Community

Volunteer Sue Samuels and Ginger the Golden Doodle

November 21, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

Volunteer, Sue Samuels, has been volunteering with TRU Community Care for around ten years. She has volunteered with various programs such as Comfort Touch, 11th-hour, and Pet Therapy visits, which support individuals in their final moments struggling with illness.

Sue’s golden doodle, Ginger, visits the Care Center every Monday. Ginger is a specially trained therapy dog and one of many that visit the Care Center in rotation. A TRU Care Center nurse had asked Sue and Ginger to visit a patient who was showing signs of actively passing and had been unconscious for a few days. Sadly, the woman’s sister had arrived after the patient was no longer conscious, but was present for Ginger’s arrival and pet therapy visit.

Ginger was brought around the patient’s bed and near her side by Sue. She placed the patient’s hand on Ginger’s head for comfort and then heard an audible gasp by the patient. The patient’s eyes opened and she asked for water and a cup of coffee! From this point, the patient asked to go to the bathroom and was assisted to walk. She was conscious for two more days while she and her sister visited until her last breath.

One of Sue’s favorite parts of volunteering with TRU Community Care is being able to support individuals in their final hours. The additional support to the patients and their families is what sets TRU Community Care apart from other hospice care centers. This is one of those stories that we strive for and hope for, to bring people together in life’s most vulnerable moments, and we are thankful for all of our volunteers who support this vision.

To learn more about our programs and volunteering, please visit trucare.org/volunteer for more information.

TRU Thrift Shop Moment Brings TRU’s Mission Full Circle

October 10, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

With the large range of services offered by TRU, our programs often affect one another and are integral components in cultivating the community of TRU Community Care. All of our services are created to support families and individuals in our community who are coping with illness and loss. Even our TRU Thrift Shop began with the hopes of providing an outlet for people to give and receive one-of-a-kind items that someone once held dear.

It is not every day that TRU Thrift Shop stories come full-circle back to the mission of TRU Community Care, but recently, a customer saw a beautiful, affordable dining room table that she knew her friend would love. She quickly messaged her friend, Anne, and had her come to the shop to check it out. With no idea that TRU Thrift Shop existed, she came in to see the table, immediately fell in love, and bought it on the spot!

At that moment, Anne looked up, saw the TRU Thrift Shop logo, and realized that it was a part of TRU Community Care. She could not believe it! Anne’s father, Gary, received TRU Hospice Care for 6 months, and that day was the one year anniversary of her father’s passing. Her whole family had benefited from the services TRU Community Care provided. When her father passed, Anne participated in an 8-week grief support group through TRU Grief Services.

In Anne’s words, “it was such a meaningful moment when I found that table on the anniversary of my father’s passing. I felt so close to my dad and his memory on that day.” These are the heartfelt moments we are honored to take part in through life’s ups and downs. It was truly a one-of-a-kind moment that connected TRU Thrift Shop with TRU Hospice and TRU Grief Support services. And like all TRU Thrift Shop sales, Anne’s purchase will help support other families in need of TRU’s care.

To learn more about TRU Community Care’s services, please visit https://www.trucare.org/our-services/.

To learn more about TRU Thrift Shop, please visit https://www.trucare.org/truthriftshop/.

2018 Annual Report Now Available

August 21, 2019 by TRU Community Care

TRU Community Care is pleased to share with you our 2018 Annual Report. This publication captures TRU’s 2018 accomplishments and milestones, and it highlights how our staff and volunteers support our community members throughout their journeys with illness and loss. We appreciate this opportunity to reflect on our impact and hope that you enjoy the information and stories we have compiled.

We invite you to view our 2018 journey where you will learn more about:

TRU programs and history
Stories highlighting powerful TRU moments
Financial summaries
Details about TRU’s Veteran program
Impact of TRU volunteers
TRU Thrift Shop’s new look
Event recaps and few dates to save for 2019

From all of us at TRU, we offer you sincere thanks for being a part of our community.

Please consider making a donation today in support of our work!

To read more by TRU Community Care, please visit https://www.trucare.org/blog.

View Annual Report

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Veteran Pinning – Arthur Sidney Roberts

July 31, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

Arthur Sidney Roberts served in the United States Navy for four years on an oil tanker during the Korean War. One of his fondest memories while in service, Art (as he prefers to be called), traveled to Australia and visited Christ Church during the same time period that President Eisenhower was touring the island nation. To this day, Art still brags how he has been to both poles while serving his country.

As an ordained minister, Art had the honor of presiding over his granddaughter’s wedding last month, just days after being diagnosed with ALS. He represents America with a love of family, country, and baseball. In fact, Art played on a softball league at 83 years old until this past March. He finished his softball season allowing only one walk as a pitcher.

Art’s family gathered on Sunday, July 21st, 2019 to celebrate his 84th birthday and to honor his service in the U.S. Navy with a veteran pinning ceremony. His home in Longmont, Colorado was filled with his family and friends as the TRU Community Care team arrived and prepared for the ceremony.

TRU volunteer and fellow veteran of the Korean War, John Franko, began the ceremony with an introduction paying tribute to Art’s service in the military. Art’s loved ones watched as he received his pin and honorary military salute.

There was a depth of reverence for the sacrifices made by these men, seemingly strangers but brought together by a common thread, their service to our country. John continued the ceremony by giving Art a star saved from a retired American flag that is given only to military veterans and first responders stating,

“I am part of our American flag that has flown over the United States. I can no longer fly, the sun has caused me to be tattered and torn. Please carry me as a reminder that you are not forgotten”.

Arthur was filled with deep gratitude, mutual respect, and joy in response to the ceremony. You couldn’t help but perceive the profound and wholehearted life in service to others that Art has lived and carries with him through his family.

TRU Community Care offers and produces Veteran Pinning Ceremonies to honor their service to the United States Military. Veterans, who are near the end of their life, share their experiences both leading up to and during the ceremony. The retelling of stories is an important part of what TRU Community Care offers to individuals nearing the end of their life.

To read more by TRU Community Care, please visit https://www.trucare.org/blog.

Compassionate Care

July 19, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

TRU Community Care provides services that affirm life at every step of your journey with illness and loss. Often times it is not an easy task to know which service will best support you and your loved one’s needs. TRU is devoted to providing not only excellent care but also the consultation needed to choose the best service possible.

Jennifer (Nurse Practitioner), Michael (Patient Care Consultant), and Cynthia (Palliative Nurse), and Chad (Director of Access and Palliative Services), among other TRU Community Care employees, recently had the opportunity to assist a couple through their decision over whether palliative care or hospice care would be the right choice for the husband. At an already challenging time, the couple was actually homeless when the husband was referred to TRU Palliative Care. He was considering his options and trying to decide if he wanted to continue to seek treatment, wavering back and forth between palliative care and hospice.

The TRU team collaborated to find ways to best serve this patient and his wife. They spent hours working on identifying resources to help the couple get back on their feet and make the best choice possible. During this time, the patient made the decision to be admitted to hospice the following Sunday.

The team worked hard to provide the additional support needed to give the patient a few more days to connect with resources to find a permanent housing solution. This enabled the couple the time and space to make the decision between admitting him to TRU Palliative Care versus TRU Hospice Care without the additional burden and concern for housing.

Chad, Director of Access and Palliative Services, relayed the story, concluding, “Ultimately, the patient decided on Sunday that he still wanted to seek treatment and enrolled with TRU Palliative Care. We look forward to continuing to serve him and his family.”

At TRU Community Care, we pride ourselves in engaging our communities with innovative, resourceful, and meaningful care for those living with illness and loss. We are a Colorado-licensed, Medicare and Medicaid-certified, nonprofit health care organization serving the greater Boulder, Broomfield, Adams, Jefferson, and Weld Counties.

Learn more about TRU Services by visiting our website at https://www.trucare.org/our-services/.

Read more TRU Community Care blog posts at https://www.trucare.org/blog/.

TRU PACE Time Capsule

July 5, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

TRU PACE Staff Member with TRU PACE Participant

TRU PACE (Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) serves individuals 55 and older from all walks of life. This innovative program not only supports the physical and mental health of the participants, but also provides an uplifting, fun, and broad community in which the participants find meaningful daily interactions that serve the community as a whole. Staff members continuously identify activities and events that serve the participants on a deep level.

Jill Bilek (PACE Recreational Therapist) and the TRU PACE team have been searching for an activity that encourages the participants’ outlook for the future while reflecting on their past. Ultimately, they wanted to continue with the legacy of the PACE participants. After spending some time researching, Jill arrived at the idea of a time capsule box she saw on Pinterest. The team ordered a simple box that could be decorated by a fellow participant artist and planned out the items the participants would consider using for the ceremony.

Many participants brought trinkets that held individual value and meaning, while others drew pictures and brought photographs of their loved ones. One participant brought his favorite keychain from Boston, where he had grown up. For those who needed assistance processing what to memorialize, Jill found a helpful questionnaire from which the participants could choose writing topics such as: who they are, where they are from, or a letter to their future selves. Some participants wanted more wealth in the future or better health, while others admitted they were not “grown-up” yet.

The ceremony took place in the labyrinth near the TRU PACE building. Jill lined the box in the local newspaper on the day they buried the box, June 17th, 2019. A participant who was a pastor said a prayer of blessing for the participants, their memories, and the occasion. Many of the participants are unsure if they will have the chance to unearth the time capsule. With an acute awareness of how precious time can be, Jill made the date for retrieving the box two years hence, June 17th, 2021.

Memory and memorializing what people hold dear is important as it allows individuals to process their lives and the emotions that simple things can evoke. It is a healthy process emotionally and physically for anyone, at any stage in life. Whether you are a volunteer, staff member, family member, or supporter, the life and health of the TRU PACE community are tangible. TRU PACE reminds us how full life can be, at every stage, through these stories and memories.

Check out pace.trucare.org to learn more about TRU PACE.

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Thrift with a Mission

June 6, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

Infectious joy. Those are the two words that people frequently use to describe the atmosphere at TRU Thrift and the volunteers who work there. And it has the ability to impact anyone who steps foot into the store.

Mary Scripter has been volunteering with TRU Thrift for over three years. She helps with everything from organizing the literacy section to working the register. She even helped start the TRU Thrift Online Amazon Bookstore. She loves volunteering with TRU Thrift because of their mission — and the first look at all of the items coming in the door doesn’t hurt either.

Originally from South Dakota, Mary went to college in Wyoming and has lived in Colorado since 1971. She has been volunteering with hospices across Colorado since ‘76. She started her volunteering in Colorado Springs, until she found TRU Community Care.

Mary began working with hospice communities because of her experience through her sister’s death.

“When you’ve been helped by a hospice, you want to give back.” Mary tells us. “TRU Community Care has such a wonderful community, who donate furniture and goods to TRU Thrift.”

She understands that when people go through the death of a loved one, they want to give back and support others who are going through a similar experience. Mary’s favorite section is in the book stacks. There are days that she organizes 100’s of donated books.

Mary loves to organize and research the books for their value. If at any time you find yourself at TRU Thrift, check out their amazing book section. You may even find Mary there to help you support your efforts in finding the perfect summer read or even a treasure.

In the words of TRU Thrift’s Store Manager, Lynn McCullough, “Shopping at the TRU Hospice Thrift Shop can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Who doesn’t love the hunt for a bargain?”. Merchandise includes high-end furniture at reasonable prices, gently worn clothing from designer to basics, jewelry, collectibles, art, books, sporting equipment, housewares, and more.

TRU Community Care Brings Renowned TED Talk and Expert Dr. Timothy Ihrig to Boulder

September 6, 2017 by TRU Community Care

For Immediate Release – August 24, 2017

Featured speaker Dr. Timothy G. Ihrig

(Lafayette, CO) – TRU Community Care, founded as Boulder County Hospice in 1976, is proud to present Transcending the Norm—New Thoughts on Caring for Our Community, a symposium October 10-11 featuring keynote speaker Dr. Timothy G. Ihrig. Ihrig’s TED Talk, What We Can Do to Die Well, has been viewed more than one million times.

At this two-day event, attendees will hear from experts in palliative and hospice medicine about the future of health care and what we can do to provide the best outcomes for patients, particularly the elderly. Topics may include: paving the way for palliative partner relationships; practical approaches for moving care upstream; PACE and population health—keys to reaching underserved seniors; and palliative care’s place in advocating for our elders.

When asked about end of life, Dr. Ihrig said,

“Palliative medicine is the answer to engage with human beings, to change the journey that we will all face, and change it for the better.

Join TRU Community Care and Academy Senior Living for this timely and important educational opportunity. Community members, health care providers, partners of hospice, PACE and palliative care and those curious about how to live their best in the last years of life are welcome to attend.

For more information and to purchase tickets to the October 11 day of learning, please visit bit.ly/trusymposium.

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. 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 PACE Social Worker Honors Boulder Senior Reach Program

July 6, 2017 by TRU Community Care

In honor of Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, TRU PACE social worker Leslee Hecht recognized Boulder Senior Reach employees Jenifer Fischer and Janaki LeFils for their valuable contributions and concern for the well-being of elders in our community.

Boulder Senior Reach social workers Janaki LeFils and Jenifer Fischer receive their awards from TRU PACE social worker Leslee Hecht on
Elder Abuse Awareness Day June 15.

Here is Leslee’s story.

I nominated the Boulder Senior Reach Program because I learned about this tiny gem when I worked alongside their dynamic staff for a year at Mental Health Partners. I met with them again when I moved to TRU PACE and invited them to tour our center for a new resource for their clients, and more recently, when they referred a prospective participant to TRU PACE.

Senior Reach is a home-based support service that reaches out to our county’s most vulnerable elderly residents, including those in isolated mountain communities and those in rural areas, downtown Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette, and other urban areas.

Often, these folks have the added challenges of behavioral health concerns as well as fixed income and lack of resources. Senior Reach offers home visits to provide brief counseling, support services and referral to resources to assist seniors to remain in the community and improve their lives and psychological functioning.

At a training last year I learned about their role in helping to expose a financial exploitation scheme targeting vulnerable adults and their work with the District Attorney to prosecute the perpetrators who preyed on these trusting elders.

In my work at PACE, they referred a struggling couple who were isolated with only meager in-home support to combat their medical challenges and increasing depression.

Senior Reach meets these clients where they are, accepting their choices about how they want to live but offering many resources and supports they may be unaware of to improve their lives and help them function in the challenging world they face now.

Many of these folks have no family, or no one close by, and have outlived their friends and loved ones, which make them vulnerable to those who could take advantage of their situation. The Senior Reach staff are often called angels, and I would agree their work is heroic and often stems the tide of abuse and neglect in the home.

TRU Colors Art Sale to Benefit TRU Hospice

June 8, 2017 by TRU Community Care

For Immediate Release:

(Boulder, CO) – TRU Hospice Thrift Shop, located at 5565 Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder, is collaborating with Mary Williams Fine Arts at 5311 Western Avenue in Boulder to offer “TRU Colors Art Sale” from June 26-30, 2017. Opening night is Friday, June 23^rd and will include a reception with refreshments, best selection on limited-edition prints and original works of art, and door prizes.

Using donations of wall art, sculptures, and blown glass from the thrift shop and community at large, art enthusiasts can add to their collection. The professionally vetted art will be sold with 100% of the proceeds benefiting TRU Hospice.

A limited-edition print by popular culture icon and artist Peter Max will be one of the featured pieces in the sale. His bold colors, uplifting images and an uncommon artistic diversity have touched almost every phase of American culture and inspired many generations. Max’s signature style of cosmic characters meticulously painted against bold, vibrant colors was among the most influential graphic sources of the 1960s.

Peter Max, Zero in Love, limited-edition print circa 1979

For more information on how to shop this sale for the newest addition to your collection, contact TRU Community Care’s Office of Philanthropic Services at 303.604.5358.

Volunteers at the TRU Hospice Thrift Shop work to identify items for eBay that attract a higher price than items in the shop. Dan Gleeson, former art teacher at Boulder High School observes, “We are amazed at the quality of the items donated to benefit the work of TRU Hospice. I’m so excited to pull together a collection for sale at Mary Williams Fine Arts—it will be a great opportunity for us.”

TRU Hospice Thrift Shop opened in 2005 to offer a depository for estate items to help families who have lost a loved one. When families feel burdened by possessions, it’s a gift to have TRU Hospice help find a new home for the furniture and household goods. Collectibles, books, furniture, art, and sporting goods, among other contributions, are accepted daily at the shop in east Boulder.

TRU Hospice Thrift Shop seeks volunteers for 4-hour shifts each week. More than 100 volunteers offer their services to the shop and find a great sense of community in the work. Carol Thompson, Volunteer Coordinator adds, “We are a warm, friendly place to give back to our community and have fun at the same time.” Call Carol at 303.605.5353 to learn more about volunteer opportunities.

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. 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.

Contact:
Annette Mainland,
TRU Community Care
303.604.5261
annettemainland@trucare.org