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QC12032015

FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com december 3, 2015 • HEALTH • The Queens Courier 17 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITES COMMUNITY HOSPICE NURSES (RN) MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS (LMSW/LCSW) Bilingual English/Spanish; English/Mandarin; English/Cantonese. Reliable automobile & valid driver’s license are preferred. Competitive compensation and benefits package. Hospice of New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer. FORWARD RESUME TO: JUDITH GAYLE judith.gayle@hospiceny.com or Fax: 718.784.1413 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITES Come Make a Difference New training groups each month! Patient Care Volunteers Support patients and their loved ones in your community Bereavement Volunteers Support families who have lost a loved one Administrative Volunteers Administrative Voluteers Assist personnel in our Long Island City office NASSAU & QUEENS Contact Angela Purpura angela.purpura@hospiceny.com or 516.222.1211 MANHATTAN, THE BRONX & BROOKLYN Contact Sandra Nielsen sandra.nielsen@hospiceny.com or 718.472.1999 BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES Free bereavement support services for adults who have had a loss (Loved one is not required to have had hospice care) Contact our Bereavement Department at 347.226.4823 Knitting for Hospice By John Diaz-Chermack October 16, 2015 Nothing says comfort like a soft, warm fuzzy handmade afghan. And for the past eight years four local knitting groups have been diligently knitting and crocheting one-of-a-kind works of art to comfort patients and families facing the final stages of life-threatening illnesses. Angela Purpura and Sandra Nielsen have been coordinating volunteer efforts for Hospice of New York, which has been serving New Yorkers who are dealing with death and dying since 1997. Angela and Sandra report that these crafty knitters have supplied hundreds of comforting afghans to hospice patients since the effort began in 2007. It all started with one patient whose father was cared for by Hospice of New York. She knitted the first comforter given to a hospice patient. It was so much appreciated by the patient and cherished as a keepsake by the family after the patient had died that this began a whole new way for volunteers to aid hospice patients. While the most requested item is overwhelmingly afghans, knitters have provided lap blankets (great for those in a wheelchair!) hats and shawls all of which keep patients warm and comfy at this critical time in their lives. Hospice Nurse and Patient Care Coordinator Doreen Germain commented, “I’ve never seen a bigger smile on my patient’s face than when I gave her the afghan.” And Hospice Chaplain Fr. Hyacynth wrote to the knitters, stating, “Thank you for your time, energy and resources spent on these beautiful blankets. Your generous hearts, minds and hands put unbelievable smiles on the faces of our brothers and sisters who are sick!” The only problem with the knit goods donation program is that the number of patients in need of these afghans far exceeds the supply. If you or someone you know would like to put your handicraft to work to help comfort those facing the end of life, please contact Hospice of New York’s Volunteer Department: • Angela Purpura: (Nassau and Queens) angela.purpura@ hospice.nyc 347-226-4801 • Sandra Nielsen: (Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan) sandra.nielsen@hospice.nyc 347-226-4821 Angela and Sandra folding newly donated afghans If you’d like to help but do not knit, you can donate yarn to the knitters’ groups already making these woolen treasures. Hospice is also in need of volunteers to visit patients in their homes or in the in-patient setting, or to assist with administrative tasks in the office. The universal response from hospice volunteers is that they find the experience so rewarding it almost feels like the patients help them just as much as they help the patients!


QC12032015
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