Día de los Muertos Tradition Observed by Hospice of Santa Barbara

Community Members Create Traditional Latin American
Altar/Memorial at Hospice of Santa Barbara

Día de los Muertos altar on display at Hospice of Santa Barbara

Día de los Muertos altar on display at Hospice of Santa Barbara

 

Santa Barbara, CA, Nov. 2, 2016Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) joined with community members to create a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) altar/memorial to honor all those who have died.

The memorial at the HSB offices -- 2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite 100, in Santa Barbara – features “ofrendas” (offerings) such as bread, sugar skulls, figurines, incense and yellow marigolds. Many of the offerings are very personal, such as photographs of the deceased and their favorite foods and flowers.

Community members are welcome to add to the memorial, which will be available at the HSB office through Friday Nov. 4. HSB is open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Hospice of Santa Barbara provides, at no cost, professional counseling and patient care services to people who are experiencing the impact of a serious illness, or grieving the death of a loved one. Hospice of Santa Barbara is also present on six local high school campuses to work with children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call (805) 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org

###

Eric Bowers Appointed to HSB Board of Directors

                               Eric Bowers

                               Eric Bowers

Santa Barbara, CA, Oct. 28, 2016 — Hospice of Santa Barbara is proud to introduce its new Board of Directors Chairman, Eric Bowers, who brings years of experience in the law field.

Eric is Director of Legal, GTM and Corporate Governance for Sonos, Inc., where he assists all departments with their corporate and commercial contract needs, with a particular emphasis on Marketing, Sales and the Americas region. Based in Santa Barbara, Sonos develops a smart system of HiFi wireless speakers and audio components.

Eric previously served as an Associate Attorney at Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, where he practiced Business and Securities law with a focus on venture capital financing. In addition to serving on the HSB Board of Directors, he is acting Secretary and Counsel for Unite to Light.

Eric earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2008 from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington. He received his B.A. in Political Science and Molecular and Cell Biology in 2004 from the University of California, Berkeley.  

"I look forward to furthering the unique and critical mission of Hospice of Santa Barbara to care for anyone experiencing the impact of life-threatening illness or grieving the death of a loved one," said Eric.

Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) offers compassionate, professional counseling, support groups and care management free of charge for those experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness or grieving the death of a loved one. HSB provides a wide range of bereavement services, wherever and whenever they’re needed, to patients, children, families and Spanish speakers. For more information about HSB’s programs and community education efforts, call (805) 563-8820 or visit hospiceofsantabarbara.org

Hospice of Santa Barbara Presents Fourth Annual Heroes of Hospice Awards and this Year’s Recipients

Santa Barbara, CA, August 12, 2016 — Hospice of Santa Barbara will recognize its 2016 Heroes of Hospice in three categories: Partnership, Legacy and Volunteer.

Each year, HSB honors the outstanding community volunteers and supporters who play a vital role in its mission to provide care for anyone experiencing the impact of life-threatening illness or grieving the death of a loved one. The Heroes of Hospice luncheon recognizes the incredible people who have demonstrated compassionate dedication to the service of HSB’s clients.

HSB invites the community to join them at the luncheon 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at The Fess Parker, 633 E Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, in recognition of the “Heroes.”

Call (805) 563-8820 or email info@hospiceofsb.org for more info.

As of September 7th, tickets will only be available at the door. 

 

Partnership Award: DASH (Doctors Assisting Seniors At Home)

HSB Partnership Award.JPG

Back row, L to R: Dr. Michael Bordofsky, DASH co-founder; Dr. Eric Trautwein, DASH co-founder; Dr. Dennis Baker, DASH co-founder.

Front row, L to R: Tara Sanchez, Medical Assistant; Jeanne West, Enrollment Coordinator; Ellie Melton, Nurse Practitioner; Carolynn Allen, Nurse.

Offering on-call, rapid response medical care throughout Santa Barbara and Goleta, DASH (Doctors Assisting Seniors at Home) has cut the number of costly emergency room visits and hospitalizations for its nearly 2,000 clients by more than 30 percent.

DASH’s team of nurses and physicians is available Monday through Saturday to respond to the homes of seniors from Santa Barbara to Goleta, usually arriving within hours. These seniors are often too ill to wait for an office visit or appointment or too weak to get there. DASH team members will also communicate closely with a client’s primary care providers.

DASH is offered for a modest monthly fee, or free-of-charge for seniors living in low-income housing or receiving Medi-Cal or Section 8 housing assistance, putting it within reach of the most vulnerable residents. For more information, call 805-617-0049.

Legacy Award: Dana VanderMey

Over her 17 years at Hospice of Santa Barbara, Dana VanderMey co-created the now instrumental Patient Care Services department from scratch, trained more than 400 volunteers and cared for patients and families experiencing terminal illness.

Dana’s father Malcolm Peattie, the HSB Board of Directors President in the early ‘80s, introduced her to the organization and told her about an open position. As HSB’s RN Case Manager, Dana supported terminally ill patients and their families. It’s here she learned about the important role families play in a patient’s support system and cherished being invited into these bonds.

She worked at Hospice of Santa Barbara until 1989, only to return in 2001 as the director of volunteers. Dana used her experience as a nurse to train hundreds of volunteers over the years. Today, the Patient Care Services program has multiple divisions and is a key to delivering clients with the care they need.

Dana retired from Hospice of Santa Barbara in 2013 and is currently working on her life book, “No, But Thanks for Asking.”

Volunteer Award: Muriel Ross, Joe Jowell, Ann Smithcors

Joe Jowell

Joe began volunteering at Hospice of Santa Barbara in 1981. Having experienced the death of his wife in 1974, he felt a strong connection with clients and has learned many things about pain, loss and acceptance. 

He sees HSB as a way to open the door for the taboo subject of death and grieving, as well as encouraging terminally ill people to seek assistance and not shy away from others due to their condition.

Muriel Ross

Having volunteered at Hospice of Santa Barbara for 37 years, Muriel Ross can’t imagine anything else she’d rather do. She truly enjoys caring for her patients by taking them to run errands and have fun.

Originally from Canada, Muriel studied Registered Nursing. She later attended graduate school and earned a post-graduate degree in Psychiatry. As a nurse, she worked at a hospital in Montreal, Quebec, Canada for the majority of her career. Moving with her husband to Santa Barbara in 1964, Muriel spent time volunteering in home care as well as Serenity House.

Ann Smithcors

Caring for others is sewn into Ann Smithcors’ DNA. The daughter of a nurse, Ann helped her grandfather -- a doctor -- treat patients while growing up in England. Ann went on to become a nurse and midwife, and she continued her nursing career after moving to America in 1960.

After retiring in the early 1980s, Ann started volunteering at Hospice of Santa Barbara. Volunteering allowed her to do something she had always wanted: to spend time with patients and their families. She has been volunteering for 34 years, doing anything with clients from caroling around the holidays, preparing tea or simply sitting with them to hold hands.

Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) offers compassionate, professional counseling, support groups and care management free of charge for those experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness or grieving the death of a loved one. HSB provides a wide range of bereavement services, wherever and whenever they’re needed, to patients, children, families and Spanish speakers. For more information about HSB’s programs and community education efforts, call (805) 563-8820 or visit hospiceofsantabarbara.org

Local Artist Gary Chafe Exhibition to Benefit Hospice of Santa Barbara

Art exhibition to feature oil paintings and monotypes; open house reception May 11

West Canon Perdido St. Palm by artist Gary Chafe

West Canon Perdido St. Palm by artist Gary Chafe

April 25, 2016, Santa Barbara, CA— Hospice of Santa Barbara welcomes local artist Gary Chafe, who will display his art at the Leigh Block Gallery located inside Hospice of Santa Barbara -- 2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite #100, Santa Barbara – beginning May 11 with an open house reception.

Most of the artwork in Chafe’s exhibit was created prior to his diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia, a neurological disorder that affects movements and presents neuropsychiatric symptoms. With his work, Chafe depicts scenes of Santa Barbara landscapes, cityscapes, personal experiences and the town’s personalities through monotype prints and oil paintings.

“Before his diagnosis, he would create art almost every day. He never held a typical day job” said Chafe’s daughter, Maya. “His masterwork was in monotypes. He has done hundreds of monotypes. He’s an artistic autodidact.”

Born on Sept. 1, 1937, in Los Angeles, Chafe moved to Santa Barbara as a child with his family and has formed strong artistic roots within the community. He is known for being one of the founding artists of the YES pop-up store, for his civic engagement and the wide range within his artmaking, including lost wax cast jewelry, sculptures in bronze and stone, and skills in graphic design.

Chafe is entirely self-educated in art history and has studied art with Charles Atkinson at Santa Barbara City College. Chafe also taught at local schools and adult education in Santa Barbara. He owned “The First Press” on Carrillo Street, offering print making services and later, a gallery. His art is featured in many art collections, including Phoenix Art Museum and Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

Chafe continues to reside in Santa Barbara while in transitional hospice care, along with assistance from his daughter. He continues to be a well regarded artist in the Santa Barbara area.

On Wednesday, May 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Hospice of Santa Barbara will host a wine and hors d’oeuvres open house reception for the new exhibit. The exhibit runs until July 29.

Chafe will donate 25% of the proceeds from his art sales to Hospice of Santa Barbara, Inc., a volunteer hospice organization. You can schedule a viewing of the exhibit by calling (805) 563-8820.

Hospice of Santa Barbara “volunteers” its free professional counseling and care management services those who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness, or grieving the death of a loved one. Hospice of Santa Barbara is also present on local school campuses to work with children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call (805) 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org.

Hospice of Santa Barbara Welcomes Local Artist Jim Hill’s Solo Exhibition

Local artist and retired bereavement counselor Jim Hill’s solo art exhibition at
Hospice of Santa Barbara on display until April 29

Hospice of Santa Barbara CEO David Selberg (left) and local artist Jim Hill at the opening of Hill’s solo art exhibition

Hospice of Santa Barbara CEO David Selberg (left) and local artist Jim Hill at the opening of Hill’s solo art exhibition

Feb. 18, 2016, Santa Barbara, CA— Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) recently welcomed local artist Jim Hill with an opening reception for his solo art exhibition, which is now on display at HSB.

Family of Hill, friends, HSB employees and art lovers filled the Leigh Block Gallery – located inside HSB, 2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite #100 – on Feb. 10 to view Hill’s art pieces, as well as get a chance to greet the artist. Hill created all of the artwork within the last six years and combines graphite, oil pastels, ink gouache, and watercolor pencils to explore the mediums and how they connect.

Hill notes his artwork is reflective of his experience working in end of life care. Meditation is an important element for Hill. As a licensed clinical social worker, Hill had the privilege of working with family and friends coping with loss who showed the strength and resilience of the human spirit.

“With a large degree of humbleness, it’s about the life experience,” said Hill. “It’s the mystery of the individual reaching the end of life and the connectedness with one another -- the loss and gain that occurs with aging.”

Originally from Chicago, Hill has lived in Santa Barbara since 1972. He has worked for Hospice of Santa Barbara as a grief counselor and for Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care as a mental health practitioner. Hill also worked for the County of Santa Barbara’s Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services.

Hill’s relationship with art began as a child when he became fascinated with mixing mediums. His passion persisted through the years as he continued to teach himself and enroll in art classes during the ‘70s. As an artist, Hill’s subjects rely on his internal processes which allow his art to take direction so he may explore the relationships between mediums. His art does not focus on concrete subjects, but rather on expression.

Hill will donate 25% of the proceeds from his art sales to Hospice of Santa Barbara, Inc., a volunteer hospice organization. You can schedule a viewing of the exhibit by calling (805) 563-8820. The exhibit will be on display until April 29.

Guests enjoy the work of artist Jim Hill

Guests enjoy the work of artist Jim Hill

Hospice of Santa Barbara “volunteers” its free professional counseling and care management services those who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness, or grieving the death of a loved one. Hospice of Santa Barbara is also present on local school campuses to work with children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call (805) 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org

Art Exhibition to Express Mystery of Human Experience

Local artist and retired bereavement counselor Jim Hill’s solo art exhibition at Hospice of Santa Barbara begins February 10


Hospice of Santa Barbara welcomes local artist Jim Hill, who will display his art at the Leigh Block Gallery located within Hospice of Santa Barbara -- 2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite #100, Santa Barbara – beginning February 10.

The artwork in Hill’s exhibit was created within the last 6 years. Hill combines graphite, oil pastels, ink gouache, and watercolor pencils to explore the mediums and how they connect.

Hill notes his artwork is reflective of his experience working in end of life care. Meditation is an important element for Hill. As a licensed clinical social worker, Hill had the privilege of working with family and friends coping with loss who showed the strength and resilience of the human spirit.

“With a large degree of humbleness, it’s about the life experience,” said Hill. “It’s the mystery of the individual reaching the end of life and the connectedness with one another -- the loss and gain that occurs with aging.”

Originally from Chicago, Hill has lived in Santa Barbara since 1972. He has worked for Hospice of Santa Barbara as a grief counselor and for Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care as a mental health practitioner. Hill also worked for the County of Santa Barbara’s Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services.

Hill’s relationship with art began as a child when he became fascinated with mixing mediums. His passion persisted through the years as he continued to teach himself and enroll in art classes during the ‘70s. As an artist, Hill’s subjects rely on his internal processes which allow his art to take direction so he may explore the relationships between mediums. His art does not focus on concrete subjects, but rather on expression.

On Wednesday, February 10 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Hospice of Santa Barbara will host a wine and hors d’oeuvres open house reception for the new exhibit. The exhibit runs until April 29.

Hill will donate 25% of the proceeds from his art sales to Hospice of Santa Barbara, Inc., a volunteer hospice organization. You can schedule a viewing of the exhibit by calling (805) 563-8820.

Hospice of Santa Barbara “volunteers” its free professional counseling and care management services those who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness, or grieving the death of a loved one. Hospice of Santa Barbara is also present on local school campuses to work with children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call (805) 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org

###

Hospice of Santa Barbara and Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care Partner to Ensure No One Dies Alone

Hospice of Santa Barbara is partnering with Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care to revitalize its work in the national No One Dies Alone program. The organizations will provide training that will allow their volunteers to offer compassionate bedside presence for patients with no friends or family available to be with them in the final 48-72 hours of life.

 VNHC and HSB have teamed up to provide No One Dies Alone (NODA) training and make a pool of their trained volunteers available to work in shifts to offer their support to patients nearing death. Villa Alamar Senior Living, Buena Vista Care Center and Heritage House have all signed up to request services when appropriate, and the two nonprofits hope to add additional care facilities to the program.

“A lot goes through a person’s head when they know they’re so close to death, and we want to do everything we can to ensure nobody goes through this difficult time alone,” said Hospice of Santa Barbara CEO David Selberg. “We’re so proud to team up with Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care to bring this service to patients who need it completely free of charge.”    

Before applying to complete NODA training, volunteers are required to have nine months of hospice volunteer experience. For more about the program and volunteer opportunities call (805) 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org.    

About Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care

Since 1908, Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care has been Santa Barbara’s trusted home care expert. Serving the greater Santa Barbara area, and Santa Ynez and Lompoc Valleys, VNHC provides high quality, comprehensive home health, hospice, and related services necessary to promote the health and well-being of all community residents. For more information on Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care, visit www.vnhcsb.org or call (805) 965-5555.

About Hospice of Santa Barbara

Hospice of Santa Barbara “volunteers” its free professional counseling and care management services those who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness, or grieving the death of a loved one. Hospice of Santa Barbara is also present on six local high school campuses to work with children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call (805) 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org

###

LifeChronicles partners with Hospice of Santa Barbara and Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care to Film Patients’ Stories

Local nonprofit LifeChronicles has partnered with Hospice of Santa Barbara and Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care to provide staff and volunteers at the two hospice organizations with training in filming the life stories of their patients.

LifeChronicles and its own volunteers have been bringing their unique skills to families in crisis by giving them a way to preserve the memories of terminally ill and elderly loved ones on film, all free of charge. Patients can narrate their life stories and film special messages to leave behind for loved ones. The films capture everything from the sound of their laughter to the twinkle in their eyes.

“These recordings are amazing gifts patients can leave behind for everyone who has been a part of their life and even a way to share stories with generations to come,” said HSB CEO David Selberg. “We can’t thank LifeChronicles enough for sharing their expertise so we can bring this to clients free of charge.”

Hospice of Santa Barbara expects to be able to bring this new video documentary service to its clients in 2016. 

LifeChronicles Founder Kate Carter said, “We at LifeChronicles are excited to be collaborating with these two fine agencies in Santa Barbara so they can offer those they serve a priceless gift...a way to bring peace of mind to a person facing end of life, knowing they will bring comfort to those they leave behind, and most of all, they will be remembered!”

About Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care

Since 1908, Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care has been Santa Barbara’s trusted home care expert. Serving the greater Santa Barbara area, and Santa Ynez and Lompoc Valleys, VNHC provides high quality, comprehensive home health, hospice, and related services necessary to promote the health and well-being of all community residents. For more information on Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care, visit www.vnhcsb.org or call (805) 965-5555.

About Hospice of Santa Barbara

Hospice of Santa Barbara “volunteers” its free professional counseling and care management services those who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness, or grieving the death of a loved one. Hospice of Santa Barbara is also present on six local high school campuses to work with children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call (805) 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org

###

Día de los Muertos Tradition Observed by Hospice of Santa Barbara

Community Members Create Traditional Latin American
Altar/Memorial at Hospice of Santa Barbara

 


Día de los Muertos altar on display at Hospice of Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA, October 22, 2015— In recognition of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Hospice of Santa Barbara and community members have created an altar/memorial that honors all those who have died.

The memorial is located within Hospice of Santa Barbara and can be visited by anyone in the community who would like to make an “offering” or view the memorial.

“No matter your tradition, Dia de los Muertos can be a special time to remember anyone we were close to and lost,” said Hospice of Santa Barbara CEO David Selberg. “We want this altar to be available to anyone who would like to leave some mementos that remind them of a late loved one or to even just sit and remember.”

Día de los Muertos is a Latin American tradition to celebrate, remember and present special offerings in honor of those who have died. Loved ones create altars where “ofrendas” (offerings) such as bread, sugar skulls, figurines, incense, yellow marigolds and photos are placed in honor of the person who has died. Offerings are often very personal such as photographs of the deceased and their favorite food items and flowers.

Hospice of Santa Barbara’s Hispanic Family Services offers free counseling, support groups and education to help Spanish speaking adults, teens and children cope with the death of a loved one. Hospice of Santa Barbara has six Spanish speaking employees, including its clinical director and several counselors.

In addition to one-on-one counseling in Spanish, Hospice of Santa Barbara offers a Spanish-speaking grief group. From its beginnings more than 40 years ago, Hospice of Santa Barbara’s goal has been to serve all the children, teenagers and families of our community with free, compassionate and practical care.

Anyone in the community who would like to place mementos on the altar such as photos, personal items, or whatever they feel best represents their loved ones, may do so during business hours. (NOTE: Items should be labeled and retrieved by owners.) Hospice of Santa Barbara is located at 2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite 100, in Santa Barbara and is open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday thru Friday. The display will be up until Nov. 3.

Hospice of Santa Barbara “volunteers” its free professional counseling and care management services those who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness, or grieving the death of a loved one. Hospice of Santa Barbara is also present on six local high school campuses to work with children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call (805) 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org. 

 

###

Art Exhibition “Given to the Light” Seeks To Provide Sanctuary in Loss

Local artist Susan Savage solo art exhibition at Hospice of Santa Barbara begins November 4
  


Painting by Susan Savage

October 2015, Santa Barbara, CA— Hospice of Santa Barbara welcomes local artist Susan Savage, who will display her art at the Leigh Block Gallery located within Hospice of Santa Barbara -- 2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite #100, Santa Barbara -- beginning November 4, 2015. 

Having taught art for more than 40 years, Savage finds that one of its essential functions is to make the familiar a little strange and the familiar appear somehow unfamiliar. As a painter, Savage is attracted to common objects and the stories their visual relationships can tell.    
In her exhibit “Given to the Light,” Savage notes that capturing the intriguing elements of the complex reflective surfaces of silver bowls, which she has painted for years, stimulates her sense of adventure. But her true vision is focused on portraying something more than what her eyes see.

“In my work I strive to portray the interaction between seen and unseen realities, and in doing so I seek something sacred,” said Savage. “In these works, the transformative nature of light helps to reveal things in the darkness to give physical and symbolic life to my visual narratives. In support of the work that Santa Barbara Hospice brings to those who are suffering loss, this new body of work was created specifically to provide visual comfort and personal contemplation for those in the midst of grief, hardship and struggle.” 
Raised in Santa Rosa, CA, Savage earned her Master of Fine Arts at UCSB and has lived in Santa Barbara for 47 years. A retired Westmont College Professor Emeritus, Savage pursued various forms of media in her early teaching career before focusing on painting. 
Her artwork has been featured in many local invitational exhibitions, and nationally at the Canton Museum of Art in Ohio, Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois, Calvin College in Michigan, and the New York Center for Art and Media Studies.
On Wednesday, November 4 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Hospice of Santa Barbara will host a wine and hors d’oeuvres open house reception for the new exhibit. 
Savage will donate 25% of the proceeds from her art sales to Hospice of Santa Barbara, Inc., a volunteer hospice organization. 

Hospice of Santa Barbara “volunteers” its free professional counseling and care management services those who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness, or grieving the death of a loved one. Hospice of Santa Barbara is also present on six local high school campuses to work with children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call (805) 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org.