Letters to the Editor -- Feb. 15, 2019

Dear Tribal members:

I am writing this letter as a “shoutout” to the amazing health care facilities, services and staff and what we witnessed.

It’s easy to take the benefits we have available to us for granted and not truly appreciate what we have. We recently lost our dear, sweet Gladys Bolton, “Sis” to everyone in her family and staff at Cougar Lodge, but also a sweet and loving partner to my father, Herman Hudson, “Junior” to many.

My husband George and I, my son Kirk Delaurenti and his love Diana Traverso witnessed something that we are still talking about today.

Not only was everyone there beyond friendly, but there really is no true way to describe how everyone opened their hearts and tried to make everyone comfortable and comforted through the process of her last days.

There was constantly food to eat, coffee and water to drink, and kind hearts from everyone there to listen and comfort and advise on what the final process would be. The facility is so clean, welcoming and open to the ability to mingle with others in a “feels like home” environment. All we could say to each other was, “Can you believe how great this place is??” over and over.

Special thanks to Peggy Shaver, LPN Administrator; Susan Joubert, RN Case manager; and Valentina Vittori-McKinley, RN, Hospice Nurse Case manager, Serenity Hospice. They were open to my contacting them anytime and made it easy to speak with them and be comforted by them.

Special thanks to all of the wonderful ladies who are the around-the-clock caregivers for their unbelievable kindness, attention to their jobs and the people in their care, but also the families and loved ones of their residents. They are spectacular: Casandra Blakely, Joanna Davidson, Alyssa Garcia, Ardy Hoffer-Hallicola, Anna Huston, Stephanie King, Brianna Leno, Pearl Metzker, Carmen Parren, Brandi Valencia, Beverly Walsh and Ginger Whitman. You are all rock stars in our eyes!!

Kathryn Dunham

Roll# 271