Being Mortal Video – Start the Conversation

 

Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice was recently presented an certificate of appreciation for the Hospice Foundation of America for their participation in the nationwide campaign, Being Mortal. Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice recognizes the importance of discussing end-of-life preferences with loved once and medical professionals.

KAQ held three community screenings of the PBS documentary in 2017. Our involvement contributed to the success of Being Mortal, which reached more than 60,000 individuals across the United States.

In keeping with our mission of getting more families to have the conversation about end of life care, Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice is happy to provide you with the link to the movie “Being Mortal.” Please take some time out of your day to view this moving and though provoking movie. “Being Mortal” shines an unprecedented spotlight on how patients, families, and doctors all experience the end stages of life, for the ultimate goal is not a good death but a good life – all the way to the very end. Click here to view the movie or on the link above.

Friends of Hospice pledge $25,000 for annual donation

Photo: (l to r) Jennifer Smith, Paula Dupre, Gail Burckes, Julia Quinlan, Mary Alice Hosking, Lisa O’Hara, Gay VanEtten, Bea Smith, June Roberts and Marie O’Hara were all on hand to present a check for $25,000 to Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice.

At the Holiday Reception held on December 8, at the home of Mary Ellen Quinlan, Lisa O’Hara and several members of the philanthropic group “Friends of Hospice”, presented a check for $25,000 to Julia Quinlan, Director and co-founder of Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice. Since the inception of the group they have donated more than $350,000 to the foundation.
In 1984 Marilyn Thompson, Administrator of the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice approached Julia Quinlan, co-founder of the Hospice to ask if Julia could form a committee to raise funds for the Hospice program. Julia approached women who were active in the community and had shown an interest in the work that the hospice does. They met in the basement of the Alexander Linn Hospital in Franklin and choose to name the group “Friends of Hospice.”

It was suggested to hold a Wine and Cheese afternoon at a local farm to raise funds. Willard and Jeannette Klemm, owners of the Waterwheel Farm in Fredon, were recruited and agreed to hold the event at their farm. The first Wine and Cheese Festival was held in 1984. It was the first of more than thirty festivals, the most recent of which hosted over 550 attendees.

The Wine and Cheese Festival continues to be the signature fundraising event for the “Friends of Hospice.” Other successful events included: a fur and lingerie fashion show brunch, a Harley Davidson raffle, Dental Day for Hospice at Sparta Dental Designs and a High Tea of Hospice.
The Friends of Hospice are also visible at many events held throughout the year such as the Butterfly Release, Memorial Tree Lightings as well as our Paper Shred Event.

The Friends respond to requests made by clinical staff to fulfill the wishes of a patient or to purchase an item that is no covered by Medicare or insurance. All funds raised are used directly or indirectly for patient care. On behalf of our patients, caregivers and the community that have benefited by your labors of love, thank you. Thank you for your hard work, thank you for your dedication, thank you for your caring.

The Friends of Hospice is holding an open enrollment for new members. Anyone in the community is welcome to join. Please call 973-383-0115, ext. 106 for more information or attend a meeting held on the second Monday of each month at 4 p.m. at the Karen Ann Quinlan administrative office located on 99 Sparta Avenue in Newton.

The Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice is a not-for-profit organization which provides a full continuum of high quality medical, emotional and spiritual services to hospice patients, their family members and the community. For more information on our services please call 800-882-1117.

Register Ready for Emergency Preparedness

Register Ready is New Jersey’s Special Needs Registry for disasters. The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) is encouraging New Jersey residents with disabilities or access and functional needs to sign up with Register Ready well before disaster strikes. The confidential registry allows citizens the opportunity to provide information to emergency response agencies so emergency responders can better plan to serve these individuals in a disaster or other emergency.