M y family is among the 44,000 who have benefited from the care of Hospice of Northwest Ohio since it began serving patients in 1981. I can say with great confidence that, for our entire Board of Trustees, it is their own family stories that

inspire them to serve this organization as well. Our commitment to Hospice isn’t just about serving on a board…it’s personal!

We are truly blessed and honored to receive the many contributions that come our way when grateful families suggest Hospice of Northwest Ohio be the beneficiary of memorial

gifts. While these contributions do make a critical difference in our ability to provide excellent care and services, it takes additional resources to fund all that we do for patients, families and the community every year.

Annually we spend more than $250,000 for unreimbursed care, $400,000 on our extensive bereavement services, $125,000 for the uncovered costs of our home-based Alleva™ Supportive Care and Symptom Relief program and more than $100,000 for enhanced patient services such as respite care, special therapies and our Positive Memories program. All of these are made possible through annual gifts, donor-funded programs, endowments and estate gifts.

Though these are large sums of money, they are comprised of many smaller gifts that—on a very personal level—enhance the end-of-life experience for those in our care. For example, $75 will provide a soothing massage; $150 will cover a day of care for someone without the resources to pay for it; $300 will provide 10 hours of respite care for a patient in need of extra attention…or a caregiver in need of a break.

Please remember that every gift does make a difference and that it is only through sustained annual giving that we can continue to provide these and other services that assure patients and families the best possible care. Thank you for helping us achieve our agency’s purpose: To substantially improve the quality of life for terminally ill patients and their families. ❖

Sincerely,

Joseph V. Conda • President, Board of Trustees

Transforming the End-of-Life Experience

30000 East River Road • Perrysburg, Ohio 43551

ADDREss sERvicE REquEsTED

PReSORTedFIRST-ClASS MAIl

US POSTAgePAId

TOledO, OHIOPeRMIT NO. 242

Leading the way in end-of-life care and education for the past 31 years, Hospice of Northwest Ohio has achieved many “firsts,” which will improve the end-of-life experience for generations to

come. Among the most prominent is our relationship with the University of Toledo College of Medicine (UTMC), which gives us the opportunity to inform medical students—early in their careers—about the value of hospice and palliative care for the thousands of patients they will eventually serve.

Among the First in the nAtionestablished in 1999, our formal teaching agreement with UTMC (then Medical College of Ohio), was among the very first in the nation, and preceded the current mandate that requires hospice training in the curriculum at all medical schools nationwide. The costs of providing this training are shared with UTMC, with Hospice’s portion coming from generous donors. Through this program, as well as relationships we’ve

formed with other area institutions, Hospice of Northwest Ohio has helped educate more than 2,500 medical, nursing and pharmacy students over the past 13 years!

Says Marsha Paul, Md, Hospice of Northwest Ohio medical director and long-time instructor, “Most students find their time with Hospice to be both moving and enlightening. They are often surprised to see how happy patients can be at the end of life and come to understand that, with the right support, people can die peacefully and on their own terms.”

educAtion A top priorityeducation for practicing health care professionals, the community and our own staff and volunteers continues to be a top priority and is a focal point of our vision: To provide care and education that positively transform the way people view and experience the end of life. Please read inside to learn how donor dollars are helping make our vision a reality. ❖

Third-year medical student Cory Rice listens as medical director Marsha Paul, MD discusses recent symptoms

affecting patient José Resto Melendez, who is suffering from kidney cancer.

answersA n s w e r s f o r l i v i n g t h e l A s t m o n t h s o f l i f e SM

2012 An n uA l re p o rt

H o s p i c e o f N o rt H w e st o H i o

Our MissionHospice of Northwest Ohio provides specialized medical, emotional and

spiritual care to people of all ages — and their families — living with any end-

stage illness in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.

Our visionTo provide care and education that

positively transform the way people view and experience the end of life.

hospice of northwest ohioJudy seibenick, RN, MOl, CHPCA

executive director

PeRRySBURg CeNTeR / AdMINISTRATIVe OFFICeS 30000 east River Road, Perrysburg, OH 43551

TOledO CeNTeR 800 South detroit Avenue, Toledo, OH 43609

MICHIgAN OFFICe 8132 Secor Road, lambertville, MI 48144

419-661-4001 • 734-568-6801www.hospicenwo.org

© 2013 Hospice of Northwest Ohio

From the President of the Board

A number of donors have a special interest in education, and in 2012 their gifts received high marks for making long-term impact. In

addition to the ongoing medical student education described in the cover story, these and other edu-cation initiatives were funded either entirely or in part by endowment contributions last year:

• the seventh Annual Dr. sharon erel lecture, featuring nationally renowned physician, teacher and palliative care thought-leader Ira Byock, Md. More than 300 area health care professionals turned out as dr. Byock, author of The Best Care Possible, stressed the importance of having timely conversa-tions between patients, families and care providers to assure that each patient’s values

and preferences are aligned with achievable health care outcomes. “It is absolutely pos-sible to have a sense of wellbeing at the end of life,” he said. “But, dying well is not a mat-ter of luck. It takes preparation!”

• end-of-life Conversations, a physician education package funded by an anonymous donor who had a disappointing experience with a dying loved one. It includes a compelling documentary featuring local physicians and families, a graphic illustration that shows the impact of decisions throughout an illness, and an interactive, online course that offers a powerful learning experience for any physician who participates. Though the curriculum has been developed specifically

for physicians, we encourage anyone to visit the website to view the insightful documentary at eolctraining.hospicenwo.org.

• the sacred Art of living and Dying, a multi-year exploration of the human spirit. Attended by 100 Hospice staff and volunteers, this donor-funded effort helps staff recognize spiri-tual pain in their patients and gives them insight into the resulting soul work that must occur in order for many patients to have peaceful life closure. equally important, it helps our staff stay spiritually healthy them-selves so they can continue to “be the medicine” for those in their care. ❖

the community’s hospice

staying strong, serving All

T hough there are numerous hospices now serving this area, Hospice of Northwest Ohio is the only community-based, non-profit hospice not owned by another entity. All of our resources are used solely for end-of-life care

and education. Care is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most commercial insurance plans. gifts from the community provide funding for unreimbursed care and bereavement services, as well as many additional programs described in this report. All dollars donated are used locally to care for people in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. no one is ever turned away due to complexity of care or inability to pay. ❖

2012 revenue

l Patient services . . . . . . . . . . . . 92%

l memorial and Annual giving . . . . 5.5%

l investment income / other . . . . . . . 2%

l United way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.5%

2012 expenses

l Patient and family services . . . . 78.2%

l management and support . . . . . 12.5%

l Community outreach/education. . . 5.1%

l inpatient facility expenses. . . . . . 3.4%

l fundraising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.8%

Did You Know?

revenUe 92%

5.5%2%

0.5%

exPenses78.2%

12.5%

5.1%

0.8%

3.4%

Donor societiesMake a Difference

in 2012, we established these donor societies, which honor Hospice of Northwest Ohio do-nors who regularly support our efforts. If you

have any questions about ways to contribute, or have an interest in supporting a specific pro-gram or service, please call Ken Frisch, ACFRe, director of development, at 419-931-5186.

Excellence Through Education

current BoArd oF trustees

Joseph V. CondaPresident

Ken SneadVice President

Audrey MadyunSecretary

David AllemanTreasurer

Pat AppoldRey Boezi

W. Jarman davis, IIIBecca gorman

Joanne guyton-SimmonsJohn HaywardJack Hollister

Bill HylanJoel JergerSteve Keller

Virginia KellerCarol Kraus

dean ludwiggerald Marsa, Md

Robert MaxwellJack Phillips

Janet RobinsonByrne Stapleton

larry UlrichKeith Walker

those who completedtheir service in 2012:

Rev. Marvin BorgerBarbara eikostlinda Hillstrom

John JoslinBenét Rupp

We are pleased to note that all members of our Board of

Trustees have made financial contributions to Hospice of

Northwest Ohio.

• Ranked by size, Hospice of Northwest Ohio is among the top 3% of hospices nationwide and served, on average, 463 patients a day in 2012.

• 65% of our entire clinical staff is certified in hospice and pal-liative care, three times the national average.

• more than 5,500 people received free bereavement support and education from Hospice of Northwest Ohio in 2012. 40% of participants had no prior experience with our agency, but sought solace in our services because they are the most extensive of any of-fered in this area.

• We provided clinical rotations for 270 medical students and residents at our Hospice Cen-ters and continuing education to more than 1,200 health care professionals in the community.

• Our 300+ volunteers provided more than 21,000 hours of ser-vice, valued at $460,000 last year. 95% of their time was spent pro-viding assistance, companion-ship and support to the patients and families we serve.

• 99% of families surveyed after the death of their loved ones say they would recommend hospice of northwest ohio to others. ❖

Recognizes donors who, since 1981, have supported the vision of our founders with a gift or gifts totaling $25,000 or more.

Recognizes donors who, through their estate plans, have created a meaningful legacy to assure a vibrant future for Hospice of Northwest Ohio.

Recognizes donors who have given consecutively for five or more years, regardless of the size of gift.

Recognizes donors whose an-nual giving to any program or campaign is $1,000 or more. ❖

Alice Szabo sings along with music therapist David Putano, HPMT, MT-BC on a recent visit in her home. The therapy has helped Ms. Szabo strengthen her voice as she faces the challenges of Parkinson’s disease.

Carol Pletz creates a fused-glass pendant for her mother-in-law, who is a Hospice patient, with the help of teen volunteers Courtney Hyndman, Allie Comes, and Allison Boykin.

Nationally renowned physician Ira Byock, MD shared his expertise with local health care professionals during the Seventh Annual Dr. Sharon Erel Lecture in October.

services Above and BeyondA n unparalleled depth and breadth of services continues to define the Hospice of Northwest Ohio difference.

Though basic hospice care is covered by Medicare, our enhanced services are made possible through ongoing private support. We are extremely grateful for the donors who have stepped up to help fund these highly valued

programs and welcome new gifts that support the continuation of these vital services:

• respite Care, which provides 10 straight hours of bed-side assistance in a patient’s home, so that family caregivers can take a much-needed break. Not cov-ered by Medicare, this vital service is a reflection of our commitment to caring for the entire family.

• Charity Care, which assures everyone can receive our full range of services, regardless of the complexity of their needs or ability to pay. The final months of life should not be made more stressful because of financial concerns over the costs of our care. All patients are treated with dignity and respect and—if underinsured —are asked to pay what’s manageable for them, or nothing at all.

• massage therapy, which alleviates a variety of symp-toms and enhances patient comfort. Provided anywhere patients live, this form of TlC is among patients’ favorites.

• music therapy, which helps improve quality of life by providing stimulation, socialization and, sometimes,

relief from certain physical symptoms. Families are thrilled when they see a previously depressed or unre-sponsive loved one light up to the sound of music.

• Alleva™ supportive Care and symptom relief, which provides expert in-home pain and symptom manage-ment for patients not on a hospice program. Receiving a 99.9% satisfaction rating from patients we’ve served, this highly valued community service requires donor support since insurance reimbursement does not fully cover our costs to provide it.

• Bereavement services, which provide the region’s most comprehensive range of grief support for adults, teens and children. Though this is an unfunded Medi-care requirement, Hospice of Northwest Ohio embraces the needs of anyone who is grieving in the community and provides to the bereaved free support groups, private counseling, follow-up phone calls and a useful monthly newsletter. ❖