• Cynthia Roy Squitieri Named Regional Hospice Executive Director
  
• Meserve Grant Helps Launch New Technology
  
• Ridgefield Girl Scout Earns Silver Award by Helping Grieving Children
  
• Healing Hearts Offers Camp for Bereaved Children
• Regional Hospice Nurses Recognized for Excellence in Nursing
• Regional Hospice Celebrates its Caring Continuum
• Union Savings Bank Supports Healing Hearts
• Make a Difference - Become a Regional Hospice Volunteer
• Letter to the Editor

Cynthia Roy Squitieri Named Regional Hospice Executive Director

DANBURY, CT- Regional Hospice is pleased to announce the appointment of Cynthia Roy Squitieri, MS, LCSW, to the position of executive director of Regional Hospice. She joins the agency after the recent retirement of Maureen Moore, previous executive director. "Ms. Roy Squitieri brings a tremendous breadth of experience to Regional Hospice," says the agency's board president, Susan Tanner. "She is a well-known and respected leader in the hospice field."

Ms. Roy Squitieri comes to Regional Hospice from Mid-Fairfield Hospice in Wilton, CT, where she was the executive director for the past six years. She has extensive experience in healthcare and hospice administration having also served as executive director of Family Center Services and director of volunteer programs. In addition, Ms. Roy Squitieri has previously worked with the Alzheimer's Association, the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, St. Vincent's Psychiatric Hospital, and Boston Children's Services. She has a master of science degree in social work from Columbia University and a bachelor of science degree from Boston University. While at Columbia, she served on the Committee on Aging at The United Nations and researched a compendium on aging issues for non-governmental organizations. She is an active member of the Connecticut Council for Hospice and Palliative Care and serves on the advisory committee for the Southwestern Connecticut Area on Aging (SWCAA) and volunteers with United Way of Wesport/Weston.

As executive director of Regional Hospice, Ms. Roy Squitieri will lead the agency as it begins its 25th year of serving Greater Danbury and surrounding communities. "I am thrilled to be joining Regional Hospice. It is meaningful to be working for a licensed and accredited hospice homecare agency whose sole focus is relieving symptoms and providing emotional support during a critical or serious illness, and invaluable care and comfort for terminal illness," says Ms. Roy Squitieri. In her new position, Ms. Squitieri plans to expand the agency's outreach initiatives and build on the strong relationships that Regional Hospice has in the community. She explains, "Helping the community better understand how hospice and palliative care can make a difference to patients and families is an important part of our work. Regional Hospice's Caring Continuum-Hospice, CARES at Home, and Healing Hearts-offers programs to help anyone touched by life-limiting illness and loss."

Meserve Grant Helps Launch New Technology

DANBURY, CT- Thanks to a grant of $6,500 from the Albert Wadsworth & Helen Clark Meserve Fund, Regional Hospice's staff will benefit from one-on-one professional training to support the agency's implementation of a new information management system. Technnology is rapidly changing the way healthcare agencies, such as Regional Hospice, manage patient information. With the agency's new point-of-care documentation system nurses and clinicians use laptop computers to keep track of key medical information. From admission to insurance billing, the agency's entire clinical and finance team now use one integrated system for improved efficiency. Support from the Meserve Fund will allow the agency to have on-site expertise as the system becomes fully implemented.

For more information about Regional Hospice, call 203-797-1685.

Ridgefield Girl Scout Earns Silver Award by Helping Grieving Children

DANBURY--When Shannon Connolly decided to work toward her Girl Scout Silver Award she knew it would be a significant commitment, but she had no idea of the impact she would have. "I honestly didn't think I could make that much of a difference, but now I realize that I did," she explains. The Silver Award helps girls build skills, explore careers, gain leadership skills, and make a commitment to self-improvement. To achieve the Silver Award, a Girl Scout earns qualifying badges in preparation, creates a timeline, and then develops an appropriate community project.

Shannon, who is a member of Ridgefield Troop 434, contacted Regional Hospice and decided to help the agency's Healing Hearts Children's Program. Healing Hearts offers children a safe place to grieve while they rebuild their lives after a loss. Twice a week, grieving children come to The Healing Hearts Center for support group meetings-and while they are working on facilitated projects or discussions they often get hungry. Shannon decided to take on the challenge of providing snacks, drinks and other supplies for the 125 children who participate in Healing Hearts groups each month. As a not-for-profit community program, Healing Hearts operates entirely on funding from contributions and grants-snacks and beverages are always in short supply.

After many months working on the project, Shannon recently delivered more than $1,400 worth of juice boxes, crackers, water bottles, granola snacks, teddy bears, journals and craft supplies for Healing Hearts. "What this young lady has done is tremendous," says Eleanor McClellan, Regional Hospice's volunteer coordinator. "Her determination and creativity in getting so many donations is remarkable-the children at Healing Hearts will be very grateful."

Shannon worked for many months to collect all of the snack donations. She asked friends and family for their support and sent letters to businesses asking for contributions of items or gift cards to buy them with. She organized a "bake swap" at a local grocery store and asked customers to support Healing Hearts by swapping snacks or water bottles for her delicious homemade baked goods. One customer said, "You give me hope in the next generation." Shannon was very touched by the many people she met while working on the project. "That will stay with me forever," she says.

What's next for this Ridgefield High sophomore? "I'm thinking of starting on my Gold Award," she says enthusiastically. It's a natural next step for someone who so perfectly exemplifies what community service and Girl Scouts is all about.

Healing Hearts Offers Camp for Bereaved Children

DANBURY, CT—Grieving is hard work for adults. It is especially difficult for children, who grieve differently than adults. A grieving child may feel sad, scared, angry, confused or somehow responsible for the death of a loved one, depending on their developmental stage. They may regress, withdraw, or act out their distress at home or in school.

Professional facilitators, who work with grieving children at The Healing Hearts Center for Grieving Children & Families (a program of Regional Hospice) realize the importance of symbolic play, rituals, feelings, expression and physical activity to help children cope, accept the reality of their loss and begin to heal. For the second year, Healing Hearts is offering a week-long camp for bereaved children ages 4-12. The camp will be held Monday July 9 – Friday July 13, from 9 a.m. – noon, at The Healing Hearts Center, 73 Stadley Rough Rd., in Danbury. Thanks to generous funding provided by Union Savings Bank and The Leir Foundation, there is no cost to participate.

While each day’s activities will include remembrance and commemorative activities related to the loved one each child has lost, the main focus will be on fun and camaraderie as a respite from the grieving process. Age-appropriate activities will include: sports, crafts, music, face-painting, making stepping stones, and a daily snack. Camp days will begin with an ice-breaker and end with a closing circle, where each child’s loved one will be acknowledged and honored. A highlight of the week will be a magic show on Friday (with family-members invited), planting of flowers, group photos, and a pizza party.
The camp will be run by masters-level grief support facilitators and volunteers from Healing Hearts. There is no charge to participate in the camp. For more information or to register, please call Healing Hearts at 792-4422.

Regional Hospice Nurses Recognized for Excellence in Nursing

Danbury, CT--Robin Viklund, of New Milford, and Debra Leonard, of Danbury, recently received the 2007 Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing. Both nurses received the award in recognition for their outstanding service as hospice nurses.

The Nightingale Awards are hosted each year by Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Southwestern Connecticut, and are presented to registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in all fields of practice. Criteria for selection, established by a panel of professionals, require that an honoree has: made a significant impact on patient care, gone “beyond the call,” demonstrated excellence, shown commitment to the community, and/or had an outstanding life-long achievement.

Ms. Viklund and Ms. Leonard are both experienced registered nurses who provide expert care to Regional Hospice patients. Both are known for going above and beyond, and bringing special comfort to patients and putting families at ease. Regional Hospice is proud to recognize both nurses this year.

Regional Hospice Celebrates its Caring Continuum

DANBURY, CT - November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, a time when professionals and volunteers work to raise awareness of the importance of end-of-life care. At Regional Hospice, the agency is focusing on its Caring Continuum of programs and services for end-of-life care: Cares at Home, Hospice, and The Healing Hearts Center for Grieving Children & Families. "We offer the right care at the right time," says Maureen Moore, the agency's executive director.

Regional Hospice--a local community-based non-profit agency--provides pain management, symptom control, psychosocial support, and spiritual and bereavement care to patients and their families. The agency also serves as an important source of information about care options.

"Every year, more than 1.2 million people living with a life-limiting illness receive care from hospice and palliative care providers in this country and approximately 400,000 trained volunteers provide 18 million hours of service annually," says J. Donald Schumacher, president and CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Last year in Greater Danbury, Regional Hospice cared for more than 400 patients, and volunteers spent 2,390 hours visiting with patients and helping families.

"Our multidisciplinary team is an important part of our Caring Continuum," explains Moore. "Our medical director, nurses, social workers, spiritual caregivers, home health aides, and volunteers are all there for patients and families providing a continuum of expertise, and responding to the varying needs of managing serious illness." Volunteers are one of the special joys of Regional Hospice. Eleanor McClellan, Regional Hospice's volunteer coordinator, is inspired by the many people who volunteer their time to help patients and families. "Families are thankful for all of the care they receive, especially from volunteers. Patients find comfort in the smile on the face of the volunteer listening to an old family story or the caring companionship they share," comments McClellan. "We train our volunteers to visit with our patients and their families, visit with the bereaved, and work with children who have experienced loss at a much too early age. In turn, our volunteers teach us about the depth of generosity and endlessness of love." Regional Hospice is actively seeking new volunteers. For more information, call Eleanor McClellan at (203) 797-1685, ext. 31.

Union Savings Bank Supports Healing Hearts

DANBURY, CT - Union Savings Bank President & CEO John Kline and Chairman of the Union Savings Bank Board of Trustees Thomas Frizzell present a $5,000 grant to Regional Hospice's Executive Director Maureen Moore. The grant will support Regional Hospice's Healing Hearts Children's Program, a part of The Healing Hearts Center for Grieving Children & Families.

Union Savings Bank has been a strong supporter of Healing Hearts for many years. Last summer Union Savings bank provided funding for the first annual Healing Hearts Camp--a week-long day camp for bereaved children ages 5-12. While the camp included remembrance and commemorative rituals, the main focus was on fun and camaraderie as a respite from the grieving process.

The Healing Hearts Children's Program also offers ongoing support groups for children ages 4 to 18 that focus on play to express feelings about loss. While the children meet in their groups, a concurrent adult group offers support for parents and caregivers. In 2006, 175 children participated in this Healing Hearts program-all Healing Hearts programs are available free of charge to anyone in the community.

The Healing Hearts Center is located at 73 Stadley Rough Road in Danbury. For more information, or to register for a Healing Hearts group, call (203) 792-4422.

Make a Difference - Become a Regional Hospice Volunteer

DANBURY, CT—Do you have a few hours a week to read the newspaper or share a cup of coffee, and enrich your life? Regional Hospice volunteers say their experiences are among the most rewarding. Come join us—share your kindness as a Family Support or Bereavement Volunteer.

Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut will hold a Volunteer Training Program beginning March 14, 2007. This training is appropriate for those who want to volunteer to help hospice patients and families or bereaved individuals, including those interested in assisting with our Healing Hearts Children’s Program.

Family Support Volunteers work closely with Regional Hospice staff to provide compassion and care to our patients and their families. They run errands, visit with patients, read the newspaper, play cards and provide respite for the care givers.

Children’s bereavement volunteers work with professional facilitators at our Healing Hearts Center. They help children work through their grief through appropriate play and arts and crafts. Adult bereavement volunteers work with members of the Regional Hospice staff to help community members rebuild their lives after the death of a loved one.

Family Support Volunteer training will be held at the Regional Hospice office at 405 Main Street, Danbury on Wednesday, March 14 from 6:00 – 9:00 pm, Saturday, March 17 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm and Saturday, March 24 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Application, interview, references and background check are required. Please register by March 9. For information contact Eleanor McClellan, Volunteer Coordinator, at (203) 797-1685 ext.31 or at Eleanor.McClellan@danhosp.org.

Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut is a local, community-based, not-for-profit hospice agency. Regional Hospice’s Caring Continuum--CARES at Home, Hospice and The Healing Hearts Center for Grieving Children & Families--offers the right care at the right time to help those with life-limiting illness and loss. More information about Regional Hospice can be found at: www.RegionalHospiceCT.org .

Letter to the Editor

April 12, 2007

To the Editor:

During National Volunteer Week, April 15-21, and throughout the year, Regional Hospice is honored to have hundreds of people volunteering their time, talents and resources to help us care for our patients and their families. We want to thank all of our wonderful volunteers who help us fulfill our mission of providing care, comfort and compassion for those touched by life-limiting illness and loss.

We are thankful for the volunteer who sits with a hospital patient for a few hours or stops in for a cup of tea and conversation with someone who is homebound. We appreciate those who help children work through their grief and adults rebuild their lives after a loss. We are grateful for volunteers who spend hundreds of hours each year planning fundraising events so that Regional Hospice can continue to provide our Caring Continuum: CARES at Home, Hospice, and Healing Hearts. We thank the people who help us in the office every week and those who drop off flower bouquets to those facing a life-limiting illness. The dedication and thoughtfulness of all of our volunteers means so much to us.

Regional Hospice is proud and honored to celebrate the many contributions of our volunteers, including the members of our Board of Directors, Professional Advisory Committee, Friends of Healing Hearts, Fundraising Chapters, Arts Festival Volunteers and our Family Support, Administrative and Healing Hearts Volunteers. We also appreciate all of the community, corporate groups, and foundations that support Regional Hospice. We very humbly and deeply thank each and every volunteer who supports our work throughout the year.

Eleanor McClellan, Volunteer Coordinator
Maureen Moore, Executive Director
Regional Hospice