The annual
Solano Wine & Food Jubilee supports NorthBay Healthcare in its
tradition of caring. The Jubilee is Solano County’s premier fundraising
event, making possible vital programs including Hospice, Bereavement
groups, and Community Outreach.
Hospice
 NorthBay Healthcare’s Hospice is a service provided by skilled healthcare
staff and specially trained volunteers to patients facing terminal
illness, allowing the patients to remain in the familiar environment of
home with family and friends. Hospice serves patients throughout Solano
County.
"Hospice is more about living than
dying," says the Hospice staff coordinator. "We improve the quality of
life by minimizing the patient’s discomfort and providing supportive care."
Hospice helps loved ones become part of the team in
caring for the needs of the patient, while recognizing that
family and friends have needs as well. Those close to the patient are offered
information and resources to help them understand the dying process and to
deal with the resulting grief.
NorthBay Hospice never charges patients or their families for services.
Care is provided without regard to insurance coverage. While attempts
are made to collect funds from insurers whenever possible, many patients are
uninsured or have plans which do not cover hospice care.
Bereavement Groups
NorthBay Healthcare provides on-going grief support groups and counseling
for those who have experienced the death of a loved one. The adult
Bereavement group meets regularly and groups for teens and children are
scheduled according to need. There is also SAND (Support After Neonatal
Death) to provide friendship and understanding to grieving parents who
have lost a pregnancy or an infant. All of these services are available
free of charge to everyone in the Solano County community.
"Hearing what others have been through helps
to confirm the normalcy of feelings often experienced by group
participants," explains Lorie Armijo, NorthBay Hospice Medical Social
Worker. "Not everyone wants to talk, and it can be helpful to simply
listen.
"People who attend are in different stages
of grief. Those who’ve had a recent loss can learn from those who have
been struggling with their loss long-term. It helps them see that there
is light at the end of the tunnel."
Community Outreach
"I’m a strong believer in support groups," says Rick Siefke, MSW,
|
|
|
NorthBay
Cancer Center’s social worker. He facilitates the Cancer Care Support
Group in Fairfield. "Support groups can help replace
feelings of isolation and aloneness with a sense of comfort and connection
that weren’t previously possible.
"When a person finds acceptance and encouragement,
and even love, within the group, their feelings about themselves change.
The group atmosphere creates hope," he says. "Listening to others who have
a cancer diagnosis helps put your own problems into perspective."
Support groups create this common ground by
providing a safe and nurturing environment for the participants to share
their emotions. "The purpose of any cancer support group is to meet the
social, emotional and informational needs that living with cancer can
create. In a group, people with common life experiences join together to
enhance their lives," Rick adds.
 In addition to the
Cancer Care Support Group, NorthBay Healthcare offers a Caregiver’s
Support Group for those involved in caring for a loved one with a
dementia-related illness. Tina Benedict, the
Solano Wine & Food Jubilee’s favorite entertainer, is long-time
supporter of the community outreach programs. She and her family know
firsthand the agony families experience when members suffer from
Alzheimer’s disease.
Tina lost two dear aunts to the disease and
wanted to support the Alzheimer Center at NorthBay. "When you see
heartbreak like the one that’s caused by Alzheimer’s disease, it feels
good to help, even if it’s in a small way."
Funds raised by the Jubilee also help provide for Community
Education programs such as I Can Cope, Stress
Reduction, Parenting Education Classes, Asthma Care, Diabetes Education
& Exercise, and Critical Incident Response for Schools.
Ultimate Goal
"While we strive to make the Jubilee
a gala celebration for the community and a worthwhile event for all
participants, the enduring benefit is for NorthBay Hospice and other
community services," said Mark Sievers, former Jubilee Chair. "Our
ultimate purpose is to secure adequate funding to keep
these programs accessible to all in the community who need them."
Maintaining
programs which can respond to community needs depends heavily on strong
financial and volunteer support. NorthBay
Healthcare remains a non-profit system. |
|
