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville’s School of Pharmacy to implement a niche program to benefit Hospice of Southern Illinois’ patients and organization; additionally, the experience, knowledge and education our Pharmacist will receive has been customized to provide a genuine learning experience and specific end-of-life care training to implement into future programs or settings,” shares Dr. Ellen Middendorf, Medical Director of Hospice of Southern Illinois. The specialized support this program offers to Hospice of Southern Illinois includes direct patient benefits by ensuring safe and effective medication use, medication cost management and education to our staff, patients, and families. Our pharmacist will help manage patient profiles for streamlined symptom management to reduce side effects and control medication interactions; offer expertise from the pharmacy field to improve our ability to reduce medication costs, including monitoring regulation changes and determining “related” and “unrelated” medications; and finally, the access to one-on-one education for staff, patients and families, and healthcare professionals is invaluable.

Chris Herndon, PharmD., professor at the SIUE School of Pharmacy, and PGY-2 Residency Program Director, added, “this novel training program will prepare pharmacists to integrate seamlessly into the hospice interdisciplinary team and directly impact the care of those at the end of life. As medication regimens become more complex, it makes perfect sense to add the pharmacist to the hospice clinical team.”

(Photographed L to R: Dr. Ellen Middendorf, Hospice of Southern Illinois’ Medical Director, Chris Herndon, PharmD., professor at the SIUE School of Pharmacy, Mandy Daniels, PharmD., Hospice of Southern Illinois’ Pharmacy Resident, and Amy Richter, Hospice of Southern Illinois’ President and CEO) 

Hospice of Southern Illinois is your community not-for-profit hospice program serving 27 counties in southern Illinois since 1981. Our commitment at Hospice of Southern Illinois is to be with our patients and their loved ones through the changing needs of the end-of-life process and the grief experience. For more information about Hospice of Southern Illinois, visit our website, www.hospice.org, or contact Lisa Phillipson, 618-235-1703 or lphillipson@hospice.org.

***

Certified Nursing Assistants Week

 

Hospice of Southern Illinois Celebrates National Certified Nursing Assistants Week

Now more than ever, attention is being directed to the care of our elders and even more attention is being directed towards those who provide hands-on care. Starting June 15 through June 22, 2017, Hospice of Southern Illinois and organizations around the United States will celebrate the 40th annual National Nursing Assistants’ Week. This week is spent honoring Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Hospice Aides, which make up 13% of Hospice of Southern Illinois’ caregivers and advocates today. These CNAs and Hospice Aides, provide compassionate and personal services to Hospice of Southern Illinois’ patients and families. Their role in patient’s goals of care and Hospice of Southern Illinois’ circle of care are to provide compassionate assistance with the everyday needs such as personal care, bathing and feeding.

Hospice Aides provide hands-on care that patients deserve during their end-of-life journey. Hospice of Southern Illinois takes this opportunity to thank their own Hospice Aides and all CNAs who provide care in Hospice of Southern Illinois’ 27 county service areas, for always providing comfort, ensuring dignity and extending respect. 

To learn more about National Nursing Assistants’ Week, visit the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants’ website. Hospice of Southern Illinois’ mission is to enhance the quality of life for individuals and their loved ones touched by a terminal illness. To learn more about Hospice of Southern Illinois or to apply for open positions, visit hospice.org or call 1-800-233-1708.

* * * * * 

Company Links

Service Area Resources

  • Bereavement Support Group List

    • Hospice Resources

    Contact Us

    Belleville

    618-235-1703
    Send Email

    Marion

    618-235-1703
    Send Email