Four Seasons eNews
Our Newsletter and press releases
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Contact: Chris Comeaux, President Phone: (828) 692-6178 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 15, 2011 |
Four Seasons top hospice provider in state
Four Seasons-Compassion for Life has again been recognized as the top hospice provider in North Carolina in terms of how well the organization served its local community. Four Seasons has been amongst the top providers of care in terms of the percentage of patients served since 2004. In 2010, Four Seasons served 65% of all deaths in Henderson County, the greatest percentage of any hospice in North Carolina. The state average is 38.26%, according to a report from the Carolina's Center for Hospice & End of Life Care.
Chris Comeaux, president/CEO of Four Seasons, said, "This percentage is one of the best indicators of how well a hospice organization is serving those who need its services. The vision of Four Seasons is to provide the best end-of-life care to all those who need it in Western North Carolina."
Four Seasons is a non-profit organization led by a dedicated team of health care professionals, social workers, spiritual care professionals and volunteers. Four Seasons currently serves patients in Henderson, Buncombe, Macon, Jackson, Transylvania counties and surrounding areas.
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Contact: Susan Bumgarner Phone: (828) 233-0334 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 12, 2011 |
Four Seasons to Offer "Healing with Horses" A Teen Grief Support Camp
A unique opportunity for grieving teenagers, using the assistance of horses in group therapy, will be held on two consecutive Saturdays, November 12th and 19th. The camp is offered by Four Seasons with the direction and collaboration of the equine therapy team at "Horse Sense of the Carolinas" in Marshall, NC.
Transportation to and from the "Horse Sense" facility for the first session will be provided by Four Seasons. The teens will meet their four-legged therapists and begin exploring their individual grief issues through specially planned activities. The second session will be held at Greatrex Place on the Four Seasons campus in Flat Rock. Horse-riding skills are not required to participate in this camp.
During the two days of sharing and learning, through this established form of experiential therapy with horses, the teens will have a unique opportunity to explore their individual grief experiences without judgment or criticism. Together the teens will learn new coping skills for their grief journey and gain confidence to deal with their changing worlds. The sessions are facilitated throughout both days by a trained equine specialist and therapist and the Four Seasons Teen Bereavement Counselor.
Teens, ages 14-19, who have experienced the loss of a significant loved one, are eligible and encouraged to apply. Teens must be able to commit to both Saturdays. For more information or an application, please call the Four Seasons Bereavement Department at 692-6178, or go to our website at www.FourSeasonsCFL.org.
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Contact: Susan Bumgarner Phone: (828) 692-6178 or (866)466-9734 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 23, 2011 |
Four Seasons Preparing for 8th Annual Children's Bereavement Camp
Four Seasons will host its 8th Annual Camp Heart Songs at Falling Creek Camp in Zirconia, NC, on Saturday, August 20th, 2011.
Camp Heart Songs is a free one day camp for grieving children in a fun and safe environment. Children (ages 6-14 years) who have experienced the loss of a parent, sibling or other loved one are eligible to attend. The focus of the camp's activities is to promote healthy expressions of grief and learn to share and empathize with other peers who have had similar grief experiences.
Professional bereavement counselors, chaplains, social workers, hospice volunteers and staff lead the support groups and cooperative activities to guide the children as they learn new coping skills and build self-esteem and confidence. Some favorite activities include swimming, sharing time with trained and certified therapy dogs and cheering for each other as they take turns climbing the 80-foot rock wall.
The event provides morning and afternoon snacks and lunch during a fun-filled day which culminates with milk and cookies at the end of the day.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend a support group session in the morning led by a hospice bereavement counselor who provides child grief education and the opportunity to share and receive support from the group. There will be a memorable closing ceremony with a video of the camp day, a sing-a-long and butterfly release with the children and their families.
All children must be registered in advance to attend. For more information about Camp Heart Songs or to register please call the Bereavement Department at Four Seasons at 828-233-0334 or toll free at 866-466-9734.
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Contact: Donna Nawrocki, Director of Volunteer Services Phone: (828) 692-6178 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 15, 2011 |
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Contact: Chris Comeaux, President/CEO Phone: (828) 692-6178 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 30, 2011 |
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON THE MEDICARE HOSPICE BENEFIT & RECENT CHANGES IMPACTING THE HOSPICE COMMUNITY
FOUR SEASONS NAMES NEW HEART SONGS COORDINATOR FOR CHIDREN AND TEEN BEREAVEMENT SERVICES
Susan T. Bumgarner, Heart Songs Coordinator
Chris Comeaux, president and CEO of Four Seasons, announced today that Susan T. Bumgarner has been named Heart Songs Coordinator, Children and Teen Bereavement Counselor. This unique program provides help for children in surviving loss and grief. Losing a loved one to death is a common but difficult experience in a child's life. HEART SONGS is a children's grief support program developed by Four Seasons.
Bumgarner brings to her position over 19 years of experience in bereavement counseling with children and teens, spiritual care and leadership. She graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, TN with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1984. In 1987, Bumgarner earned her Master of Arts in Religious Education with an emphasis in counseling. She worked with the state of North Carolina to counsel adjudicated youth for two years before beginning her work in clinical pastoral education. Additionally, she worked for over 12 years as a hospital chaplain in the Raleigh, NC area with an emphasis in pediatric chaplaincy. Bumgarner joined the staff of Four Seasons in December, 2010 as a PRN chaplain before taking over the position as Heart Songs Coordinator in March 2011. She serves on the board of directors for the North Carolina Chaplains association as the Education chair, and also serves her community as a volunteer chaplain with the Black Mountain police corp. and leading grief support groups.
Four Seasons is one of the most respected end-of-life care specialists in the country, serving Henderson, Buncombe, Macon, Jackson and Transylvania Counties. Four Seasons focuses exclusively on serving people who are facing a serious life-limiting illness through their last few years and months.
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Contact: Chris Comeaux, President/CEO Phone: (828) 692-6178 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 31, 2011 |
FOUR SEASONS OFFERS NEW
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE PROGRAM
Brenda Charbonneau, CAM RN Practitioner
Chris Comeaux, president and CEO of Four Seasons, announced today that Brenda Charbonneau RN, BSN, UZIT has been named CAM RN practitioner for the new Four Seasons Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) program. This program offers a variety of gentle, comforting therapies that either complement or serve as an alternative to conventional medical therapies.
Charbonneau joined Four Seasons in 2006 as a RN case manager working in various settings, including nursing home, ALF, home care, and local hospitals. In 2009, she completed Donna Karan's Urban Zen Integrative Therapist (UZIT) program in New York City. The 12-month 500-hour advanced UZIT certification program consists of yoga therapy: (including in-bed, w/c yoga postures and movements, restorative poses, breath awareness, and meditation), aromatherapy to help reduce symptoms and promote healing, reiki, current theories and practices on holistic nutrition, and education into the subject of death and dying. Charbonneau will address key patient symptoms of PANIC- Pain, Anxiety, Nausea, Insomnia, Constipation, and Confusion. Charbonneau's focus includes not only assisting in patient care, but educating and instructing self-care techniques for caregivers and clinicians. Charbonneau is currently a member of the Holistic Nursing Association.
For information on the CAM program, please call Four Seasons at 828-692-6178.
Four Seasons is one of the most respected end-of-life care specialists in the country, serving Henderson, Buncombe, Macon, Jackson and Transylvania Counties. Four Seasons focuses exclusively on serving people who are facing a serious life-limiting illness through their last few years and months.
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Contact: Chris Comeaux, President/CEO |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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Phone: (828) 692-6178 |
January 21, 2011 |
FOUR SEASONS NAMES DIRECTOR OF WNC BRANCH OFFICE
Chris Comeaux, president and CEO of Four Seasons, announced today that Steve Mills, bereavement coordinator at Four Seasons, has been named the new manager of the WNC Branch Office located in Highlands, NC. Four Seasons serves patients in Macon and Jackson Counties from the branch office located in the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital.
Mills has worked both in hospitals and hospices in end-of-life care for the past 23 years. He has served in a leadership position with Four Seasons since 2009.
Mills has a Master of Divinity and a background in counseling, ethics and working with community health initiatives. He is Board Certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains and was a Visiting Fellow in the Clinical Ethics Program at the University of Virginia.
"It is very much an honor for me to serve patients and their families who are navigating this very difficult time in their lives, and to work with the strong team we have in place here. Our vision is to provide the best end-of-life care and to be the provider of choice for the residents of the Western North Carolina region."
Four Seasons is one of the most respected end-of-life care specialists in the country, serving Henderson, Buncombe, Macon, Jackson and Transylvania Counties. Four Seasons focuses exclusively on serving people who are facing a serious life-limiting illness through their last few years and months.
Dr. David Troxler Joins Staff of Four Seasons
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Contact: Chris Comeaux, President/CEO Phone: (828) 692-6178 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 10, 2010 |
Four Seasons is pleased to announce that David H. Troxler, MD joined the staff as a consultant in palliative medicine on July 26, 2010.
Dr. David Troxler Joins Staff of Four Seasons
John Morris, MD, medical director of palliative care said, "We are extremely excited to welcome David Troxler to the Four Seasons palliative care team at Mission Hospital. Dr. Troxler's clinical experience is extremely helpful in caring for patients and families who are stressed with serious illness, but it is his compassion and good communication skills that make him an ideal physician for palliative care. His positive attitude and energetic personality encourage everyone that he encounters. We are very fortunate to have Dr. Troxler join Four Seasons palliative care team at Mission Hospital."
Troxler is a well-known member of the Asheville medical community and was a partner with Asheville Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates from 1983 to 2010. He has been recognized as one of the "Best Doctors in NC" by the Business North Carolina Magazine from 2004 to 2009.
Troxler said, "I felt this was a real opportunity for me to use my experience in the practice of pulmonary and critical care medicine as a valuable asset in helping patients and their families deal with the complex medical, social and psychological issues which arise with life-limiting and critical illness."
Troxler joins John Morris MD, Holly Pilewski PA, Rikki Nugent FNP, Tina Garren RN, and Wendy Billingsley LCSW of the Four Seasons palliative care team, who have been serving Buncombe County at the Mission Hospital System since March of 2010.
"Between us, Dr. Morris and I have 50 years of experience in dealing with seriously ill patients in Buncombe and Henderson Counties. I am proud to have joined Four Seasons, an organization which is truly physician-driven and physician-led, and yet which offers multidisciplinary, comprehensive psychosocial support to the families of critically ill patients, with a complete team of specially trained professionals dedicated to a high quality of service. This team approach is absolutely essential to the holistic care of patients and success of Four Seasons Palliative Care."
Four Seasons' palliative care services are offered to patients and families stressed by serious illness in hospitals, nursing homes, or home settings. The team specializes in symptom management, psychosocial stress, spiritual care, and advance care planning.
Four Seasons is a non-profit organization led by a dedicated team of health care professionals, social workers, spiritual care professionals and volunteers. The organization is nationally recognized for quality of care, and has an active teaching and research staff which has also received national recognition. Four Seasons currently serves patients in Henderson, Buncombe and Transylvania counties. Beginning October 1, Four Seasons will also serve patients in Macon County and surrounding areas.
Four Seasons Top Hospice Provider in State
| Contact: Chris Comeaux, President |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| Phone: (828) 692-6178 | September 10 , 2010 |
Four Seasons top hospice provider in State
Four Seasons-Compassion for Life has been recognized as the top hospice provider in North Carolina in terms of how well the organization served its local community. In 2009, Four Seasons served 63.74% of all deaths in Henderson County, the greatest percentage of any hospice in North Carolina. The state average is 31.75%, according to a report from the Carolina's Center for Hospice & End of Life Care.
Chris Comeaux, president/CEO of Four Seasons, said, "This is one of the best measures of how well a hospice is serving its community. Our vision is to provide the best end-of-life care to all those who need it in Western North Carolina."
Four Seasons is a non-profit organization led by a dedicated team of health care professionals, social workers, spiritual care professionals and volunteers. Four Seasons currently serves patients in Henderson, Buncombe and Transylvania counties. Beginning October 1, Four Seasons will also serve Macon County and surrounding areas.
Article by Four Seasons' Chief Medical Officer published in Hospital Practice Journal
| Contact: Chris Comeaux, President/CEO |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| Phone: (828) 692-6178 | August 11 , 2010 |
Article by Four Seasons' Chief Medical Officer published in Hospital Practice Journal
Four Seasons' Chief Medical Officer, Janet Bull, MD, recently collaborated on an article published in the June issue of Hospital Practice, a peer-reviewed, clinically oriented publication for: hospitalists, intensivists, laborists, and interventional cardiologists. The article was titled "Developing the Evidence Base for Palliative Care: Formation of the Palliative Care Research Cooperative and Its First Trial."
Four Seasons is one of the founding members of a national interdisciplinary cooperative group devoted to palliative care research. The group is dedicated to advancing the evidence base in palliative care and hospice. The article describes the rationale for convening the cooperative group and highlights the first multi-site trail to be initiated.
The mission of Hospital Practice is to provide the most complete and reliable source of information on current developments in hospital medicine.
Other contributors to the article were Thomas W. LeBlanc, MD, MA, of Duke University Medical Center; Jean S. Kutner, MD, MSPH, of University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine; Danielle Ko, MBBS, LLB, Massachusetts General Hospital; Jane L. Wheeler, MSPH, Duke University Medical Center; and Amy P. Abernethy, MD, Duke University Medical Center.
Four Seasons is nationally recognized for providing exemplary palliative and end-of-life care. The organization has provided a high level of compassionate and professional care for people facing serious life-limiting illness in Western North Carolina since 1981. Led by health care professionals, social workers, spiritual care professional and volunteers, Four Seasons serves more than 700 patients daily across Western North Carolina.
Four Seasons to Hold Annual Golf Tournament
| Contact: Stephanie Dylewski |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| Phone: (828) 692-6178 Ext. 135 | July 12, 2010 |
Four Seasons to Hold Annual Golf Tournament
Four Seasons will hold its 12th annual golf tournament, The Rob Cranford Classic, on August 6, 2010 at Cummings Cove Golf & Country Club. The tournament is played in a Captain's Choice format with a shotgun start at 12 noon. The tournament's title sponsor is Morrow Insurance. As of 7/12/10, major sponsors are Park Ridge Hospital, WLOS and Shepherd and Sons.
Registration is $180 per player and includes greens fees, golf cart, gifts, lunch and dinner. There will be a raffle with prizes from local businesses. Sponsorships are still available. All proceeds benefit Four Seasons programs, which include hospice, palliative care, research and Elizabeth House. For registration information, call or e-mail Stephanie Dylewski at 828-692-6178 Ext. 135 or sdylewski@fourseasonscfl.org.
Michelle Webb promoted to Vice President of Clinical Operations at Four Seasons
| Contact: Chris Comeaux, President/CEO |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| Phone: (828) 692-6178 | July 7, 2010 |
Michelle Webb has accepted the position of vice president of clinical operations at Four Seasons, the non-profit end-of-life care agency serving Western North Carolina. She has been with the agency for six years, and has previously held positions of staff nurse, nursing team leader and director of clinical services at the Elizabeth House. She recently held the position of vice president of clinical services with responsibility for the clinical operations of the Elizabeth House, the Admissions Department, Crisis Care and the support team.
As the vice president of clinical operations, Webb will oversee all the clinical aspects of care at Four Seasons.
Webb brings over 30 years of clinical and leadership experience to this position. She has experience in acute care, home health and mental health. In addition, she has been a nurse consultant and a nursing educator.
Four Seasons is one of the most respected end-of-life care specialists in the country. Since 1981, Four Seasons has provided a high level of compassionate and professional care for people facing serious life-limiting illness in Western North Carolina. It is a non-profit organization led by a dedicated team of health care professionals, social workers, spiritual care professionals and volunteers.
Four Seasons Honors Volunteers and Jean Hoogstra at Volunteer Reception
| Contact: Kathy Thielke | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| Phone: (828) 233-0332 | April 22, 2010 |
Four Seasons celebrated National Volunteer Week on April 20th at Blue Ridge Community College with the 19th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Reception honoring over 370 dedicated volunteers.
At the event, Jean Moulthrop Hoogstra, Four Seasons founder and matriarch, was recognized for her 30 years of volunteering. She spoke to the nearly 130 volunteers in attendance about the importance of volunteering and what Four Seasons has meant to her. Staff members surprised her by unveiling a new sign for the agency on South Allen Road: Four Seasons - The Jean Moulthrop Hoogstra Community Campus.
Four Seasons volunteers' contributions of time and talent have served over 1,100 hospice patients during the past year. In 2009, they donated 29,983 hours for an estimated cost savings of $607,156.
Four Seasons volunteers perform a wide variety of jobs, from sitting at the bedside of a patient to data entry, from working at the Hospice Home Store to sewing hundreds of gowns and pillows. Volunteers work on the Board of Directors, provide landscaping to the Elizabeth House gardens and help with several annual fund-raising events. They stuff envelopes, provide respite to care givers, educate our community about hospice and palliative care, help with our children's grief camp and work at our inpatient facility, Elizabeth House. Volunteers do not need a medical background - they come from all walks of life.
If you are interested in joining the Four Seasons volunteer team or want to hear about other ways to help, call Donna Nawrocki at 828-692-6178.
T-N EDITORIAL: Hospice among best in the US
| Published by: BlueRidgeNow.com Times-News Online: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 10:55 a.m. |
| Last Modified: BlueRidgeNow.com Times-News Online: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 10:55 a.m. |
The good reasons for living in Henderson County cover birth to death.
Young families enjoy good schools, a safe community and unbeatable outdoor recreation. The medical care for a community our size is exceptional. It sounds indelicate to say so, but our mountain town also is a good place to die.
Patients and families who take advantage of the compassionate care and expertise offered by Four Seasons Hospice find an easier path in the final stage of life.
Admired and praised locally for 28 years, Four Seasons last month added the imprimatur of the American Hospital Association to its achievements of service.
Four Seasons was one of only three providers nationally to win the Circle of Life award, and the only one that provides hospice and palliative care services.
Four Seasons serves about 230 patients in its hospice program. The palliative care program provides pain management and home-based care for about 400 seriously ill patients. The 19-bed Elizabeth House provides in-patient care, sometimes to patients going from the hospital to their homes and sometimes for the final days of life, relieving families of the burden of 24-hour care.
Four Seasons earned the Circle of Life award for its leadership, high quality of care, innovation and research.
People raise their eyebrows when they hear of research in end-of-life care, but President/CEO Chris Comeaux says many terminal patients have welcomed the opportunity.
"They feel like they're paying it forward to future generations by participating in these trials," he said.
The national health care reform debate has distorted what should be a rational and dispassionate discussion of end-of-life choices. The choices should never be made by government or by insurance companies, and hospice providers would never assert that they should. The decision on end-of-life options should be left with the patient and his or her family - guided by trusted counselors, clergy and medical providers.
A respected study of Medicare costs shows that the Asheville region is among the most efficient providers in the nation, and within the region, Pardee Hospital ranks among the most efficient in Medicare delivery.
One factor that holds down excessive and ineffective spending in the last six months of life is use of hospice. According to the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, 38.6 percent of Medicare patients at Pardee in the last six months of life were enrolled in hospice, a percentage much higher than the national average.
A more astonishing figure still is that Four Seasons serves 75 percent of the deaths in Henderson County, one of the highest proportions in the country.
We don't usually think of death when we talk about the quality of life in Hendersonville and the surrounding area.
Yet, mortality being the common certainty for us all, it is comforting to know that an organization right here is among the best in the nation at easing people through the final stage of life's journey with compassion and dignity.
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission of BlueRidgeNow.com Times-News Online. Links are encouraged.
Four Seasons Receives Circle of Life Award
| Contact: Chris Comeaux | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| Phone: (828) 692-6178 | August 18, 2009 |
The American Hospital Association (AHA) awarded the prestigious Circle of Life Award to Four Seasons of Flat Rock, NC, in a ceremony on July 24 in San Francisco. Four Seasons was one of only three programs nationwide recognized for expanding the reach of palliative and end-of-life care in its area.
President/CEO Chris Comeaux and representative Four Seasons staff members Nikki Granere, CNA; Eunice Frady, clinical nurse coordinator; Jane McKown, chaplain; and Rikki Nugent, nurse practitioner, travelled to San Francisco to receive the award.
AHA President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock said of the award recipients, "Dealing with life-threatening illness and end-of-life decisions is difficult for all involved, and the Circle of Life honorees understand that respect, compassion, and honesty are vital aspects of palliative care."
On Tuesday, August 18, Richard H Wade, senior vice president for strategic communications, from the American Hospital Association visited Four Seasons to re-present the award in front of a gathering of staff, volunteers, and the community.
Chris Comeaux said, "The Circle of Life Award acknowledges that we are one of the best end-of-life care providers in the country. We will continue to live up to that expectation in all our interactions with patients, families and community partners. We are entering a very challenging time in healthcare where there are many unknowns. Our goal is to not just preserve, but to further our mission and vision."
Four Seasons was chosen to receive the award along with Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Ore., and Wishard Health Services in Indianapolis, Ind., from about 50 nominations submitted from around the country. The selection committee included leaders from medicine, nursing, social work and health administration. The committee visited programs that respect patient goals and preferences, provide comprehensive care, acknowledge and address that family or caregivers' concerns and build systems and mechanisms of support that ensure the programs continue. Four Seasons and the other programs selected service as innovative models for other communities as well.
Four Seasons has a multi-disciplinary approach to improving patients physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being. The organization was founded over 25 years ago at the beginning of the hospice movement. In 2002, the board of directors made the decision to take the organization to the next level, and as a result, the organization now cares for over 2,200 people on a yearly basis with a full range of hospice and palliative care, research and bereavement services. With community support, Four Seasons grew from serving 26 percent of all deaths in its area to 76 percent.
The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the improvement of health in their communities.
Four Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care To Have New Logo
| Contact: Chris Comeaux | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| Phone: (828) 692-6178 | May 19, 2009 |
Four Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care has upgraded their look and name to more accurately reflect the many services that the agency offers. The organization has a new logo and a new tagline: "Compassion for Life."
Agency staff continues to be dedicated to providing all of its service areas with the best end-of-life care in Western North Carolina. The main services offered by Four Seasons include hospice, palliative care, research, and the Elizabeth House, their in-patient facility. Four Seasons is the leading non-profit provider of hospice and palliative care services in the state of North Carolina, serving almost 70% of the deaths in its service area.
Life Lines Archives Life Lines, a quarterly publication affirming life, is published in the Hendersonville Times-News and the Asheville Citizen Times. It is available at local doctor's offices and businesses as well. Please click on the links below to read our archived issues.
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Life Lines Winter/Spring 2011 - Annual Report Issue Life Lines April 2010 Life Lines February 2010 [PDF] Tree Report 2009 [PDF] Life Lines Dec. 2009 [PDF] Life Lines Oct. 2009 [PDF] Tree Report 2009 [PDF] |
Life Lines Winter 2009 [PDF] Life Lines Fall 2008 [PDF] Life Lines Summer 2008 [PDF] Life Lines Spring 2008 [PDF] Life Lines Winter 2008 [PDF] Tree Report 2008 [PDF] |
Life Line Fall 2008 [PDF] Life Lines Summer 2007 [PDF] Life Lines Spring 2007 [PDF] Life Lines Summer 2006 [PDF] Life Lines Spring 2006 [PDF] Life Lines Winter 2006 [PDF] |
Hospice House Foundation
Center of Excellence
Zambia Partnership
