CLARISSA C. COOK
HOSPICE HOUSE
newsletter
WINTER 2015
Hospice House is
a “Hidden Gem”
the various stages of death. The staff
discussed what could be expected and
kept the family informed at each step of
where Margaret was on her journey.
Bob McCartney remembers his mother
as a keen observer of the human
condition.
“They did a really good job of explaining
where she was in the process of death.
This helped us understand what to
expect and how to respond to her,” Bob
said.
That personality trait was evident when
his mother, Margaret McCartney, made
decisions regarding her own health.
“Why can’t I just die?” the 91-year-old
retired teacher asked after suffering a
stroke and being transferred from one
level of institutional care to another.
“She didn’t want rehabilitation. She was
ready,” Bob recalled.
When it became apparent to all that she
would not recover, the family decided
that hospice, a form of care that allows
terminally ill people to live out their lives
in comfort and dignity in a home-like
setting, seemed the best option. Kris
could speak from a positive experience:
Her own father had been a patient at a
Des Moines area hospice house.
So the couple chose Clarissa C. Cook
Hospice House, which opened in
2006 as the first freestanding hospice
in eastern Iowa. During the six days
Margaret was a patient her son never
regretted their decision.
“It’s a hidden gem,” Bob said. “They
know something the rest of us don’t.”
It was not easy to watch such a vital
woman slip away. Her 40-year career
in education began when she taught in
a country school at the age of 17. She
later graduated from the University of
Northern Iowa and retired from the
Mason City, Iowa, School District.
Outside of teaching, she was an avid
golfer. She also was never too busy to
listen. “If you had a problem, you told it
to Mom,” Bob said.
Bob said the staff and volunteers at
Clarissa C. Cook were never too busy
to keep them informed of Margaret’s
situation. He describes the hospice
house as “a place where you can make
your own decisions.”
“We can’t say enough good about the
home. If you ever have doubts there are
angels in the world, go there,” Kris said.
“I am not afraid of death anymore,” Bob
said.
-- Story written by John Willard
The couple was impressed with the little
things the staff did for Margaret, like
washing and combing her hair. Another
special touch was the availability of the
hand-made quilts that patients could
choose to be placed around them for
their journey to the funeral home. Bob
remembers his mom selected one
with vibrant fall colors. “It’s such a nice
gesture,” he said.
During his mother’s stay at Clarissa C.
Cook Hospice House, Bob said the
family’s welfare was just as important.
In-room sofa beds for overnight stays,
family rooms, a dining room and a
chapel-meditation room all help ease
the burdens.
One service that was particularly
helpful was the educational material on
Your Question
Answered…
What is the profile of the
typical Clarissa C. Cook
Hospice House patient?
As is true with all patients
who enroll in hospice care, no
“typical” patient exists. People
from all walks of life – rich,
poor, young, old – have used
the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice
House for their end-of-life care.
Some come to hospice care
after a long battle with cancer,
end stage cardiac disease, or
a multitude of other chronic,
debilitating illnesses. Others
come to hospice care after an
acute episode such as a serious
fall or stroke. Some come to us
lucid and actively participate
in their care; others arrive
comatose and never regain
consciousness. Some come
from home-based care; others
come directly from a hospital,
nursing home, or rehabilitation
center. Some come with multiple
generations of family members
by their side; others come alone
with no remaining spouse or
children. When their own home
is not a viable option, all of
these patients desire to end
their life in a home-like setting
surrounded by comfort, love,
and compassionate care. They
want to die peacefully, without
pain, with dignity and with their
loved ones at their side.
You are
invited...
Bob McCartney (son), Margaret McCartney,
and Kris Garrison (daughter-in-law)
Join friends of the Clarissa C.
Cook Hospice House for High
Tea! Enjoy an afternoon treat
of tea, sandwiches, scones
and cake while supporting the
compassionate care offered to
patients and their loved ones
within the hospice house.
DETAILS COMING SOON!
GENESIS HEALTH SERVICES FOUNDATION | 1227 EAST RUSHOLME STREET | DAVENPORT, IOWA 52803
Leaving a Legacy at the Clarissa
C. Cook Hospice House
Making a gift to the hospice house for current
or future use ensures the continued availability
of compassionate end-of-life care for all those
in need. Permanent recognition in the name of
a donor, or a donor’s loved one, is possible and
encouraged.
To learn more, contact Steve Goebel, CFRE,
at the Genesis Health Services Foundation,
309-281-4392, or goebels@genesishealth.com.
newsletter
CLARISSA C. COOK
HOSPICE HOUSE
1227 East Rusholme Street
Davenport, Iowa 52803
Volunteers Lead Endowment Fund Development Effort
As 2014 drew to a close, the Genesis Health Services Foundation officially
launched a $3 million initiative to double the endowment for the Clarissa
C. Cook Hospice House. This ambitious fund development program is
spearheaded by chairpersons Debby Stafford, who co-chaired the capital
campaign that funded the original construction of Clarissa C. Cook Hospice
House, Margo Hancock, who serves as chair of the Clarissa C. Cook Home
Board of Directors, and Genesis Health System Board members Mark
Bawden and Greg Bush.
The Steering Committee includes John Anderson, Doug Cropper, Nancy
Hultquist, Dick Kleine, Jim Koehler, Gwen Korn, Tracey Kuehl, Joe
Lohmuller, M.D., Mary Lujack, Ed Motto, M.D., Mark and Anne Nagan,
Ann O’Donnell, D.O., Kent Pilcher, Merriam Rink, and Kim Waterman.
These dedicated leaders are working to secure $3 million dollars in
charitable contributions to double the current endowment fund. At $6
million the endowment would provide a steady annual income stream of
$300,000 to support exceptional end-of-life care for hospice patients at the
Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House.
News from the inaugural Steering Committee meeting:
•
Margo Hancock made the exciting announcement that the Clarissa C. Cook Home Board of Directors has
approved the extraordinary lead gift of $1 million to honor the memory of Clarissa C. Cook and carry forth her
legacy in perpetuity.
•
Greg Bush gave a moving testimonial of the compassionate care provided to his parents, Jack and Pat Bush, at the
Hospice House, where each of them lived their final days in room 111. He and his siblings are honorary chairs for
the campaign, in honor of their parents.
•
The Steering Committee heard from Medical Director Dr. Ann O’Donnell that all 16 beds of the Hospice House
were occupied on the day of the meeting, representing a significant turnaround in occupancy as a result of key
management decisions in recent months. Mark Bawden, past GHS Board Chair, reviewed the financial challenges
faced by the Hospice House as a result of cutbacks in government funding. He described how Genesis, as a regional
health system, is skillfully managing its operating budget and funding essential capital improvements through lowinterest bonds and loans, even as most health systems nationwide are losing money.