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Visiting Nurse Association to Launch Hospice for Life Campaign for '1000 Patients in 100 Days' at NOS Event Center, Friday, May 4, 2007

Posted on: Wednesday, 25 April 2007, 12:00 CDT

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The Visiting Nurse Association of the Inland Counties (VNA-IC) will host a press briefing and luncheon on Friday, May 4, 2007 to feature two patients in VNA-IC's hospice program and launch a new "Hospice for Life: 1000 Patients in 100 Days" community outreach campaign.

"Most people don't realize that hospice care is available and covered for not just the last few days of life for the last 180 days, or six full months. By working with our Hospice for Life visiting nurses patients can enjoy a much higher quality of life in their last months of life, and their families and caregivers are helped enormously by our Hospice for Life program," says Toni Kisgen, who directs the Hospice for Life program in all communities served by the VNA-IC in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.

WHO: Hospice for Life patients, VNA-IC nurses, Toni Kisgen, corporate partners from the Inland Empire business community WHAT: Press Briefing and Luncheon WHERE: National Orange Show NOS EVENT CENTER SPORTS CENTER 689 SOUTH "E" STREET SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92408 WHEN: 12 NOON PRESS BRIEFING 12:30 - 1:30 PM LUNCHEON WHY: Two patients benefiting from the Hospice for Life Program will share highlights about their current quality of life, how they are enjoying time with family and friends, how they can work with VNA-IC nurses and still live a vibrant, pain-free lifestyle and why they prefer the Hospice for Life program to institutional care.

The goal of the Hospice for Life program is to enroll 1000 people for 100 or more days in 2007, increasing their access to the vital services available from VNA-IC and decreasing the illnesses and problems suffered by their caregivers. "The co-morbidity rates of caregivers, meaning the illnesses and injuries suffered by those caring for a terminally ill person, are quite high. We want to help, get in earlier so we can do more, and send that caregiver out the door for some golfing, shopping, exercise or visits with other friends and family so they don't get sick themselves," says Ms. Kisgen.

VNA-IC, as a non-profit organization, is also seeking grants and corporate partners to help fund the outreach and education efforts. "Hospice is a huge benefit that very few people are using. We all know people that have been devastated personally and financially while taking care of a loved one. It affects their jobs, all of their other relationships and even their safety when they drive after being up all night with a sick loved one. We're hoping corporate partners and the media will help us get the messages out by funding our TV, print and radio ads or asking VNA-IC Hospice for Life representatives to speak at their company, church, synagogue or civic organization meeting," says Doug Morin, director of fund development for VNA-IC.

More information and a FREE BROCHURE on VNA-IC Hospice for Life is available at http://www.hospiceforlife.org/ or by calling toll-free (877) 340-LIFE (5433).

About Visiting Nurse Association of the Inland Counties

VNA-IC is the oldest and largest provider of home health care and in-home nursing services in the Inland Empire. Every year, VNA-IC's staff of nearly 1,000 employees provides care to over 15,000 residents with outstanding nursing care in over 250,000 visits to homes, including the fast growing communities of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. For more information on VNA-IC, visit http://www.vna-ic.org/ Through the decades, a tradition of caring.

Visiting Nurse Association

CONTACT: John Lockhart, ext. 224, or Gina Montgomery, ext. 221, both ofPEOPLE MEDIA, +1-800-600-7111, for Visiting Nurse Association

Web site: http://www.hospiceforlife.org/

Web site: http://www.vna-ic.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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