Lending Support
Hospice of Michigan focuses on Jewish needs while comforting both patient and family.
Above: Karen and Richard Tessler
Left: Josephine Weiner and her
daughter Sarah Keidan.
RONELLE GRIER
Special to the Jewish News
p
ublic speaking is not high on
Karen Tessler's list of favorite
activities. But, when asked to
participate in an upcoming
panel discussion on the Jewish per-
spective on hospice, she readily agreed.
"Taking the Fear Out of Hospice: A
Jewish Perspective," at Adat Shalom
Synagogue on Thursday, April 19, is an
effort by Hospice of Michigan's Jewish
Advisory Committee, which was
formed to help the agency meet the
unique needs of the Jewish community
Tessler will tell her caregiver's story.
She admits hospice was the last
thing she wanted to know about when
it was first suggested during the last
stages of her husband Richard's illness.
"I associated hospice with death,"
she said, "and I wasn't ready to deal
with that."
Unfortunately, only 14 months after
4/13
2001
18
their wedding day, Richard's brain
cancer progressed to the point where
nothing more could be done to save
his life. His doctor advised taking him
home and keeping him comfortable.
He also offered to make a referral to
Hospice of Michigan.
This time, Karen agreed. Almost
immediately, three hospice staff mem-
bers, including Jewish Outreach
Liaison Bobbie Blitz, visited the West
Bloomfield home of Karen's mother,
Eleanor Dorfman, where the Tesslers
were staying.
"I thanked them for coming, told
them we didn't need them right now, but
that I'd call if we did," Tessler said.
That night last December, Richard's
pain and agitation increased significantly,
and she made the call at 3 a.m. A hos-
pice nurse came out immediately, armed
with pain medication for Richard, 52,
and comfort and support for his family.
From that night until Richard's
death the following week, Hospice of
Michigan was an integral part of the
family, visiting two and sometimes
three times daily, often in the middle
of the night.
"We couldn't have done it without
them," she said. "They were like an
extended family; always supportive,
always empathetic."
In addition to keeping Richard
comfortable, the hospice staff provided
invaluable support to the family
"They showed us how to care for
Richard, helped us make a medication
schedule, and told us exactly what to
expect," she said. "There were no sur-
prises."
According to Tessler, the hospice
program made it possible for her to
fulfill Richard's fervent wish to die at
home surrounded by his family and
close friends.
Sarah Keidar of Farmington Hills
also received support from Hospice of
Michigan when her mother, Josephine
Weiner, died at age 88 last October.
Keidan first learned about hospice care
20 years ago when the mother of a
close friend was terminally ill.
"The care and support they received
from the program were wonderful, so
hospice was always in the back of my
mind," she said.
Although her mother was too frail
to be moved, hospice staff came to her
hospital bedside to provide both
patient and family members with
comfort and care.
"There was never a moment when
we were without support," Keidan
said. And when she died, everything
was done within an hour, including
the funeral arrangements."
The Southfield-based Hospice of
Michigan provides medical care and
equipment, information, support,
respite, spiritual guidance, psychological
services, assistance with funeral arrange-
ments, and follow-up grief counseling.
"We are the experts in pain control,"
said Pola Friedman, spokesperson for
Hospice of Michigan. "But we also
take a major load off of the family,
which is just as important." ❑
I,•
A panel discussion, "Taking the
Fear Out of Hospice: A Jewish
Perspective," wi.11 be held at 7:15
p.m. Thursday, April 19, at Adat
Shalom Synagogue in Farmington
Hills. Arthur M. Horwitz, presi-
dent of Jewish Renaissance Media
and pliblisher of the Jewish News,
will moderate. Panel members are
Karen Tessler, caregiver; Dottie
Deremo, president and CEO of
Hospice of Michigan; Dr. John
Finn, hospice executive medical
director; Bobbie Blitz, hospice
Jewish outreach liaison; and
Rabbi E.B. "Bunny" Freedman of
the Jewish Hospice and
Chaplaincy Network of
Southfield. The event is free. A
dessert buffet follows. For infor-
mation, call (248) 443-5900.