Joliet Area Community Hospice’s (JACH) Senior Director of Development and Communications, Jackie Bersano, has announced her retirement at the end of this year. During her six-year tenure with JACH, Bersano has passionately represented the organization at countless fundraising and networking functions in the community, has brought in new supporters to JACH’s numerous fundraising and friend-raising events that she has planned and directed (e.g. JACH Annual Dinner, 5K Family Fun Run/Walk, Timmy’s Garden Walk, and Golf Outing), and most recently has spearheaded a $3.5 million Remembering from the Heart Capital Campaign for the addition and renovation of the JACH Hospice Home inpatient unit.

Bersano’s support of the long-standing Hospice Guild for their Puttin’ on the Glitz Fashion Show and Ladies’ Card Party has been irreplaceable. Behind the scenes, Jackie writes and edits much of what is seen by the public as ‘Joliet Area Community Hospice’: in newspaper ads, articles, social media, brochures, appeals and flyers. Earlier in her time with the agency, she had overseen the Volunteer Department at JACH and is a trained volunteer herself, often working in the gardens surrounding the office and inpatient unit as the seasons change.

“Jackie has played a key role in our organization’s growth and her support of our patient-centered culture has been invaluable,” said Mary Sheehan, CEO of Joliet Area Community Hospice. “As a new member of the Joliet community when I joined JACH, it’s been Jackie who has guided me through what I need to know, what groups I need to join, and has made important introductions – all in order for our agency to be successful.”

Jackie’s devotion to Joliet Area Community Hospice is evident in the long hours worked without complaint, in the education and JACH history freely shared with new staff and volunteers, and in her sunny disposition toward all who come into contact with her. JACH is losing a valued member of the team with Jackie’s retirement and she will be truly missed. Everyone at JACH wishes her a wonderful retirement and adventure-filled days ahead.

Joliet Area Community Hospice (JACH) began in 1982 and changed the face of inpatient hospice care when it opened the first free standing hospice home inpatient unit in Illinois in 2004. Now fifteen years later, JACH is embarking on a capital campaign to add a twelve-room addition to the Hospice Home and renovate and enhance the existing structure.

The $3.5 million Remembering from the Heart Campaign for the Hospice Home will take advantage of recent state legislation passed in 2018 increasing the maximum hospice inpatient unit size to 20 beds, by adding four patient rooms; adding a multi-family kitchen and dining area; adding a larger commercial kitchen and larger spiritual space; renovating the existing patient rooms to add a refrigerator, sink, all new furniture and fixtures and French doors leading to private outside patios; and relocating nursing staff adjacent to patient rooms.

JACH cared for over 2,000 patients in 2018, with 517 of those patients in the inpatient unit alone. The greater number of rooms will allow for even more patients to receive the specialized, quality care of the inpatient unit. The capital project will improve and enhance the patient and family experience for many years to come.

JACH and Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce invite you to the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, April 24th at 4:30 p.m. at Joliet Area Community Hospice, 250 Water Stone Circle, Joliet. The Remembering from the Heart campaign offers naming opportunities. Gifts at all levels are appreciated. If you are interested in attending the ground breaking or donating to the campaign, please visit joliethospice.org or contact the Development Department at 815.740.4104 ext 335.

Let’s start the conversation! Joliet Area Community Hospice is hosting “Remembering from the Heart” Annual Dinner Fundraiser on Monday, April 22 beginning at 5:00 p.m. at Bolingbrook Golf Club, 2001 Rodeo Dr., Bolingbrook, IL. The public is invited to the dinner, presented by Signature sponsors: Busey Bank, D’Arcy Buick GMC, The Horton Group and Kurtz Ambulance and Emergency Services.* Tickets are $75 per guest, with tables of 10 available. Dinner, cash bar, raffles, auction and other fun activities will fill the evening. All proceeds benefit Joliet Area Community Hospice adult and pediatric hospice and palliative care programs and community bereavement services.

JACH will honor this year’s Heart of Hospice Award recipients: IL Representative Natalie Manley (D-Joliet) for envisioning a better hospice future and improving access to quality end-of-life care through legislation and Margaret and Bill Benoit for unwavering support, love and advocacy for JACH with gifts of time, talent and treasure.

Joliet Area Community Hospice has served the community for 37 years, now in the counties of Will, Grundy, Kendall, Livingston, LaSalle and parts of DuPage, Kankakee and Southern Cook. Pre-registration is required and can be made at lightways.org under events or call 815-740-4104. Pre-registration required by April 12, 2019.

* To date, other event sponsors include, Medline, Silver Cross Hospital, Elite Therapy, Edward Jones/Ed Dollinger and Mark Karner, Financial Advisors, and AdvaCare. Joliet Area Community Hospice, a not-for-profit United Way Agency and this community’s choice for quality end of life care.

Since Joliet Area Community Hospice (JACH) opened Illinois’ first freestanding hospice home inpatient unit in 2004, community need for compassionate end-of-life care has surpassed the facility’s capacity. Last year alone, the Hospice Home cared for over 500 patients. Yet, there were far too many days when families were told their loved one would be placed on a waiting list to be admitted into the home.

In 2017, a committee was created to confirm the feasibility of a $3.5 million capital campaign subsequently named “Remembering from the Heart.” An overwhelmingly positive response was received from the community. The $3.5 million campaign will expand and renovate the Hospice Home inpatient unit adding four additional patient rooms, bringing capacity from 16 to 20, with convertible space for another four rooms in the future. Until August 2018, only 16 beds were allowed at Illinois inpatient hospice units. The bill to increase the bed capacity to 20 was introduced by Illinois State Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Joliet), and quickly passed through the House. It was then supported by Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood) who helped move the bill through the Illinois Senate. In August of 2018, former Governor Bruce Rauner signed the bill into law. This timing was perfect for JACH to add these rooms to its planned renovations.

Every aspect of the expansion plan focuses on maintaining a dignified and comfortable quality of life for patients and families, including additional family gathering, cooking and dining spaces that provide more family privacy. The central nursing station will be replaced by nursing cubbies throughout the facility so nurses will be closer to their patients. The kitchen and spiritual space will be expanded and each patient room will be equipped with a refrigerator, sink and French doors leading to a private patio.

Since 1982 when JACH started, the public has learned more about hospice and end of life care and the importance of having options in one’s final days. Hospice is a specialized type of care for those facing a terminal illness provided wherever home is: the family home, nursing home, assisted living facility, hospital or an inpatient hospice unit. Pain and symptom management is provided by an interdisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, CNAs, chaplains, social workers and volunteers. Together they provide medical, emotional and spiritual support. Both the patient and the family are provided bereavement services to assist with coping with grief and loss.

The improvements to the JACH inpatient unit will allow more families to receive the care they deserve in a warm, welcoming setting.

If you would like to support Joliet Area Community Hospice’s “Remembering from the Heart” campaign, please contact Jackie Bersano, Sr. Director of Development at 815.740.4104 or visit lightways.org.

Since Joliet Area Community Hospice (JACH) opened Illinois’ first freestanding hospice home in-patient unit in 2004, community need for compassionate end-of-life care has outgrown the facility’s capacity. Last year alone, the Hospice Home cared for over 500 patients. Yet, there were far too many days when families were told their loved one would be placed on a waitlist to be admitted into the home.

In 2018, a committee was created to confirm the feasibility of a $3.5 million capital campaign called “Remembering from the Heart”, to expand and renovate the Hospice Home including four additional patient rooms, bringing capacity from 16 to 20, with additional space to add another four rooms in the future. Until August 2018, only 16 beds were allowed in in patient hospice units when former Governor Rauner signed a bill to increase the beds to 20. This was perfect timing for JACH to add these rooms during the renovation. The bill was initiated by Illinois State Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Joliet), Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood) helped move the bill through the Illinois Senate.

Every aspect of the expansion plan focuses on maintaining a dignified and comfortable quality of life for patients and families, including additional family gathering, cooking and dining spaces that provide more family privacy. The central nursing station will be replaced by nursing cubbies throughout the facility for nurses to be closer to their patients.

Since 1982 when JACH started, the public has learned more about hospice and end of life care and the importance of having options in your final days. Hospice is a specialized type of care to those facing a terminal illness. A person must meet the qualifications before receiving hospice services. They may receive them anywhere they call home: family home, nursing home, assisted living facility, hospital or an in-patient hospice unit. The patient and their caregivers decide to focus on the quality of life instead of a curative treatment. Pain and symptom management is provided by a team of doctors, nurses, CNAs, chaplains, social workers and volunteers. Together they provide medical, emotional and spiritual support. After the patient dies, the family is provided with bereavement services to learn how to cope with grief.

The improvements to the JACH in-patient unit will allow more families to receive the care they desire. If you would like to support Joliet Area Community Hospice’s Remembering from the Heart campaign, please contact Jackie Bersano, Sr. Director of Development and Communications at 815.740.4104 ext 335 or visit https://lightways.org/donate/campaign-for-the-hospice-home/.