County Freeholder Proclaim November, National Hospice Month

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The Sussex County Freeholders proclaimed November as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month at their meeting on November 21st. They encourage citizens to increase their understanding and awareness of care at the end of life.

Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice is recognizing National Hospice and Palliative Care Month with the launch of their #SoonerIsBetter campaign. The campaign is aimed at helping people in the community learn more about the benefits of enrolling in hospice care as soon as they receive a life-limiting diagnosis. The benefits of enrolling sooner include living longer. For more information about the campaign can be found at KarenAnnQuinlanHospice.org

 

Photo: Carl Lazzaro, Director of Freeholders, (center) presents proclamation to Julia Quinlan, Co-founder and President of Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice and John Quinlan, Director of Foundation on Tuesday, November 21. 

 

Congrats Pike Graduates!

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Congratulations to the graduates of the recent Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice Pike 2017 Volunteer Class. From left: Volunteer Coordinator Sue Dougherty, Gina Cardona, Anne Ferrara and Linda Howing-DeRoy. Graduates completed four-weeks of training and can now serve as in-home volunteers. Anyone who wished to dedicate time as a volunteer may sign up for any of the area classes. Sue Dougherty can be contacted by calling 973-383-0115 ext. 121 or by email. 

Holiday Elegance 2017 Photo Gallery

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Holiday Elegance 2017
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Helen Morgan Students raise funds for Bereavement Counseling

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2017 Bull Dog Run

A special thanks to Cindy Reigstad, guidance counselors, teachers and students at Helen Morgan school for donating proceeds from their annual mini-marathon Bull Dog Run. The run was held today and all fourth and fifth grade students participated. Julia Quinlan and Diana Sebzda were on hand to thank the students. The donation will benefit programs at the Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center. Thank you!

Bereavement Center hosts Open House

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Children’s Grief Awareness Day is designed to help us all become more aware of the needs of grieving children — and of the benefits they obtain through the support of others. Children’s Grief Awareness Day is an opportunity to make sure that grieving children receive the support they need.

Please join us at the Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center for an open house on November 16. Come tour the facility, talk to staff and show your support for grieving children by holding on to hope.

You can also show your support for grieving children by holding on to HOPE. For the last several years, others have let grieving children know that people across the globe are
“holding onto HOPE”for them through the tragic times in their lives through the Holding onto to HOPE photo campaign. We know people support Children’s Grief Awareness Day for many different reasons. We want everyone to share why Children’s Grief Awareness Day is important them. Take a photo, share it, and let others know why this cause is important to you. Download your Holding On To Hope butterfly by clicking here! Bring you completed form to the open house – or take a picture holding it and email to: bereavement@karenannquinlanhospice.org

Please call 973-948-2282 for more information. KarenAnnQuinlanHospice.org

What is the purpose of National Hospice/Palliative Care Month?

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Q. What is the purpose of National Hospice/Palliative Care Month?

 

A. November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and hospices across the country are reaching out to raise awareness about the highest quality care for all people coping with life-limiting illness.

 

Throughout the month of November, Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice will be joining organizations across the nation hosting activities that will help the community understand how important hospice care can be, especially if services are received early enough. The hospice is launching a “Sooner is Better,” campaign in November. The campaign was developed by The Center for Hospice Care in Connecticut and will focus on the five main reasons “Sooner is Better,” when choosing hospice care.

1. You live longer. Studies show that people in hospice care live longer than patients getting curative treatment for the same illness.

2. You feel better. The side effects of aggressive treatments for cure of life-limiting illnesses frequently make you feel sicker. By choosing to stop treatment and start hospice care, our patients feel better and gain quality time.

3. You regain control of your life. In hospice care you can socialize and focus on living. And by managing your symptoms, our care will keep you out of the hospital.

4. You don’t have to stay. If you get better, you can leave hospice care, no problem. And you can re-enter hospice whenever you need us — simple as that.

5. We share the care with family members. It’s difficult for family to be your full-time caregivers — difficult for you and them. We manage and coordinate your care, which means that your loved ones get to be your family again.

You don’t need to be in the last days or weeks of life to qualify for hospice. Our care is about living — living well in the time you have left. The sooner you call us the better you’ll live.

Receiving our care is easy. Just call us. You don’t have to wait for your medical doctor. You, your family, or even a friend can refer you to us. We’ll work with your doctor and be your advocate. And you or your family can call us 24 hours a day.

If you have a life-limiting illness with a prognosis of six-months or less and meet criteria for care, you can access hospice, and you and your family can immediately begin to reap the benefits.

It’s your choice. Ask for Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice by name. The sooner, the better.

Please visit the hospice website www.KarenAnnQuinlanHospice.org for more information on activities and outreach events that are scheduled during November, including a screening of “Being Mortal,” in partnership with Sussex County Community College on Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the SCCC Performing Arts Center.

Quinlan Hospice Thanks Blue Knights of Northern New Jersey

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Vice President Terry Loller of the Blue Knights of Northern New Jersey presents a check to – from left: Nancy Gallo, Bea Smith, John Quinlan and Julia Quinlan, as Jeff Hunker Goodwill ambassador looks on.

Quinlan Hospice thanks Blue Knights

Thanks to the Blue Knights of Northern New Jersey for their generous donation to the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice of over $11,000 from the Chilly Chili motorcycle run held every January 1 at the Ogdensburg Firehouse. The Knights actually distributed over $56,000 to the Hospice, the Make a Wish Foundation and three families with special needs children. Each of the families received $12,500.

The presentation ceremony was held in a new location this year. Thanks to the Sparta VFW for the use of its hall and lawn, and to the Sparta Police for the use of their tents. Blue Knights Goodwill Ambassador Jeffrey Hunker did a great job as master of ceremonies and the food supplied by Homer’s Restaurant was fantastic.

The Blue Knights have supported the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice for over 30 years with the Chilly Chili Run. They also hold Gooch’s Garlic Run in June to support families in our community and another run from the Skylands Stadium in October to support Make a Wish.

Please support them as they support our community. Check out Bknjix.org for more info. Safe riding from your friends at the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice.

 

Will a support group help?

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Many grieving people wonder if they would benefit from joining a support group. Support groups are a time-tested method of help for people struggling with all sorts of difficulties. But groups are not magic; there are no words that can be uttered within a group setting that can make grief disappear. 

Will a support group help?

Groups are places to work together to support one another; they are places where everyone gives and takes. Not everyone will find a support group suitable; each individual grieves in his or her own way.  For many, however, support groups have much to offer, such as:

Validation: Grief is experienced in so many ways — physical, emotional, and spiritual. One needs a place to recognize that these reactions are part of the journey of grief. Being with other grieving people can reaffirm that one is not going crazy. While every loss is unique, through support groups one can bask in the support of others who have experienced loss and understand.

Time away: For many people, a support group can be a break from the loneliness and the boredom that often come with grief.

Suggestions for coping: There is no single solution to dealing with loss but members of a support group can offer a range of alternatives. By listening to stories of how others cope with a particular problem, one can find the solution that might work best.

Support groups offer two other gifts: they provide hope by providing models that reaffirm that one can survive loss; and participating in a support group can also help the griever can find new empathy, new understandings, and renewed strengths.

The Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center offers support groups in the following locations open to anyone who is suffering a loss of a loved one through death. The support groups are on-going, free of charge, and no pre-registration is required. For more information please call 973-948-2282.

Monthly: Location: Time:
Second Monday 5 Plains Rd., Augusta, NJ 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Third Tuesday 214 Washington St., Hackettstown, NJ 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Fourth Tuesday 206 E. Ann St., Milford, PA 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
First Wednesday 5 Plains Rd., Augusta, NJ 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Third Wednesday 5 Plains Rd., Augusta, NJ  12:30 – 2:00 p.m.

 

Charitable Foundation recognized with Platinum Seal of Transparency

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Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice Charitable Foundation was recently recognized for our transparency with a Platinum Seal on our GuideStar Nonprofit Profile! GuideStar is the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations. More than 8 million visitors per year and a network of 200+ partners use GuideStar data to grow support for nonprofits. In order to get the Platinum Seal, Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice Charitable Foundation shared important information with the public using our profile on www.guidestar.org. Now our community members and potential donors can find in-depth information about our goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress. We’re shining a spotlight on the difference we help make in the world. Check out our GuideStar Nonprofit Profile and tell us what you think: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/22-3562304

Celebrate Life 5k Walk to raise funds for Bereavement Center

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On September 30, 2017, Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice will host the second annual “Celebrate Life 5k Walk.” The event, held at the New Jersey State Fairgrounds in Augusta, will start at 9:00 a.m. Pre-registration starts at 9:00 a.m. and opening ceremonies at 9:30. The walk is a way to help those dealing with a loss celebrate the life and memory of loved ones who have passed.

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is an emotional process that each person handles differently. The Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center offers support to members of the community who are going through the grieving process. The proceeds from the walk will benefit the Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center located on 5 Plains Road in Augusta, NJ. Satellite offices are located on Washington Street in Hackettstown and The United Methodist Church in Milford, PA.

The Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center, which is funded by donations from the community, provides grief support and counseling for hospice families and the community regardless of a families ability to pay. The staff works to bring comfort and understanding to help families through difficult times. Individual counseling and ongoing support groups are offered. Support groups include: anticipatory grief support, school bereavement support, memorial services, grief lecture series, children’s bereavement art program and pet loss support.

People interested in participating in the walk can register online at KarenAnnQuinlanHospice.org/Walk. The cost is $25 for adults and $15 for participants 13 and under. Vendor applications are also being accepted for $25. Registrations will also be accepted at the “Celebrate Life 5k” walk kick-off party which will be held on Friday, September 29 in the Romano Conference Center at Newton Medical Center from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. All walkers are invited to attend the kick-off to register, grab a healthy snack and get their t-shirt.

New at this year’s event we will have a Memory Wall sponsored by BIGGS Kids. Participants are encouraged to bring a photo of their loved one to place on the Memory Wall. Each year we will display past photos as well as encourage new one to be placed. We will also have a memory celebration with the lighting of a symbolic Memorial Light. The light will then be on permanent display at the Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center.

Registrants are encouraged to form a team to raise funds. There will be prizes awarded to individuals and teams who raise the most money. Individuals who raise $100 or more will get a memorial marker with their loved one’s name displayed along the walk route. All money raised will stay in the community and benefit the Bereavement Center.

Please call 973-383-0115 ext. 145 for more information on how you can get involved. If you are unable to walk we always have need for volunteers to help out on the day of the event. On September 30, we will all walk together so that no one has to walk alone.

 

 

New Medicare cards are coming in 2018

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Medicare will mail new Medicare cards between April 2018 and April 2019. Your new card will have a new Medicare Number that’s unique to you, instead of your Social Security Number. This will help to protect your identity.

Things to know about your new Medicare card

  • You don’t need to take any action to get your new Medicare card.
  • The new card won’t change your Medicare coverage or benefits.
  • Medicare will never ask you to give us personal or private information to get your new Medicare number and card. Learn more about the limited situations in which Medicare can call you.
  • There’s no charge for your new card.

Watch out for scams

Scam artists may try to get your current Medicare number and other personal information by contacting you about your new Medicare card. They often claim to be from Medicare and use various scams to get your Medicare Number including:

  • Asking you to confirm your Medicare or Social Security Number so they can send you a new card.
  • Telling you there’s a charge for your new card and they need to verify your personal information.
  • Threatening to cancel your health benefits if you don’t share your Medicare Number or other personal information.

If someone calls you and asks for your Medicare number or other personal information, hang up and call  1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).  

Visit https://www.medicare.gov/ for more information.

 

Cecelia T. Clayton to Present “Living with Grief – A Four Part Lecture Series”

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HACKETTSTOWN –  The professionals at Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice proudly present the Living with Grief four part lecture series hosted at the Hackettstown Medical Center on 651 Willow Grove Street in Hackettstown on four Tuesday evenings, September 5, 12, 19, 26 from 6:30-8:00 p.m .

Presenter Cecelia T. Clayton, MPH, Executive Director of Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, will work with attendees to gain a deeper understanding of the effect that grief has on our lives, our loved ones, and our relationships.  The free series is offered to the community for anyone who has experienced a loss, who is helping another cope with loss, or who would like to learn more about the grieving process. Registration is required with limited seating. Please call 973-383-0115 or 800-882-1117, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Or click here to register online.

The Karen Ann Quinlan Memorial Foundation is passionately dedicated to providing Hospice care for the terminally ill and bereavement counseling for those who have lost loved ones. Serving Sussex and Warren Counties NJ and Northeast PA; please call 800-882-1117 to reach any of our services at either office; Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, 99 Sparta Ave., Newton, NJ and Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, 104 Bennett Ave., Milford, PA.  Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice is an independently owned hospice program and proud to be the preferred hospice provider for Newton Medical Center and area Atlantic Health Care System.  The award-winning Home for Hospice is located in Fredon, NJ. The Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center recently opened their doors to a permanent home at 5 Plains Rd. in Augusta with satellite offices in Pike and Warren Counties.

For hospice programs, events, and more information visit www.karenannquinlanhospice.org or Facebook.com/KarenAnnQuinlanHospice.org.

Cirello Granted the Hospice Medical Director Certified® (HMDC®) Credential

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Milford, PA – August, 2017 – Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice is proud to announce that Joseph A. Cirello, M.D., H.M.D.C., of Milford Family Practice, was recently granted the Hospice Medical Director Certified credential by the Hospice Medical Director Certification Board. Dr. Cirello was recognized for his commitment to improving the quality of life by displaying professional competency in the hospice industry.

Hospice practice includes patient care, medication management, performance improvement, engagement in interdisciplinary group (IDG) activities, and much more. Professional certification affirms a knowledge and experience base for hospice physicians to display commitment to their career, dedication to patient and family care, and the sustainability of the hospice organization and industry. HMDC designation is granted for six years and is renewed through continued validation of knowledge and re-assessment.

Dr. Cirello is board-certified in family medicine and began practicing in Milford, Pennsylvania, in 2009.  A graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University and St. Matthews University School of Medicine, he completed his residency training at Overlook Medical Center.  Dr. Cirello accepts patients of all ages into his family practice, and is committed to his community. 

He serves as the Delaware Valley School physician, he is a board member for the Center for Development Disabilities, and medical director of Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice. In addition, he is on the Palliative Care Committee at Newton Medical Center.

“We are honored to have Dr. Cirello serve as a medical director at Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice,” said Cecelia Clayton, Executive Director. “Dr. Cirello always brought an incredible wealth of knowledge to the team and an unparalleled depth of caring to the patients we serve.  This additional credential certification as a Hospice Medical Director benefits not only our organization but also our patients with expanded, specialized hospice care.”

Currently there are approximately 800 Certified Hospice Medical Directors across the country.

Dr. Cirello is on staff at Newton Medical Center, is affiliated with Atlantic Medical Group and is a participating provider of the Atlantic Accountable Care Organization.

The Hospice Medical Director Certification Board (HMDCB) serves as an independent, not-for-profit certifying body to administer a certification program for hospice medical directors and other physicians who provide hospice care for patients. The mission of HMDCB is to relieve suffering and improve quality of life by promoting the excellence and professional competency of hospice medical directors.

Information about the Hospice Medical Director Certification Board including a directory of certified hospice physicians is available at www.HMDCB.org.