Putting the hope into hospice

I didn’t know community leader and philanthropist Evelyn Edison Newman, once dubbed the “Queen of St. Louis Fundraising” because she was instrumental in the founding of local institutions such as the Greater St. Louis Book Fair, the ScholarShop, the Gypsy Caravan, Forest Park Forever, First Street Forum (now Contemporary Art Museum) and the Butterfly House at Faust Park, among many others. Evelyn passed away in 2015 at the age of 95, but I have more than a sneaking suspicion she would be pleased with her namesake legacy, which opened June 19. 

Evelyn’s House is a 16-bed hospice home located on the campus of Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital in Creve Coeur. The 18,000 square-foot facility has the look and feel of a stately but welcoming ranch-style home, with a large open kitchen where families can cook, a cheerful kid’s playroom and expansive sitting rooms filled with comfy furniture, including some chairs that belonged to Evelyn.

“Evelyn’s House is about the care, comfort and support of our families as well as our patients,” said Barbara Westland, executive director of BJC hospice and home health care.

Each of the spacious, private rooms at the hospice, which accepts both adults and children, has a walkout patio. There’s also a meditation room and outdoor garden, designed by the Missouri Botanical Gardens, to provide family members with a quiet space. Other features include a family sleeping area; natural surroundings with a walking path, gazebo and playground; a gathering room with a fireplace; music and art therapy rooms and a beauty salon and spa. 

In addition, ice cream is always available to patients and families because it was a favorite dessert of Evelyn’s. The Eric P. and Evelyn E. Newman Foundation donated $5 million to the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital to help build the $11 million facility. 

Westland said Evelyn’s House was designed to help end-of-life patients manage their pain and other symptoms on a short-term basis so that they can be more comfortable. 

“Maybe they’ve done as much as they can at the hospital but the patient still has some work that needs to be done to help promote their comfort,” said Westland. “They can be here two, three, four days, get their symptoms under control and then go home.”

She explained that most terminal patients want to die at home if they can. However, if home care is too difficult to manage, Evelyn’s House, with its peaceful, homey setting and holistic approach to treating the medical, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient, can be a much more palatable option than a hospital.

“Our hospitals are wonderful in terms of providing care, but it’s hard to send patients back to the hospital with symptom management needs because their role is acute care and treatment,” said Westland. “We felt it was important to have a place where end-of-life patients could go and be comfortable and cared for by experts.”

Currently, Evelyn’s House is in need of volunteers for everything from arranging flowers to welcoming family members and visitors to playing piano to event and fund-raising support. Typically, volunteers work in shifts, from two to four hours, and will be trained and well-prepared to help at the hospice.

Westland says volunteers, as well as anyone else who comes to Evelyn’s House, should know that it is not a sad place.

“In the word ‘hospice’ is the word ‘hope.’ And there is hope in hospice for our patients, ” said Westland. “There is hope in saying their final goodbyes, there is hope in solving any issues they had in life, and there is hope in balancing their spiritual, emotional and physical needs.

“It is a privilege and opportunity to walk this journey with our patients and their families and be support to them.”

For information about becoming a volunteer at Evelyn’s House, call 314-872-5050, visit bjchospice.org or email [email protected].

New rabbi at Bais Abe

Rabbi Ben Greenfield will become interim rabbi for a year at Bais Abraham Congregation starting Friday (Aug. 5). Greenfield recently graduated from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School in New York and was Phi Beta Kappa at Johns Hopkins University where he earned degrees in philosophy and economics.

Greenfield will be taking over for Rabbi Hyim Shafner who left the Modern Orthodox congregation to become senior rabbi at Kesher Israel in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, a search for a permanent rabbi at Bais Abe continues.

Lending a hand

For the past few years, United Hebrew Congregation has partnered with Hanna Woods Elementary School in the Parkway School District to help provide weekend meals for students in need. 

This year, school administrators are asking for help in providing school supplies for some of the elementary school students. They could use 15 backpacks along with non-perishable items such as juice boxes; non-refrigerated milk boxes; single serving cereal; peanut butter and jelly in non-glass containers; canned vegetables, soups and pasta; apple sauce and fruit cups; granola bars; pudding cups, and individual bags of crackers and other snacks. 

If interested, bring donations to United Hebrew, 13788 Conway Road, and put them in one of the large red bins in the lobby or in front of the school office by 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 11. For more information, contact Angie Klenke at 314-434-3404.