Blog

TRU Grief News: A Journey of Growth and Courage

March 24, 2017 by TRU Community Care

Image Credit: Mark Harpur via Unsplash

As your grief process unfolds, you may learn things about yourself that you never knew before.

Know that it is okay to be angry. You are entitled to your anger and it is important to find ways to deal with it constructively.

You may choose to expend it physically by walking, running, or exercising. You may, instead, cry it out, talk it out, write about it, meditate, or pray.
In this journey of growth and courage, fear too needs to be recognized and acknowledged.

As you confront your fears, you may discover hidden strengths and resources within yourself.

Guilt is a difficult emotion. By giving guilt its full expression, you may come to understand its meaning and its place.

Learn more about TRU Community Care Grief Services.

TRU PACE Partners with Other Local Nonprofits to Serve Elderly in Boulder and Southwest Weld Counties

March 20, 2017 by TRU Community Care

For Immediate Release: March 20, 2017
Contact: Maria Thomas, Communications Coordinator
mariathomas@trucare.org

(Lafayette, CO) – TRU PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), an innovative new program of TRU Community Care, is partnering with several area nonprofit agencies to serve the frail senior population in Boulder and southwest Weld Counties. Now open, TRU PACE helps seniors navigate the complex issues associated with aging.

The program provides a safety net for frail seniors ages 55+ who would otherwise need nursing-home-level care. Participants in TRU PACE arrive at the day center (thanks to transportation from Via) to receive interdisciplinary, coordinated care from an 11-member team, including a physician, nurse, nutritionist, physical therapist, and more. Services include recreational therapy, laundry, meals, and prescription management.

“PACE participants are what I consider the most vulnerable members of our community. Via, as the county’s nonprofit transportation provider, is happy to partner with TRU PACE to serve seniors in Boulder and southwest Weld counties.” said Mary Cobb, Director of Communications at Via.

Thanks to local partner organizations Via and Meals on Wheels – Boulder, TRU PACE participants receive mobility support as well as nutritious meals both on-site and to take home. TRU strives to keep these seniors independent and living in their communities for as long as possible.

“We at Meals on Wheels of Boulder are thrilled to partner with TRU PACE! Our organizations are perfectly aligned to increase our ability to meet the senior nutrition needs of our area residents. It is a privilege to be a part of this new service.” remarked Francea Phillips, President & CEO of Meals on Wheels Boulder.

Referral sources and the community may call 303.665.0115 or email pace@trucare.org to speak with an enrollment specialist. TRU PACE is a Medicare and/or Medicaid covered benefit and also accepts private pay.

About TRU Community Care
TRU Community Care provides end-of-life hospice and palliative care as well as grief services to those residing in Boulder, Broomfield, Adams, Jefferson, and southwest Weld counties. TRU now offers TRU PACE, a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, which serves Boulder and southwest Weld Counties. TRU Hospice of Northern Colorado serves Greeley and extends to Weld and Larimer counties. Additional services include grief support groups, which are available to anyone in the community free of charge. It is a privilege for us to help those who are grieving regain their balance and resume healthy living. Grief groups include adult, teen, and child as well as equine therapy. At TRU Community Care, we add life to days, because that’s what TRUly matters. The sooner you call, the more we can help – 303.442.0961 or visit trucare.org.

TRU Grief News: Anger, Fear, and Guilt

March 15, 2017 by TRU Community Care

Image Credit: Eutah Mizushima via Unsplash

While the majority of people naturally associate sadness or depression with grief, other very common emotions evoked by the grief response are anger, fear, and guilt.

Anger, a very potent emotion, is always present during the time of grief but may not always be recognized. Anger can take on many forms and present itself in a variety of ways, from irritability to fist-pounding rage. It’s not uncommon for the bereaved to deny their anger or, for that matter, to be completely unaware of it.

In times of deep sorrow and grief, fear is an emotion not often discussed. Fear may manifest itself as mild anxiety or sheer terror. A spouse may feel fear about being alone or lonely. A parent may fear that she’ll never recover from the death of a child, or a child may fear the loss of the other parent, too.

Guilt, like anger and fear, is neither good nor bad. It simply is. Guilt can’t be stuffed down without future consequences. It needs to be acknowledged and experienced.

While feelings of anger, fear, and guilt are often difficult to deal with, it is only by allowing these feelings, in all their dimensions, that freedom to heal and be whole again finally arrives.

Learn more about TRU Community Care Grief Services

Greeley Tribune Honors TRU Community Care Employee in Who’s Next

March 13, 2017 by TRU Community Care

Maria Thomas, our Communications Coordinator, was recently named one of 13 honorees in the Who’s Next series by The Greeley Tribune. Each month, The Greeley Tribune and Business Connect will publish a list of Who’s Next, presented by Advantage Bank, that focuses on honoring young leaders (under 40) from different industries or fields. This month they are focusing on education. These winners were nominated by their peers as people who are making a positive impact at work and in their communities. The winners are working every day to improve education in Weld County and are shaping our youth with incredible passion and leadership.

Here is Maria’s bio, excerpted from the full list of Who’s Next in Education honorees.

Maria is an educator in two capacities. For one, she educates the community about hospice care through her role as communications coordinator for TRU Hospice of Northern Colorado. Secondly, she educates and spreads awareness about hyperhidrosis through her blog, “My Life as a Puddle,” where she says she raises awareness “one drop at a time.” Thomas put herself through college working as a certified pharmacy technician where she gained a medical background while earning an English degree. She spends her time educating on hospice and grief services while building relationships. “I’m creating personal connections and making people feel like they’re not alone. There are people they can talk to and resources they can access.”

Get your spot reserved at the FREE March 14th Who’s Next event honoring these Education leaders for what they have accomplished and what they are doing to improve our community and their industry with a short presentation followed by networking, food and drinks.

New TRU PACE Program Now Enrolling

February 2, 2017 by TRU Community Care

For Immediate Release: February 2, 2017

Contact:
Leslie Mader, TRU PACE Outreach & Enrollment Manager
lesliemader@trucare.org

(Lafayette, CO) – TRU Community Care, a nonprofit organization providing hospice and supportive services to the Boulder and surrounding communities, announces enrollment is now open for its new TRU PACE program. PACE stands for Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. Designed for seniors who would otherwise need nursing-home-level care, the TRU PACE model helps seniors live in their communities for as long as possible.

TRU PACE is a Medicare/Medicaid covered program serving seniors 55 years and older who reside in Boulder and southwest Weld counties. Services include coordinated healthcare services and support; a day program, social activities, and physical therapy; and transportation to and from the TRU PACE facility provided by Via.

TRU PACE will help participants and their families navigate the complicated issues associated with aging.

Referral sources and the community can call 303.665.0115 or email pace@trucare.org to speak with an enrollment specialist. Qualified participants will begin TRU PACE services with a target start date of March 1, 2017.

About TRU Community Care

TRU Community Care provides end-of-life hospice and palliative care as well as grief services to those residing in Boulder, Broomfield, Adams, Jefferson, and southwest Weld counties. TRU now offers TRU PACE, a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, which serves frail seniors in Boulder and southwest Weld Counties. TRU Hospice of Northern Colorado serves Greeley and extends to Weld and Larimer counties. Additional services include grief support groups, which are available to anyone in the community free of charge. It is a privilege for us to help those who are grieving regain their balance and resume healthy living. Grief groups include adult, teen, and child as well as equine therapy. At TRU Community Care, we add life to days, because that’s what TRUly matters. The sooner you call, the more we can help – 303.442.0961 or visit trucare.org.

How Does Hospice Add to Life?

January 27, 2017 by TRU Community Care

MYTH: People on hospice are in bed, waiting to die.
FACT: Hospice enables special moments and memories at the end of a life that would otherwise not happen.

Our patient Tom called hospice because he wanted to live happily and with dignity, restoring a quality of life that he would have otherwise lost to invasive treatments and surgeries. When Tom’s needs were too much to handle at home, he moved to the TRU inpatient care center, where our staff made sure Laura was comfortable, too. They arranged Tom in his bed and made room so she could slip in beside him. Suddenly this man, who had been so strong, was vulnerable. Staff could see that and were responsive to his pain and to the myriad emotions Laura was feeling, too.

Read about another special moment – a wedding at the TRU Care Center!

To learn more about what TRU Community Care can do for you and your family, call 303.442.0961 or visit trucare.org.

TRU PACE to Host Project Visibility Training

January 24, 2017 by TRU Community Care

What is Project Visibility?

An award-winning film that showcases the lives of area lesbian, gay and transgender elders, accompanied by a discussion of steps service providers can take to ensure culturally competent service to this often invisible population.

Why a training on LGBT elders?

Through a series of focus groups, LGBT elders in Boulder County expressed uncertainty about what to do should they need services. They were concerned about whether they could be “out” in local care facilities, and wondered if staff knew anything about an LGBT life experience. Project Visibility was born of those talks in 2004.

Participants will leave the training with:

A new understanding of the history, strengths and needs of LGBT elders
Tools for open, inclusive communication
Practical, problem-solving experience
An action plan of simple and necessary changes to indicate that a service or agency is safe and
welcoming
A comprehensive 50-page guidebook

Training Info

This is a FREE training for service providers. Seating is limited. Register early!

To register: Please visit Eventbrite.

When: Thursday, March 30 from 2:00 – 5:00 pm

Where: TRU PACE located at 2593 Park Lane in Lafayette, CO

Cost: Free of charge, though advance registration is required

Presented by: Ash Bell, Project Visibility Trainer, Boulder County Area Agency on Aging

Conducted by Boulder County Area Agency on Aging with support from Aging Services Foundation of Boulder County and sponsored by TRU PACE.

Savvy Caregiver Group Begins in April

January 23, 2017 by TRU Community Care

Are you a caregiver who wants to better understand dementia, increase your confidence, and reduce the adverse effects of caregiving? The Longmont Senior Center can help! This FREE 6-week course is led by Jessica O’Leary, MA, a gerontologist and specialist in dementia.

Please note: this course is for those caring for a friend or loved one and is not for professional caregivers. It also is for caregivers of those with early or mid-stage dementia.

When: Wednesdays 6 – 8 pm from April 5 thru May 10

Where: Longmont Senior Center located at 910 Longs Peak Ave in Longmont, CO

Advanced registration required! Beginning Feb. 13 please call 303.651.8411

When Does Hospice Care End?

January 20, 2017 by TRU Community Care

MYTH: Hospice care ends when someone dies.
FACT: Hospice organizations offer bereavement services for all ages.

Hospice counseling services that deal specifically with grief and coping after the loss of a loved one are available at no cost for up to a year after someone dies. For example, TRU Community Care patient Tom’s wife, Laura, credits hospice as something that she and her family can always look back and reflect on in a positive way. “TRU’s grief counselor helped me heal immensely during such a difficult time.”

Check out more hospice myths and facts.

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MYTH: People on hospice are in bed, waiting to die. FACT: Hospice enables special moments and memories at the end of a life that would otherwise not happen.