Retired WWII, Army Sergeant, Paul Kunin poses with wife, Beverly after being surprised by Hospice of the Midwest ~ MN staff and Military personnel, Sargent Chad Ellwein.
The Kunin family and staff sang the National Anthem acapella while he was pinned by Sargent Ellwein, given an Appreciation certificate and saluted. Staff then displayed and draped a handmade military quilt with Army insignia over Mr. Kunin. All enjoyed a cupcake reception outside on the veranda afterwards.
“I will never forget this,” Paul said, “thank you from the bottom of my heart. This has been one of the most memorable days of my life.”
We’re Keeping It Local – Look for the Purple Scrubs!
Hospice of the Midwest is proud to serve the town of Carroll, Iowa and its surrounding communities. We are dedicated to providing exceptional in-home hospice care and pride ourselves on our local caregivers. We would love for the Carroll community to get to know our team better (although many of you might know some of these ladies), so please read on to learn more about Hospice of the Midwest nurse, Barbara.
Meet Barbara Jacobsen
Born and raised in Carroll, Iowa, Barbara Jacobsen is invested in her community and continues to serve her hometown as a nurse with Hospice of the Midwest. Since spending a little more than eight years in the nursing field, Barbara has truly found her passion in hospice nursing.
After working in long-term care as a CNA for nearly six years, Barbara made the decision to go back to nursing school; graduating just two years ago. With the areas of hospice or oncology catching her interest, Barbara ended up finding Hospice of the Midwest and says, “The rest is history.”
Barbara truly loves the one-on-one experiences she gets to have with her hospice patients. Instead of worrying about a multitude of patients at once, she cherishes the relationships she is able to develop with each of her patients, while being able to focus on only them in that moment.
“I think that because we truly focus on someone as a person and not as a disease process – that’s what makes us special here at Hospice of the Midwest. We not only focus on the medical needs of a patient, but we also take the time to get to know them.”
If you or anyone you know is in need of hospice services in the Carroll area, please contact Hospice of the Midwest at (641) 332-3006.
We would love to give a shout out to the Carroll Chamber of Commerce, as their beautiful building made a great spot to snap some photos of our employees! Their website offers fantastic resources regarding local events, shopping, businesses within the Carroll community, and more. Check it out!
Hospice of the Midwest is here for you – 24/7/365.
Choosing Hospice is often a difficult decision. We help lead this conversation and can ease the anxiety of the transition from cure to comfort for patients who are appropriate for hospice care. If two or more of these potential indicators are present, hospice should be considered.
Common Hospice Diagnoses
End Stages of: Cancer, Heart Disease/CHF, Pulmonary Disease/COPD, Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease, Neurological Disease/CVA, Renal Disease & Liver Disease.
If your loved one is requiring increased assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, grooming, oral care, toileting, transferring to their bed/chair, walking, eating, etc.; this may be an indicator that hospice should be considered.
Additional indicators include:
Muscle Loss/Weakening or Weakness
Multiple Falls
Multiple ER Visits/Hospitalizations
Recurrent/Multiple Infections
Altered Mental Status
Unintentional Mental Status
Unintentional Weight Loss
Difficulty at Mealtime
Increasing Shortness of Breath
Multiple Medication/Frequent Medication Changes
Sleeping Longer/Napping More
Skin Breakdown/Wounds
Other Diagnoses that Contribute to Decline
If you have questions about the hospice benefit or when to elect your benefit, please contact Hospice of the Midwest at 515-218-2143 (Johnston, IA) · 641-323-2047 (Grinnell, IA) · 641-332-3006 (Guthrie Center, IA) · 651-344-1040 (Woodbury, MN).One word… One word that’s the most solidifying word you will ever hear. A word that can often be misinterpreted.
One word… Hospice.
This means you are dying. Maybe not dying today, tomorrow or the next day – but it is a word not many want to hear. As a hospice liaison, helping people understand to not be afraid is part of what makes my job so rewarding. Watching potential patients and their family member begin to ease as I explain the role of hospice is an incredible feeling.
As a hospice liaison, I help ease all your previous notions about what we do and assure you that we are here to help.
Hospice doesn’t mean you will die tomorrow. It does not mean you will be taken off all your medications or stay home while waiting for the end. What it does mean is that you have a terminal illness and instead of continuing to seek aggressive treatment, it is better for you to be comfortable and have a quality of life with loved ones, however that may be defined by you.
It is shown that a hospice patient lives more comfortably when: a nurse visits to manage pain and symptoms, a home health aide provides personal care, a social worker assists with community resources and counseling, a chaplain offers spiritual support, volunteers play cards with and a physician oversees it all to ensure you are as comfortable as possible for however long that may be.
That one word… Hospice. Let’s look at it in a more positive way, focusing on the benefits we can offer a patient and their family.
So, I ask both professionals and patients – Why would you not want to live more comfortably with support from hospice?
-Tracy Wagoner, Hospice LiaisonOur employees are the heart and soul of our hospice organization. We appreciate their kind words and love hearing about their experiences with Hospice of the Midwest!
“Working for hospice of the Midwest has been one of the best decisions of my life. I feel my medical background (medical assistant, HCA, CNA, CMA) has prepared me for the role of a hospice aide. I love the one-on-one contact and listening to clients’ stories about their life experiences. I especially enjoy the stories our veterans share with me. My goal for each visit is to make each patient’s day just a little better and brighter. I always rejoice when some patients’ health improves, and they are discharged from hospice. Usually though, I help them and their loved ones through the dying process.Due to this virus affecting family visitations, I feel my job is more important than ever. I may be patient’s last contact before they gain their angel wings. The relationships we develop as caregivers becomes very important.It is a privilege and honor to work with our amazing team, who truly cares about our clients and each other. If someone is sick or schedules need covered, teammates are quick to respond. With dedication, compassion and a caring attitude, I truly feel I make a difference at Hospice of the Midwest.”
-Beth Rasmussen, CNA | Hospice Aide with Hospice of the MidwestOur employees are the heart and soul of our hospice organization. We appreciate their kind words and love hearing about their experiences with Hospice of the Midwest!
“I would like to say how wonderful it is working with Hospice of the Midwest and Abode Healthcare. I have only been here four months, but the team here in Minnesota is so cohesive, friendly, warm, and dedicated to the work we do. They get excited with every new admission and looks forward to new challenges. Our team’s compassion and caring shows through the sadness they feel at not being able to see our patients in person or as frequently as they used to due to this pandemic. It is amazing. The culture is open, honest, fun, professional, exciting, innovative… What more can I say? This is a great place to work.”
– Jeri Shufelt, RN | Clinical Director at Hospice of the Midwest Minnesota
