solaceVOL. 1 | JUNE 2019

A SHEPHERD’S COVE PUBLICATION

Hospitality on your end-of-life journey plus!A 2-PAGE SPREAD ON HOW SHEPHERD’S COVE IS MAKING THE JOURNEY OF END-OF-LIFE A LITTLE MORE COMFORTABLE

“HOW DOES SHEPHERD’S COVE HOSPICE HONOR VETERANS AT

THE END OF LIFE?”

Let Shepherd's Cove helpyou along your grief journey

Call 256.891.7724 or visit www.shepherdscovehospice.org.

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Letter from the CEOFrom newsletter to news magazine, welcome to our newly-redesigned publication.

We are excited to introduce to you, “Solace,” our heart and mission in writing to help you stay informed on the services of Shepherd’s Cove, how you are impacting lives, and how you can partner with us for even greater things to come.

In January of 2018, our agency began a transition of connecting all of our services together under one brand. Shepherd’s Cove Hospice, providing in-home, in-facility, and inpatient hospice care throughout nine counties, is and always has been the foundation, the core, of who we are. Your gifts of time, talent and treasures have opened the door over the years to help us now share the Shepherd’s Cove brand as Shepherd’s Cove Grief Support, Shepherd’s Cove Foundation, Shepherd’s Cove Thrift Shoppe, and the newly redesigned Shepherd’s Cove Palliative Care.

Quality, end-of-life care for all who need it is our focus, our drive, our expertise. In everything we do, we strive to position Shepherd’s Cove as the agency to call when faced with difficult diagnoses, grief-filled situations and end-of-life care. When days can’t be added to life, we want to be the first place people look for hope and help. We want to add more life to their days. We want to alleviate distress and discomfort. We want to provide comfort for mind, body and spirit for our patients, our patient family members, and our community. In all areas, Shepherd’s Cove hopes to give comfort, consolation and relief. We want our employees, board members, volunteers, donors and team to know they are providing solace to so many people.

You help us walk alongside others on this end-of-life journey. You make an impact on lives. You help hurting people and give hope in what seems to sometimes be hopeless situations. We hope you find comfort, solace, as you read about patient lives impacted by volunteers, share in the celebration of the newly opened and growing Thrift Shoppe, and prepare for exciting events coming up that give you an opportunity to join our mission.

We are employees. We are referral sources. We are volunteers. We are donors. We are family on this end-of-life journey. We are solace in difficult times. Together, we are all Shepherd’s Cove.

Heath Lokey - PresidentKelly Adams - Vice President

Annie Furrer - Secretary/TreasurerAshley Wheeler

Annette DuncanStyle Reed

Morgan LavenderJon Henderson

Jamie Gore

Norma Wells - PresidentKristy Walker

Cindy SparkmanRandy Smith

Jamie Gore - PresidentMary Kate Beard - Vice President

Annette Cederholm - Secretary/TreasurerDr. Enrico Gaspar

Greg HudleyColleen LeeNorma Wells

Thomas MoorePatrick WhiteGinger YoungAnna Noojin

Boards of Directors

Shepherd’s Cove CEO Rhonda Osborne, RN

solace | 21 | solace

Contents

Stay in touch! @shepherdscovehospice@SCThriftShoppe@shephedscovefoundation

@SCHospice@SCThriftShoppe

Celebrating heroesWonder Woman, Batman, and hundreds of

everyday superheroes assembled at Albertville High School on April 27 to support end-of-life care at the Race to Remember 5K.

Following a new superhero theme, the 14th annual Race to Remember included more than 600 individuals who raised more than $74,000. Proceeds go to the Shepherd’s Cove Foundation, which provides care and support to individuals facing the realities of terminal illness and grief through Shepherd’s Cove Hospice, Palliative Care, and Grief Support.

“I am humbled by the outpouring of support from our community,” said Annah Grace Morgan, Foundation Director. “I was so thankful for the amazing weather and hundreds of supporters, including the hardest-working volunteers in the world. I am proud to be part of the Race to Remember and the Shepherd’s Cove family. Thanks to everyone who had a part in supporting compassionate end-of-life care in our community.”

AUGUST 23, 2019 | 5:00 PM | MAJESTIC VENUE | ALBERTVILLE, AL

WWW.SCHSUMMERSOIREE.COM

@SCoveHospice

256.891.7724

408 Martling RoadAlbertville, AL 35951

www.shepherdscovehospice.orgCheck out our blog for new stories every week!

Letter From the CEOPart of the Family, Part of the BlessingHospitality During Your End-of-Life JourneyTyler and Rudy Dr. MatlockA Different Way to ThriftCamp HOPEHonor and Dignity in Life and DeathFAQ

267-891013-14151718

Copyright © 2019 by Shepherd’s Cove HospiceEditor: Beth Ann Parnell | Writer: Malarie Allen | Designer: Rachel Burbanks

solace | 43 | solace

Hospice is not about

giv ing up. I t ’s

shi f t ing a focus to

qual i ty of l i fe. I t ’ s

end-of- l i fe care, not

br ink-of-death care.

- ANNAH GRACE MORGAN

SHEPHERD ’S COVE

FOUNDATION DIRECTOR

After Shepherd’s Cove cared for their work family, Tyson Foods found its way into the heart of Shepherd’s Cove. Tyson Foods, of Albertville, joined the Shepherd’s Cove family as a gold level, multi-event sponsor last year. Beyond helping fi-nancially fund Shepherd’s Cove programs, the company jumped head-first into volunteering and other means of support.

“Tyson Foods, Albertville, became familiar with Shepherd’s Cove a few years ago when a few of our management team members needed their services,” said Brad Massengale, Albertville Plant Manager. “The love and care Shepherd’s Cove showed our work family was outstanding, and it was an experience we wanted to be a part of.”

The company has prepared plate lunches for hundreds of participants and volunteers at Camp HOPE, a one-day grief camp for families in the community. In fact, Tyson employees have volunteered much of their time in the past year and attended numerous other Shepherd’s Cove events.

“We were amazed at all that Shepherd’s Cove has to offer, from in-house and outpatient care to Camp HOPE that helps grieving children learn to cope,” Massengale said. “Tyson Foods is truly blessed to be a small part of such a big blessing in Shepherd’s Cove.”

Part of the Family, Part of the Blessing

Sponsors

contact : pakklito@gmail.com

RGeneral

and CosmeticDentistry

John G. Rutland, D.M.D.

solace | 65 | solace

Hospitality Along the Journey“Are we there yet?” It’s a heart’s cry repeated often from

little ones, and sometimes big ones, during long trips. What a blessing it is to arrive at grandma’s house or wherever your travels take you and be welcomed by a smiling face, open arms, a warm meal, a comfortable couch, and eventually a cozy bed. Hospitality is the best gift given to travelers on a long journey.

Hospice care is also a gift given near the end of a long journey, life’s journey. “From the same linguistic root as “hospitality,” the term “hospice” can be traced back to medieval times when it referred to a place of shelter and rest for weary or ill travelers on a long journey,” according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s History of Hospice Care. This hospitality mindset, the desire to provide rest for the weary, is what inspired the humble beginnings of Hospice of Marshall County.

It was the vision of one lady, Gayle Roadruck from Guntersville, who lead the grassroots, all-volunteer, non-profit agency started in 1982 in, what is now, a broom closet in the Guntersville Recreation Center. She believed with all her heart that families nearing the end of life’s journey deserved more support than was being offered. It wasn’t until 1988 when Hospice of Marshall County received Medicare certification that the agency expanded to add professional staff. Current CEO Rhonda Osborne served as one of the early staff members.

“I had been paying attention to the hospice movement while I was working as an oncology nurse,” shares Osborne. “At the same time, my mom became a volunteer with

Hospice of Marshall County, and she let me know that they were looking for a nurse. I was drawn to the education mindset and the holistic care of hospice nursing. I applied and was hired,” stated Osborne. “While I was apprehensive about in-home nursing, I fell in love with it on the very first day as families were so hospitable and welcomed the one-on-one servant mindset of guiding them on the journey ahead. The holistic approach of hospice care truly allows the nurse to be a travel and teaching guide to the patient and family as they approach the twists and turns of end-of-life care.”

With this teaching mindset allowing them to educate the community about caring for those coping with end-of-life issues, the need for the agency’s services grew.

In 2007, Hospice of Marshall County moved to its current location at 408 Martling Road in Albertville and opened the 10-bed hospice inpatient unit (IPU) named Shepherd’s Cove. This was only the 3rd unit in the state and the first in North Alabama. Shepherd’s Cove’s home-like atmosphere has served as a comfortable place to manage a hospice patient’s uncontrolled symptoms or to provide a respite stay. “When patients are with us in our inpatient unit, we are able to help ease their symptoms, so they can spend good, quality time with their families and loved ones,” said Joy Jefferson, IPU Clinical Director.

Helping patients and families doesn’t stop with nursing care or even with the end of life’s journey. Hospice care encompasses social workers, chaplains, aides, and grief support services for continuing to care for patient family members when their journeys venture down the road of the loss of a loved one. In this area as in so many other ways,

Hospice of Marshall County passionately pursued ways to serve those who needed them. Providing individual grief support grew to providing in-school grief support programs, community support groups, and many Camp HOPE events.

“My favorite part about my job is the people I meet,” says Amanda Hollingsworth, social worker. “The journeys of our lives have taken us to so many places and down many different roads, but during this moment, we have collided, and can learn, lead, and help one another.”

Learning, leading, and helping one another became more of a reality each day with continued growth throughout the agency. In 2011, the Hospice of Marshall County Thrift Store became a reality followed by the establishment of the Foundation in 2012. Both organizations were created with a mindset to serve the community in a greater way by providing resources to help fund the agency’s community programs and services, so no one ever has to be turned away from end-of-life care.

The community has embraced the fundraising events, the grief support services, and the magnificent hospice inpatient unit in its own backyard. Without the huge support of Race to Remember, Summer Soirée, the thrift shop, Camp HOPE and more, the agency would not have seen the growth it has seen.

Growth has allowed so many more people to receive the services they need. Unfortunately, as a common byproduct of growth, the core services that defined Hospice of Marshall County, in-home hospice services in nine counties, got lost in the shuffle. It became apparent that the name of the agency needed to be evaluated. Was the compassionate hospice care provided and the extensive grief support services offered known to be available not only in Marshall County but also in Jackson, DeKalb, Etowah, St. Clair, Blount, Cullman, Morgan, and Madison Counties? Hospice of Marshall County was really hospice of many counties. In 2016, grasping hold of the tremendous love and support in the local community for the Shepherd’s Cove inpatient

unit, Hospice of Marshall County became Shepherd’s Cove Hospice.

It didn’t stop there. How would people know that the mission of this non-profit agency would extend beyond its core services to its Foundation, the Thrift Shoppe, and more? At its core, Shepherd’s Cove is Shepherd’s Cove Hospice. The Shepherd’s Cove Foundation and the Shepherd’s Cove Thrift Shoppe exist to support this core mission through relationships and financial resources. Shepherd’s Cove Grief Support Services and the newly launching Shepherd’s Cove Palliative Care program build on the foundation of this mission. We are all Shepherd’s Cove.

Every day, a team of people travel to and from 408 Martling Road, embarking on a daily trip to work in an IPU or to serve in people’s homes or to meet in facilities or to visit supporters in coffee shops or to volunteer at a patient’s bedside, all focused on providing with a servant’s heart, exceptional, individualized care to those coping with end-of-life issues.

Each day is a journey with many twists and turns before a destination is reached. “Each life matters to the very end,” says Karen Denton, hospice volunteer coordinator. “It saddens me for others to think our care is only about dying, when in fact, it is truly about living… living every moment we have because it is a direct gift from God.”

When we, the employees, the volunteers, and the community, give each day our all, when we lay our hearts on the line, when we allow our hearts to truly set us apart, we are truly living each moment. The road may be long. The journey may difficult. We may continually ask, “Are we there yet?”. But along the way, we have the privilege of traveling this journey with families and offering hospitality to those we meet.

We are Hospice. We are Palliative Care. We are Grief Support. We are Thrift Shoppe. We are Foundation. We are Servants. We are Volunteers. We are Employees. We are Community. We are Shepherd’s Cove!

By Beth Ann Parnell |Chief Relations Officer

7 | solace solace | 8

Tyler and RudySometimes, two people on different life journeys converge for

a time and leave an unforgettable mark on each other. Such was the case for Shepherd’s Cove patient Rudy Hanners and the unique bond he shared with his 14-year-old neighbor, Tyler Edde.

Last year, Edde came to live with his grandparents in Crossville, right across the street from Hanners. Edde soon took up with Hanners, and an unshakable bond quickly formed. Edde began visiting Hanners every chance he had after school and staying at his house most weekends.

Edde would help Hanners’ daughter, Gina, care for Hanners, clean his house, cook, and do other household chores. When Hanners had to move to the Shepherd’s Cove inpatient unit for symptom management, Edde continued to take care of his house and spend every spare moment of his weekends with Hanners. He would also text or call Gina every day during the week to check on his friend.

“He would rather be with daddy than anywhere,” Gina said. “He’s unlike any kid I’ve ever been around.”

Hanners struggled emotionally and physically after his wife of 48 years died six years ago. Through this new relationship with Edde, Hanners unofficially adopted a new son and “a reason to live,” according to Gina.

“God put him in that place for me,” Hanners said. “I couldn’t have made it without him. It was not haphazard. … If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t be here today. I love him better than a son.”

Also, through this unexpected relationship, Edde found a new perspective on life. Hanners gave him his own Bible and encouraged him to read it daily. He helped Edde with struggles he faced, like bullies, difficult school work, and more. Soon, Edde began doing better in school, showing a great sense of responsibility, and discovering new leadership skills, according to Gina.

“They’re like best friends,” Gina said. “He’s so happy.”Before he died, Hanners left Edde with some advice he hoped

Edde would hold onto for the rest of his life.“Never quit trying,” Hanners said. “Be persistent. Read your

Bible and pray every day.”

“I love him better than a son.”

An Unexpected Bond

Shepherd’s Cove Hospice welcomed Dr. Jonathan Matlock as hospice physician on Oct. 1, 2018.In this new capacity, Dr. Matlock works under the direction of SCH Medical Director, Dr. Joel Milligan, to help SCH

care teams manage patient’s symptoms and medications. Matlock works full time as a hospitalist at Marshall Medical Center North,

where he started three years ago. He, his wife Hannah, and their four children live in Arab. Hannah owns Matlock Realty Group in Arab. The couple also own Four Knights Coffee in Arab.

Matlock’s heart for hospice began during his medical residency training in Norton, Va., where he said he noticed a great need for extra support as patients and families faced the end of life.

“I saw I could help everyone through their final days and moments, that there was just a lot more peace during that time,” Matlock said.

When Dr. Alfred Ratcliffe, Jr., retired as SCH physician on Sept. 30, Dr. Matlock was happy to step in.

“I had heard very positive things among people who had experienced care from Shepherd’s Cove, and I knew I wanted to get involved,” Matlock said.

Matlock was born in Oklahoma City, Okla., and grew up in the suburbs of Birmingham. He studied internal medicine at Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, Tenn.

Welcome Dr. Matlock

OURHOSPICE,OURVOLUNTEERS

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED INVOLUNTEERING, VISITSHEPHERDSCOVEHOSPICE.ORGTO LEARN MORE.

VO

LUN

TEERWE WANT YOU!

9 | solace

Each life matters to thevery end. It saddens me

for others to think our careis only about dying, when in

fact, it is truly aboutliving. . .living every moment

we have because it is adirect gift from God.

- Kar en D e ntonSh eph er d ' s C ov e h osp i c e

v o lunt e er c o or d i n ator .

Fear thrives on the unknown. That’s often what makes the end-of-life journey so scary – so much of it is unknown, unfamiliar. When we travel any other journey, whether it’s a new tourist attraction or the journey of marriage or parenthood, we seek guides. We look for advice from people who have been down that road, navigated the path, and experienced the best and worst. We feel more comfortable when someone can tell us what to expect. Why? Because they help us get the most out of our journey. They help us avoid pitfalls. They help us maximize our time and minimize our pains or efforts.

But death is one journey we don’t want to face – whether it’s our own death or that of a loved one. We’re afraid of physical pain, mental anguish, or spiritual suffering. What if there were people with vast experience on that end-of-life journey? What if you had access to guides who could tell you what to expect – people who could help you avoid some of the physical, emotional, and spiritual pitfalls? What if someone could make the most of your or a loved one’s end-of-life journey?

That service is available. Those experienced guides do exist. Although every person’s end-of-life journey is unique, hospice care professionals, more than any other in the medical world, have closely traveled the end-of-life path many times with many different people. They have seen the best and worst. They can tell you what to expect on each stage of the journey, and they have witnessed the effects each stage has on patients and the patients’ loved ones.

They can help unmask the scary villain of death – make the journey less scary … maybe even beautiful, as some have said. The professional, compassionate staff at Shepherd’s Cove Hospice focus on helping each patient and family we serve get the most out of this inevitable journey. Of course, when it’s all over, a new journey begins – the grief journey for family and friends. Don’t worry. We can help there, too. Our grief support staff stand ready to guide you through your grief, no matter how long that journey may take.

Do you need extra help on your end-of-life journey? Visit shepherdscovehospice.org or call us at 256-891-7724 to learn more.

Unmasking the Villain of Death

MEET CICELY THE SHEEP

I N T R O D U C I N G C I C E L Y S H E P H E R D , O U R N E WC H I E F T E A C H I N G S H E E P ( C T S ) . S H E I S H E R E T O

E D U C A T E F O L K S O N T H E W H O L E P I C T U R E O FE N D - O F - L I F E C A R E A N D P R O V I D E A N E X C L U S I V E ,

B E H I N D - T H E - S C E N E S L O O K A T S H E P H E R D ’ SC O V E .

FOLLOW HER ADVENTURES ON INSTAGRAM

@SCHOSPICE11 | solace

In a long-anticipated move, the Shepherd’s Cove Thrift Shoppe recently opened the doors to its new store and a bright future.

After breaking ground in September 2017, dozens of friends and customers attended the grand opening of the Thrift Shoppe’s new location in Albertville on March 1. The move is a culmination of continued growth that began out of a heart to serve a grieving family.

Meeting needsAfter a patient died under Shepherd’s Cove care, the family was left with a whole house of their loved one’s belongings.

The sheer weight of having to comb through and decide how to best use or get rid of all the items was overwhelming. At the same time, Shepherd’s Cove leaders were looking for alternative revenue streams to help shore up costs for rising care rates for the uninsured and expected Medicare cuts.

The family worked with Shepherd’s Cove officials and generously donated all their loved one’s items they did not want to open the Thrift Shoppe in 2011. All proceeds went toward Shepherd’s Cove Hospice care.This agreement relieved stress from the family, and they knew each item would benefit someone else in need of end-of-life care. The Thrift Shoppe has continued to grow year after year since.

Small changes, big differenceShepherd’s Cove leases the new 30,000-square-foot space from a local developer. Thrift Shoppe Director Samantha

May and employees have implemented several small changes to improve the shopping experience, from arranging furniture as it might be in a house to organizing clothing by item and size and even addressing the smallest details of lighting and smell.

“We’re trying to make it inviting and home-like,” May said. “We’re trying to increase quality of items on the floor and display them in a way that’s easy for people to sort through and find what they need. We want the shopping experience to be more enjoyable, easier, and just better for our customers.”

In a separate portion of the building is a “seasonal shop,” which will feature items unique to each season or holiday.

A Better Way to Thrift

Behind the seasonal shop is a community space where the Thrift Shoppe hosts monthly workshops to teach participants fun new skills, like painting and decorating cookies.

Community focusAs a community-based, nonprofit organization, Shepherd’s Cove embraces the idea and feeling of community, even

at the Thrift Shoppe. Chalkboard columns throughout the center of the store stand as pillars of thanks and inspiration for shoppers and donors alike, reminding them how their support impacts the lives of others.

Although Shepherd’s Cove and the Thrift Shoppe are not faith-based in organizational structure, they certainly take their cues from the Bible, as evidenced by the number of Bible verses featured on the columns and painted on the walls of the store.

The goalThrift Shoppe and Shepherd’s Cove leaders dream of one day opening a store with the same quality shopping experience

in each of the nine counties served by Shepherd’s Cove. While it is based in Marshall County, Shepherd’s Cove also provides hospice care, palliative care, and grief support services in Madison, Jackson, DeKalb, Etowah, St. Clair, Blount, Cullman, and Morgan counties.

Proceeds from sales at the Thrift Shoppe go to the Shepherd’s Cove Foundation. The Foundation helps provide care for those in the community facing the realities of terminal illness and grief through Shepherd’s Cove hospice care, palliative care, and grief support programs.

The Shepherd’s Field Program is a partnership opportunity between

local churches and Shepherd’s Cove. The Shepherd’s Field Program

encourages members of your church to be intentional about selecting

their gently used household items for donation to the Shepherd’s Cove

Thrift Shoppe. The store then returns a portion of the value of these items

in the form of gift cards to your church to be used to help those directly

in your care.

Find out more!Sign up at: www.scthriftshoppe.com/shepherdsfield

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to

the very corners of your field… you shall leave them for the

needy and for the stranger.”  

-LEVITICUS 23:22

13 | solace

P U R C H A S E A P R E V E N T I N GC H I L D A B U S E A N D N E G L E C T

L I C E N S E P L A T E

W H E N Y O U B U Y A C H I L D R E N ’ S T R U S TF U N D S P E C I A L I T Y L I C E N S E P L A T E O R A

R E A L T O R S P E C I A L T Y L I C E N S E P L A T E ,A P P R O X I M A T E L Y 9 2 % O F T H E P U R C H A S E

P R I C E G O E S D I R E C T L Y T O F U N DC O M M U N I T Y - B A S E D P R E V E N T I O N

P R O G R A M S I N A L A B A M A . T H E S E T A G SA R E A V A I L A B L E A T E V E R Y C O U N T Y

P R O B A T E O F F I C E A N D A R E T A X -D E D U C T I B L E .

A season of grief can turn into one of child abuse and neglect when families do not know how to cope appropriately.Shepherd’s Cove Grief Support professionals know some families experiencing the death of a loved one are at risk for

complicated grief, which can lead to child abuse or neglect. Even normal grief reactions, such as loss of appetite, disruption in sleep patterns and increased fatigue, affect an adult’s ability to support a grieving child.

In an effort to curb child abuse and neglect in our communities, Shepherd’s Cove provides grief support services at no cost to anyone in the community, regardless of the nature of the loss and whether their loved one was served by hospice. Supported by the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, Shepherd’s Cove challenges adults to work toward self-care in an effort to balance their own grief while supporting a grieving child. The Shepherd’s Cove Grief Support staff also promote positive coping skills with children experiencing a season of loss, all in an effort to strengthen families and, ultimately, the community.

Shepherd’s Cove offers these services at no charge to hospice patients and the community at large:• individual counseling,• specific support groups for ages 4 and up,• holiday support groups,• grief support for victims of violent crimes,• bereavement education and training, • in-school bereavement services, and• Camp HOPE grief camp for children and families.

For more information, visit www.shepherdscovehospice.org or call 256-891-7724.

How Hospice Helps Protect Children

Grief that comes with losing a loved one to death can be complicated for anyone. It can

greatly affect relationships among family members, as well. Community Camp HOPE, held on May 11, helped teach more than 100 individuals, representing 32 local families, how to cope with death in positive, family-strengthening ways.

Community Camp HOPE is a one-day grief support camp for children and their families offered by Shepherd’s Cove Hospice. This, along with the school-based camp in the fall, introduces families to practical tools they can use to cope with their grief and grow closer together in the process.

The 2019 community camp served 106 individuals, including 54 adults and 52 children who have experienced the death of a loved one. Camp HOPE is open to anyone, regardless of the nature of the death

or whether their loved one was served by hospice. The losses experienced by the families in this year’s camp included death by accident, suicide, homicide, illness, and others.

For more information about Shepherd’s Cove Grief Support Services, call 256-891-7724 or visit www.shepherdscovehospice.org.

Camp HOPE

15 | solace

Gratitude was scarce when Vietnam veterans like Jeff Dunfield returned to America after war. Now walking a peaceful end-of-life journey decades later, American civilians across the country have teamed up with Shepherd’s Cove to show appreciation to Jeff and other veterans for their service.

Just as people send care packages to troops overseas, the Operation: Card Angels organization mailed a special care package to Jeff earlier this year. The box included an assortment of patriotic-themed items, including a crocheted blanket, a deck of playing cards, a small teddy bear, and more.

Perhaps the most impactful part of the package, though, was the numerous homemade and personally-signed cards from individual members of the Card Angels group, mailed from caring individuals across the country.

Operation: Card Angels is an organization based in Ohio with affiliate groups and supporters across the country, including Colorado, Florida, Minnesota and more. These groups send homemade cards with words of encouragement to troops currently serving overseas, wounded heroes, and veterans. The participants also collect cards that military members serving overseas can send back home to their loved ones.

Since sending the package to Jeff, the Card Angels have sent several cards to Shepherd’s Cove for veteran patients, thanking them for their service and hoping to bring some happiness and comfort.

Just as this group shows appreciation for veterans, SCH believes we cannot show enough praise and gratitude to veterans, living and deceased. Shepherd’s Cove staff, volunteers, and supporters work hard to meet the unique needs of veterans facing the end of life from terminal illness. From gifts of gratitude like that of the Card Angels to the special Stars and Stripes ceremony that honors patients upon death in the inpatient unit, it’s a privilege to serve those who once served us.

On Memorial Day, the front lawn of the Shepherd’s Cove facility featured 85 white crosses. Each cross was inscribed the name of a deceased veteran we served in the past year. It was just a small token of honor that we could offer those veterans and their families.

Learn more about the Shepherd’s Cove “We Honor Veterans” program at shepherdscovehospice.org.

Honor and Dignity in Life and Death

FAQQ: Isn’t the Shepherd’s Cove inpatient unit where patients go to die?

The inpatient unit was created out of the need for our home-care patients whom had symptoms that could not be managed in the home. There are three reasons patients are admit-ted to the IPU:

• medication adjust-ments or symptom manage-ment,

• to provide the caregiv-er with a few days of rest, or

• to provide education to and help the patient and caregiver confidently tran-sition from the hospital to home care.

Please cut along the dotted line and send in with your tax deductible donation.

Enclosed is my gift of $ Name

Address

City/ State

Zip Phone Please make your check payable to:

Shepherd’s Cove Hospice 408 Martling Road Albertville, AL 35951256-891-7724 • 1-888-334-9336shepherdscovehospice.org

This gift is a tribute to:

Please send acknowledgement of my gift to:

Name

Address

City/State/Zip

Home Care (For the Get Acquainted Bags for patients)�� Personal Grooming Products�� Post It Notes�� Pens�� Combs�� White Washcloths�� Kleenex Tissue (individual packets-�� travel size)�� Hard Candy�� White Socks/Footies – for both men �� and women�� Lotion

Home Care Nursing Department�� Shoe box size storage containers

Grief Support�� 6x12-foot enclosed cargo trailer for storage

Giver Relations Team: �� Dish detergent, hand soap, lotion, paper towels,

laundry detergent, candy, cookies, non-perishable snacks, trinkets, etc.

�� Door Prizes for events�� Auction items

Human Resources�� Gift Cards for staff events

Training�� Overhead projector – Training Lab�� iPad or iPad Mini – Training Lab�� Small Tables – Training Lab

Kitchen�� 2 quart, 4 quart, 6 quart and 8

quart sauce pans (must have NSF stamp on the bottom)

IPU�� Over-the-bed tables�� Twin long colored sheets�� Clock radios with cd players�� Military appropriate throw quilts

for veteran patients�� Bath towels and wash cloths�� Baby wipe warmer

Wishlist

PAT ALREDGEREV. TOMMY WILLIAMS

DIANE MCKINNEY POTRIDGEFLOYCE DARNELL

Each quarter, we want to honor the memory of volunteers who served as

a part of our hospice family (including those who have retired).

I N L OV I NG M EMORY

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It is the mission of Shepherd’s Cove, to provide with a servant’s heart exceptional, individualized care for those coping with end-of-life issues.

If you would like to receive this electronically, send an email to mallen@shepherdscove.org with your request.

You are receiving this communication as part of the fundraising/marketing efforts of Shep-herd’s Cove Hospice (SCH). In compliance with healthcare privacy laws, you have the right to not receive any further fundraising/marketing materials from SCH. You can choose this option by calling 256-891-7724 or 1-888-334-9336, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and ask to speak to the Marketing Department.

Shepherd’s Cove Hospice408 Martling Road, Albertville, AL 35951

Non-Profit Org.BULK RATE

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

Albertville, ALPermit No. 190

256-891-7724 | 1-888-334-9336www.shepherdscovehospice.org | info@shepherdscove.org

More than just end-of-life, more than just hospice.

Here to walk alongside you, we are Shepherd’s Cove.