Brighton Hospice takes pride in hiring the most compassionate and skilled people in the industry who deliver clinical expertise and exceed our patients’ expectations. Our Team Member Spotlight series is our way of highlighting those dedicated individuals who go above and beyond in their commitment to excellence.
“Work-life balance” seems to be the buzzword in modern working culture. But in the middle of an ongoing pandemic, this important aspect of self-care has become more crucial than ever.” Taking time for yourself so you can take care of others is a great philosophy,” says David Finton, a chaplain and bereavement coordinator at Brighton Hospice in Denver, Colorado.
Brighton Hospice takes pride in hiring the most compassionate and skilled people in the industry who deliver clinical expertise and exceed our patients’ expectations. Our Team Member Spotlight series is our way of highlighting those dedicated individuals who go above and beyond in their commitment to excellence.
The Welcoming Prayer is a favorite self-care meditation of Megan Westra, Brighton Hospice chaplain in Brookfield, Wisconsin. For Megan, The Welcoming Prayer brings on that creativity and optimistic attitude that declares, “Whatever it is that comes my way today, I can welcome it.”
Communicating with facility team members is instrumental to the successful care of Brighton Hospice’s patients. “We are working as a team, all hands on deck, at the place where the patient lives” says Kelly Weiler, Brighton Hospice Director of Clinical Services in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. “They’re getting care from both the facility staff and hospice staff, so we all need to be on the same page.” While the facilities maintain responsibility for the patient’s primary care, hospice provides that extra element of personalized attention.
When you’re stressed or having a bad day, practicing self-care by spending time in nature can really make a difference. Kala Gattuso and Rachel Radtke of Brighton Hospice in Brookfield, Wisconsin remind us that just 10 minutes spent outside, whether walking, sitting, or gardening, helps to slow the heart rate and lower stress levels.
“Life these days gets pretty heavy,” says Sea Bond-Frojen, a Chaplain at Brighton Hospice in Portland, Oregon. Sea’s favorite way of practicing self-care is to spend time with her pets. For those without pets at home, watching animal videos online is a wonderful option for self-care and stress reduction. “It’s a super fun way to increase those dopamine releases in our system,” Sea reminds us.
Eric Gravenkamp, Director of Support Services at Brighton Hospice, says his philosophy on self-care is centered on the daily practice of being mindful of his energy. “What fills my cup? What gives me energy?” Eric asks himself. “For me, self-care means finding ways to fill my cup, and minimizing things that drain my cup.”
As 2020 continues, caregivers everywhere are feeling the burnout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s important to emphasize that you do not need to be in a healthcare profession to feel burned out as a caregiver. To promote a renewed focus on self care, the Brighton Hospice Support Services Team will be producing a series of videos focusing on different methods of self care. “Our hope,” says Brighton owner Erin Bennett, “is that everybody will watch these videos and take some time for themselves and do that self care.”
Excellence is Brighton’s reason for doing the work we do. Our mission is to raise the standard of care in the world of hospice, and to achieve Excellence in every aspect of our jobs. As 2020 continues, healthcare workers everywhere are feeling the burnout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now more than ever, it is so important that we continue to go above and beyond for our patients and facilities, and equally important that we go above and beyond for each other and for ourselves.
