The Journey Home with Hospice Many of us grew up to witness this new believing, “Do it on your way of experiencing own so you don’t have to end of life in the depend on anyone else.” comfort of their own But confronting a terminal homes. illness cannot and should The Avera@Home not be done alone. As team is made up of difficult as it may be the primary physician, for someone in this the hospice medical position, they often find director, a primary themselves dependent on nurse, social worker, others for help throughout Chaplain and the their illness. option for a physical or The Hospice team is an occupational therapist indispensable resource as well as the various for anyone in this individuals behind the situation. They are well scenes, volunteers staffed and trained to and aides. Their help both the terminally ill mission is rooted in person and their families the Gospel to make Left to right Marlis Eben, RN; Dennis Webber, Chaplin; Tonia DeJong, RN; or ones closest to them. Megan Zweber, Social Worker; Holly Wells, Volunteer Coordinator a positive impact in Their mission is to help the lives of people the dying die with comfort, dignity, and love, and to help and communities by providing quality services guided by survivors cope both before and after the death. Christian beliefs. When speaking with Megan Zweber, a Hospice care started in 1988 at Avera Sacred Heart social worker and part of the Avera@Home Hospice team, Hospital. Since that time, the name has changed to she follows this mission solidly with a goal of her own Avera@Home, but services remain the same with the being the hands and feet of Jesus and asks herself during goal of helping individuals who are terminally ill and their every visit if Jesus would approve of what He sees right families. Hospice, the Avera@Home team, now serves now. This goal keeps her aware of her surroundings, aware approximately 20-25 patients at a time averaging 150 of the conditions of the patient, and mental awareness of individuals and their families a year with roughly 200 how patients and families are coping in order to provide families in bereavement. The Avera team reaches out the best quality of life. to ten surrounding counties in Northeast Nebraska and With the holiday’s right around the corner, the Avera@ Southeast South Dakota. The Avera@Home team expects this program to continue to grow and is excited to be able vHOSPICE continued on page 7 Don’t get left out in the cold! Schedule a Precision Furnace Tune-Up today with Kalins Indoor Comfort. Furnace Tune-Ups should be done by a Kalins Licensed Technician. WHY? •Because we have over 90 years Kalins Indoor Comfort services in the business all makes and models. •Prevent costly breakdowns •Extend the life of your equipment Tyler Reiser Service Technician 13 years experience When You Want Comfort…You Want Kalins! Vermillion: 605-624-5618 • Yankton: 605-665-4348 Sioux City: 712-252-2000 kalinsindoor.com HERVOICE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015v5