Mission work featured at AG Home Care and Hospice Recognition Conference
One by one, they told their stories – reports of mission work in the United States, India and Haiti. Zale Levin, Albert Gallatin physical therapist, assisted the Red Cross in relief efforts last fall after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. Although he was not in New Orleans, Levin was based in Montgomery, Ala., and worked everywhere from Alabama to Mississippi.
“It was enlightening and humbling at the same time,” Levin said. “We were going from North down South. There were a lot of cultural differences. People were very poor. Every day was a different assignment.’
Joan Kilpatrick, a nurse and Albert Gallatin hospice volunteer, made mission trips through the Girl Scouts to India in 2001 and 2004, where she assisted social workers.
“I go with the idea I’m there to experience the culture and not there to criticize or condemn their way of life,” Kilpatrick said. “Some people I travel with are so busy comparing their lives to others. That doesn’t work for me.’
Linda Savochka, also a nurse and AG hospice volunteer, traveled last year on a medical mission to Haiti with members of her church, First Presbyterian Church of California, which works in conjunction with Harvest International, a non-denominational, Christian-based ministry dedicated to helping the poor.
“It was the most humbling experience of my life,” said Savochka. “I will never forget. … They loved us being there and we cried a lot when we left.’
They told their stories in a segment called “The Power of Mission Trips’ that was part of the seventh annual Albert Gallatin Home Care and Hospice Volunteer Recognition Conference held recently at the Uniontown Country Club.
Rosemary Hardy, volunteer hospice coordinator, repeatedly thanked the volunteers for their time and reminded them of their value to the organization.
She reported the volunteers logged 3,395.50 hours from April 1, 2004, to March 31, 2005. The organization has 99 volunteers who take care of hospice patients and their families.
That includes volunteers who were honored at the conference: Kilpatrick of New Eagle and Maureen Lusk of Monongahela were both honored for 15 years’ service and have been a vital part of the Mon Valley grief support group called Take My Hand. Vickie Carolla of Chalk Hill, who is also assistant hospice administrator, has volunteered for 10 years. Ann Trimbath of Dunbar has volunteered for five years. Jean Wright of Eighty Four is a minister with the Concord Presbyterian Church in Prosperity, and has volunteered for one year.
Trimbath said, “I had them for my aunt and was so thankful to have the service in my home, I decided to give back and be a volunteer.’
Wright said, “Rosemary sent a letter to our church asking for volunteers, and I said if she could fit it in my schedule, I would try. I like working with people, especially the elderly and I wanted to learn more about hospice. And being a minister, it helps when visiting people from your congregation.’
Hardy also recognized volunteer Antoinette Matthews of Uniontown, who was unable to attend the conference. She has 20 years of service and was the hospice volunteer for Hardy’s mother when she died 16 years ago.
“We’re forever grateful to hospice,’ said Hardy. “They made an unmanageable event manageable. We can’t change what’s happening, but we can make a difference by being there.’
Albert Gallatin offers this annual conference as a way to thank the volunteers for their time, using an agenda that includes interesting and topical presentations.
Sister Dorothy Balock of the Sisters of St. Basil at Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown and a hospice volunteer, said she likes the conferences because “You learn from the presentations and you also meet the other volunteers.’
Chris Constantine, nurse and AG hospice administrator, spoke about Albert Gallatin’s new Alzheimer’s program in a segment called “Care for Memory Disorders in the Home.’
Constantine spoke of the impact of the disease, noting that by age 85, the risk of developing Alzheimer’s is 50 percent.
She explained how Alzheimer’s affects the brain and how the illness progresses. Constantine also noted there are strategies to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s that emphasize people maintaining their brains (“Use it or lose it’) by building new connections through daily crossword puzzles, word games and Scrabble.
For fun, Constantine passed out activity sheets that included games with words and numbers as well as a maze.
“If you’re not used to doing these things, you need to try,’ she said.
The worksheets also included a checklist of activities for: Brain – “Take three things out of the library – book, tape, CD, game or magazine.’ “Each week, do the crossword puzzle in the Sunday paper’ and “Volunteer at a local nonprofit organization.’ Body – “Get your blood pressure or cholesterol checked.’ “Join an exercise class.’ “Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.’ Person – “Fix lunch for someone you care about that you haven’t seen for a while.’ “Start a journal to help you unwind.’ “Call an old friend.’
Constantine said, “Use your brain. Stay mentally active. Challenge yourself by learning something new. Exercise. Eat nutritious food. Stop smoking. Take care of yourself.’
After lunch, troopers Donald S. Lucas and Thomas Broadwater of the Pennsylvania State Police’s Criminal Investigative Unit in Uniontown spoke on “Identity Theft: What’s It All About?’
They explained the laws regarding identity left and ways to protect oneself, including limiting the number of people to whom you give your Social Security number.
“If someone has the right to ask for your Social Security number, you have the right to ask why,’ said Lucas.
They discussed “low-tech” methods of identity theft, including stealing pre-approved credit cards from mail boxes, rummaging through Dumpsters near stores for records, fraud by employees and theft of a wallet or purse.
High-tech methods include hacking into retail or bank computer databases, scams involving automated teller machines (ATMs) and stealing from a victim’s computer by downloading spyware or accessing the computer.
They talked about e-mails sent from people in foreign countries, saying you have won a lottery or sweepstakes and they are willing to share a large sum of money with you if you can assist them in getting the money out of the country. Of course, there are fees for processing, taxes or bribes to officials that you must pay. And the victim never sees the money.
Lucas explained three universal truths: “You can’t win a lottery you never entered. No one you have not met in another country wants to share money with you. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.’
The troopers advised victims to contact the police and all three credit reporting agencies, change their account numbers or cancel accounts and write down the name of everyone you talk to, the date and time and what they told you.
They also suggested several precautions, including installing firewall and anti-virus programs in your computer, only downloading programs or files from trusted sources and do not open e-mail from an unknown sender. They also suggested having a limited number of accounts, reconciling credit card and bank statements frequently, destroying checks from old accounts, don’t leave your wallet or purse unattended and record your account numbers and credit card information.
Dr. Judith Taylor, hospice team physician in Uniontown, gave the last presentation on “Radiation Therapy.’
“There’s a lot of confusion and myths about radiation therapy,’ Taylor said.
Why radiation therapy?
“For some patients, it’s used to cure them. That used to be a radical idea, but now people are more used to the idea that people can be cured,’ she said. “But a lot of patients are not going to be cured and we know that sometimes from day one. Because you can’t cure someone of cancer doesn’t mean you can’t treat the patient.’
And the therapy helps even those who don’t get better. When Taylor worked in radiation, she received many letters from family member of patients who had died.
Taylor said, “They said, ‘Thank you for not abandoning us.’ ‘Thank you for being there when no one else was.”
And that is the idea behind hospice. AG officials strive to remind the volunteers of their importance constantly.
Levin said in his morning presentation, “What your group is doing is a thousand times better. I just did a few weeks. You do every day.’
For more information on volunteer opportunities for Albert Gallatin Home Care and Hospice, call 724-438-6660, extension 1214.