“I knew when I was in kindergarten that I wanted to be a nurse because of the kindness and caring of my school nurse. Hospice has given me the opportunity to use my nursing skills and show kindness and compassion to those in need.”
Mary Lowenberg, Hospice Coordinator
 |
Sue White, RN, Jane Ireland and Mary Lowenberg, patient care coordinator watch nature scenes on one of the new DVD players, with a Hospice patient. |
Mahaska Hospice is now able to offer its patients a new form of therapy, through two, seven inch portable DVD players, which were donated by the family of former Mahaska Hospice patient, Marjorie Ornduff. Ornduff's daughter, Jane Ireland presented Mahaska Hospice with the portable DVD players as well as four Xap Vision Nature Scenes DVD's. The DVD's feature nearly three hours of scenes which include the following: horses, puppies, peacocks, flowers, clouds, aquatic life, autumn leaves, frogs, squirrels, exotic birds and much more. The DVD's are designed to help promote relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety. Mahaska Hospice staff members also plan to take the DVD players to patients’ homes.
 |
Jessica Ahlberg, Shanoah Keep, Amber Covington, Kasie Blair, Larry Hartwig and Sonya Anderson listen as Julie Glass, LBSW, of Mahaska Hospice explain features of one of the Hospice rooms. |
On Feb. 8, the Tri County High School Peer Helper class, which is taught by Sonja Anderson, visited Mahaska Hospice. The class learned more about Hospice, grief, death and dying, as well as bereavement. Julie Glass, LBSW also explained the philosophy of Hospice care and gave the class a tour of one of the Mahaska Hospice rooms.