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Spring 2017Volume 8, Issue 1
In this issue:
1 Greetings from Wendell Oman
1 Grace Notes
2 Advanced care planning: • Ease angst in a time of crisis• Paperwork can start the
conversation• Decide on participants
3 ACMC among 8 best!
3 Hospice Corner
4 Safety in spring
4 Family medical emergencies: Helping kids learn how to respond
4 Spring prayer
5 Spring safety:• It’s time to ride!• Learn to swim!• Is the five-second rule true?
Office for Mission &Spiritual Care
The Office for Mission & Spiritual Care provides spiritual care for patients, their families and associates 24 hours a day every day of the year. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. To contact us, call 708.684.5175. Evenings and weekends, ask for the paging operator and request #7729 for the house chaplain or #2299 for the emergency department chaplain.
Bridges to Our Faith CommunitiesConnections
Also in this issue:News from
AdvocateChildren’s Hospital
It is up to us to live up to the legacy that was left for us and to leave a legacy that is worthy of our children and of future generations.
Christine Gregoire
What legacy are you hoping to leave for future generations?
Grace Notes are readings, poems or quotes from a variety of faith traditions and writers. Each reflection tries to touch on the heart of being human in this world. To receive Grace Notes five or
seven days a week, please click here or contact [email protected] .
Grace Notes
Ahhh! It’s spring at last!Welcome to spring! Though the weather in the Chicago metro area can be unpredictable this time of year, I know that we are all looking forward to warmer days ahead.
In this issue of Connections, we highlight a recent achievement by Advocate Christ Medical Center in the area of heart-transplant surgery, as well as the importance of Advanced Care Planning. Our hospital has once again been recognized for excellence in transplant outcomes and is the only hospital in the Chicago area to receive this honor.
We also focus this month on the importance of advanced care planning for potential medical emergencies and serious illnesses. Few people meet with family members to discuss their wishes for care during a medical crisis, and this lack of communication can create additional stress for everyone involved when a crisis happens. We offer ideas for how you as a faith leader can help families take this important step – before a critical situation.
Finally, our Children’s Connections offers some timely information about preparing children for family medical emergencies, the truth about the “five second rule” and a reminder about scheduling swimming classes for toddlers and children before the start of summer.
Our staff in the Office of Spiritual Care wishes you and your congregation a happy, healthy and fulfilling spring. May it be full of wonder, love and joyful community.
Rev. Wendell OmanVice President, Office for Mission & Spiritual Care
Connections - Advocate Christ Medical Center Office for Mission and Spiritual Care Spring 2017 - Page 2
Advanced care planningEase angst in a time of crisis. Seventy percent of Americans have not sat down with family members for an advanced care plan meeting. In this discussion, an individual expresses to family members how he/she wishes to be treated in a health crisis and then puts these wishes into writing.
People often avoid such a meeting because they are in good health and they, along with their loved ones, may be uncomfortable discussing such a somber issue. But as Donna Parris, Manager of Care Management at Advocate Sherman Hospital, notes, avoiding this discussion can create significant tumult within a family: “Advanced care planning (ACP) is very important, as too often, patients and their families find themselves in a healthcare crisis where the patient can no longer voice his/her health care choice. The family member is left in a quandary not knowing what the patient’s preference would be especially as it relates to end of life issues.”
As a faith leader, you are in a unique position to guide family members when making decisions about health crises and
end-of-life care. You can provide encouragement to congregants who realize the importance of advanced care planning but who may be reluctant to broach the discussion with their spouses or other loved ones.
You will also be able to assist congregants in crafting a plan that takes into consideration the ethical parameters of your shared faith tradition. Doing this helps ensure that the spiritual needs of your congregation and their families are met even at the end of life or during stressful medical situations.
Paperwork can start the conversation. One option is to use legal forms as a discussion starter and guide. A faith leader may begin by explaining that the two most commonly used forms, the living will and the health care power of attorney, address specific ACP concerns in situations where one is unable to make decisions for himself. The living will contains one’s wishes regarding treatments that could delay his death. The health care power of attorney allows one to name someone who will make health care decisions for him in the event he is unable to speak for himself. If you have such a meeting or hold an ACP class, work through each form, answering questions and explaining along the way.
By letting the forms serve as a facilitator for a discussion, you can address necessary concerns, stay on topic and provide a gentle opening for loved ones to offer questions and voice their feelings, desires and needs. Encourage families to complete the forms together, allowing everyone present to have a chance to have his/her voice heard.
Decide on participants. Some of your faith members may delay having an ACP meeting because they are unsure about who they want to have present. This may be because of challenging family dynamics or because the member has no living family members. If you are called upon to assist in preparation for an ACP meeting, here are some suggestions that you could make regarding who should attend:
Immediate family members: In most cases, it makes sense to include immediate family members in the meeting. In situations where relationships are strained or your congregant is aware that a family member is unlikely to support the plan, he/she may have to be more selective about who attends.
Close friends: If your congregant has no family or none who is willing to take responsibility for making medical decisions, your congregant may wish to ask a close friend to attend the meeting and, if appropriate, serve as the health care surrogate in case the congregant can no longer make his/her own decisions.
A lawyer: Lawyers aren’t necessary for drawing up ACP forms, though these forms do need to be signed by witnesses. Still, having a lawyer present can be helpful if the congregant has complicated estate issues, significant family conflict or has no friend or family member to act as surrogate.
Clergy: Either you or another faith leader who understands your faith tradition’s ethical precepts on end-of-life issues might be a welcome addition to the meeting. The congregant may need and appreciate pastoral guidance at this time.
LawyerFriends
Family Clergy
?
Connections - Advocate Christ Medical Center Office for Mission and Spiritual Care Spring 2017 - Page 3
Advocate Christ Medical Center4440 West 95th Street, Oak Lawn, IL 60453 708.684.8000
Staff ChaplainsRefat Abukhdeir, MuslimCarla Banks, United Church of ChristMary Anne Cannon, Roman CatholicIulian Costea, PentecostalDenise Duncan, United Church of ChristFr. Casimir Eke, Roman CatholicRichard James, Southern BaptistSheila Reed, American BaptistDavid Safeblade, United Church of ChristKellie Tracz, PresbyterianBetty Vander Laan, Christian Reformed
Clinical Pastoral Education SupervisorsChristy Howard-Steele, Christian, ACPE Supervisory CandidateLaura Kaufmann, Roman Catholic, ACPE SupervisorAngie Keith, Pentecostal ACPE, Associate Supervisor
Chaplain ResidentsJulian A. Bond, BaptistValerie D. Cheairs, Non-DenominationSolveiga Palionis, Roman CatholicChristine Salser, ELCA
Secretarial StaffDenetrice Theard-Sanders, 708.684.4189
Administrative Assistant IIJacquelyn Gordon, Coordinator, Faith Health Partnerships
Administrative StaffCorky DeBoer, Christian Reformed
Manager of Spiritual Services, ACPE SupervisorWendell Oman, Evangelical Free Church of America
Vice-President, Mission & Spiritual Care
To subscribe to Connections, call 708.684.5175 or email [email protected] with your name and email address. You’ll receive an electronic edition of Connections every three months.
To continue receiving Connections, your email address must be current. Please inform us of any changes of email address or other contact information. Email [email protected] or call 708.684.5175.
Service of RemembranceRichard & Wilma Molenhouse Chapel
Advocate Christ Medical CenterOak Lawn
Sun., May 21, 4 p.m.
A special memorial service will be held for the hospice and patient families of Advocate Christ Medical Center who have recently lost a loved one. Christ Mission & Spiritual Care and Advocate Hospice join together in leading this service of prayers and readings as a comfort for the families they serve. For more information, contact Penelope Gabriele at 630.829.1753.
The next service will be Aug. 13.
Hospice CornerAdvocate Christ Medical Center cited
as one of the eight best heart transplant centers in the U.S.
Becker’s Hospital Review has cited Advocate Christ Medical Center as having one of the best heart-transplant patient outcomes in the country. ACMC is one of only eight hospitals
nation-wide and the only Chicago-area hospital included in this list.
“These quality outcomes are the result of teamwork and
collaboration between the patient, the patient’s family members, the surgeons, anesthesiologists,
cardiologists, nurses and the entire transplant team,” said
Pat Pappas, MD, FACS, FACCP, Medical Director and heart
transplant surgeon, Advocate Heart Institute at Christ Medical Center. “I am
incredibly humbled by the faith and trust our patients have for our multidisciplinary team and their continued fight for life until a heart becomes available. We are honored to be part of their journey before, during and after heart transplantation.”
As an area faith leader, you may come into contact with individuals who will require heart surgery. If they will be receiving their care at Christ Medical Center, you can assure them and their loved ones that the care that they will receive is some of the best that can be had anywhere.
ACMC
among 8
best!
Connections - Advocate Christ Medical Center Office for Mission and Spiritual Care Spring 2017 - Page 4
Dear Giver of Care,
I hope that this issue of Connections finds you and your faith community enjoying the season of spring. For many of us, this is a season of renewal. Families with children, in particular, may be excited about the approaching end of the school year and the promise of summer fun just around the corner.
With all the activity that the warmer months bring, it’s also important to be mindful of personal safety. We’ve included some information on several issues that affect all families, particularly in the warmer months when concern about water safety, bicycle safety and food contamination are more prevalent.
We at Advocate Children’s Hospital remain steadfast in our commitment to providing quality healthcare for children, as well as support for their families. We likewise appreciate the work that you do in caring for members of your faith community. Please accept our wishes for a marvelous spring.
Peace and blessings, Rev. Stacey Jutila
Vice President Mission & Spiritual Care
Safety in spring
Family medical emergencies: Helping kids learn how to respond
Last December seven-year-old Romeo Holland noticed that there was something wrong with his mother. He immediately ran for his grandmother, and the two of them used their in-house emergency response button to get help. Romeo also spoke to the dispatcher and was able to get his mother lifesaving treatment for what turned out to be a stroke.
This Oak Lawn boy is a hero for recognizing that his mother wasn’t well, keeping his cool and knowing how to get help.
If something like this were to happen in the home of a member of your congregation, would the children know what to do?
In a family medical emergency, seconds can make the difference between outcomes. Encourage families in your congregation to help their kids learn how to use 911 or a home security system to get help.
One option for educating families and children on how to handle an emergency is to contact the community outreach departments of your local fire department. Ask them to visit your faith community to discuss basic household safety precautions and to prepare children for a possible emergency.
Teachers and youth ministers can also reinforce family safety preparation through role play and discussion. If there is enough interest, your congregation could even host first aid and CPR training for older children, youth, and adults.
Dear God,
In this season of renewal, let us turn to You with fresh eyes, seeing your beauty and bounty.
Be with us as we spring forward into the warmth of your generous love.
Amen
Summer safety:★ On bikes★ In the water★ 5-second rule
Connections - Advocate Christ Medical Center Office for Mission and Spiritual Care Spring 2017 - Page 5
It’s time to ride!Bike riding is a great way to get exercise in spring, breathe in fresh air and connect with your family and friends. But before you hit the road, remember to follow these safety tips:
✦ Always wear a properly fitting bike helmet to reduce risk of serious head injury.
✦ Wear bright clothing that won’t get caught in the bike chain.
✦ Check that your bike is well maintained and working safely.
✦ Follow the rules of the road. Bicyclists are required to follow the same rules of the road as drivers must.
Click here for more information about bike safety! We also provide online eBooks with parenting and safety information for families. Advocate Children’s Hospital sells low-cost bicycle helmets and offers free custom helmet fittings. Click here for more information, or call Advocate Children’s Health Resource Centers. In Oak Lawn: 708.684.3225; in Park Ridge: 847.723.9484. For Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Trauma Services call 847.723.6522. Then press #1.
Learn to swim!Spring is here, and soon pools and beaches will be open for summer fun. This is also a great time for parents to look into swimming classes for their young children.
As a faith leader, you have the opportunity to encourage members of your congregation to sign up for classes early, while there is still space available.
The American Academy of Pediatrics states that children can safely begin swim classes at the age of one. While this may sound very early, some experts believe that there are advantages to taking lessons at a young age. Since classes for babies and young toddlers require a parent to accompany a child in the water, parents also have the opportunity to learn about water safety directly from swim instructors.
Early swimming lessons may also be important for children who grow up near or around water. For example, a child who lives near water, such as a pool or lake, should begin lessons early. Even very young children can learn to float, an important survival skill.
Is the five-second rule true?Nobody likes to waste food, so it’s not surprising that most of us grew up with the “five-second rule” which states that it is okay to eat dropped food as long as it was on the floor for less than five seconds.
The idea behind this rule is straightforward: If a piece of food is on the floor for less than five seconds, it is unlikely to become contaminated with bacteria and is still safe to eat. Unfortunately, it turns out that this “rule” is based on faulty information.
According to Dr. Catherine Creticos, an infectious disease specialist at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, bacteria can transfer to food as soon as the food comes in contact with the floor. There is no grace period. When food falls, assume that bacteria transfer has already occurred.
In faith communities, shared meals and snacks are commonplace. To be safe, quickly dispose of food that falls on the floor and help the child or adult get another serving.
Advocate Children’s Hospital – Oak Lawn4440 West 95th St., Oak Lawn, IL 60453
Advocate Children’s Hospital – Park Ridge1675 Dempster St., Park Ridge, IL 60068
1.855.312.KIDSStaff:
Stacey Jutila, BCC, Vice President, Mission and Spiritual Care Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Carol Stephens, BCC, Staff Chaplain and Pediatric Bereavement Coordinator, United Church of Christ
Tracy Nolan, Staff Chaplain, United Church of Christ
Staycie Flint, BCC, Staff Chaplain, EpiscopalEliza Stoddard Leatherberry BCC, Staff
Chaplain, United Church of ChristLoretta Ransberg, Staff Chaplain and Pediatric
Bereavement Coordinator, MUM,MCS, Victory Apostolic Church
Rev. Megan Daley-Jones Staff Chaplain, United Church of Christ
Administrative:Marybeth Schmalz, Administrative Assistant
