The Lisbon Bissell Golf Club invites you to participate in a charity golf tournament benefitting Hospice of the Red River Valley.

The four-person scramble will take place on Saturday, August 18. Registration will begin at 11 a.m. with a shotgun start at noon. Cost to play is $45 per person, which includes the green fee and a meal following the scramble. Golf teams are limited and pre-registration is encouraged.

For more information about the charity golf tournament, or to register, contact Sam at the Lisbon Bissell Golf Club at 701-683-4510.

Dear Editor,

As employees of Hospice of the Red River Valley, we were privileged to be part of a hospice advocacy campaign that took place in Washington, D.C. on June 18 – 19, 2012. As part of this campaign, hospice representatives from around the country joined to discuss and advocate for the hospice benefit and changes in regulations that could negatively impact the delivery of hospice care, an undeniably important benefit that terminally ill people are entitled to. Specifically, we urged our Congressmen to support the Hospice Evaluation and Legitimate Payment (HELP) Act.

The hospice community faces unprecedented reimbursement and regulatory challenges. Hospice programs around the nation are preparing for the devastating impact of multiple Medicare rate cuts, and working around the clock to comply with new regulations that are not currently in line with the operational realities of patient care. As of now, rural North Dakota already receives the lowest reimbursement rate in the country for hospice services. Certainly, changes in health care are necessary, but unreasonable, unfunded mandates and disproportionate rate cuts will bring us to our knees.

While hospice care is often misunderstood, the value of hospice-both in terms of quality of end-of-life care for patients and their families, and savings to Medicare-is undeniable. Passage of the HELP Hospice Act would ensure that future changes to payment methodology and patient care are consistent with the operational realities of the hospice community, especially rural programs. This is instrumental in preserving access to hospice for future generations.

As residents of North Dakota, we met with our members of Congress and/or their staff. It was both an honor and a humbling experience to have the opportunity to sit with our delegates on Capitol Hill and have a chance to discuss with them why we not only strongly believe in our work, but also hear how they have seen hospice in action.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad, and Representative Rick Berg, as well as their staff, for taking time to learn what hospice provides for communities in rural North Dakota and the role hospice plays in the lives of the terminally ill and their loved ones.

We firmly believe hospice care is part of the solution to our nation’s health care problems. And, we know, with certainty, we make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families.

Please join us in supporting the HELP Hospice Act and contact North Dakota’s Congressmen and urge them to support the Act too. Passage of this legislation is a necessary first step to preserving access to hospice for future generations, particularly in rural areas like much of North Dakota.

With Respect,

Derek Martin, RN, CHPN                                Robyn Ullrich, LSW Clinical Manager                                                          Patient Care Social Worker

Hospice of the Red River Valley

The fourth annual Debbie Gabel Memorial Motorcycle Ride, Raffle and Street Dance will be held Saturday, July 28 in Valley City. Registration for the motorcycle ride begins at 9 a.m. in the Veterans Memorial Park parking lot, with the ride beginning at noon. Cost to participate is $20 per bike, and net proceeds benefit Hospice of the Red River Valley.

In addition to the motorcycle ride, this year’s event will also include a silent auction, street dance and raffle. The street dance will begin at 9 p.m. on Main Street between Central Avenue and 2nd Avenue East. The Christian Simmons band will play.

The raffle and silent auction, hosted at the VFW, will benefit Hospice of the Red River Valley. Raffle prizes include a 2012 Harley Davidson Heritage Classic, a 32″ flat screen TV, $300 gas card and a $300 beef bundle from Valley Meats. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased in advance or at the event.

For more information and where to purchase raffle tickets, visit http://www.thunderingsaints.com/.

Hospice of the Red River Valley invites health care professionals to its Lunch and Learn series to explore various topics related to end-of-life care.

The next Lunch and Learn will take place on Tuesday, July 17, 2012, from noon – 1 p.m. Gretchen Dobervich, the North Dakota field director at Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota/North Dakota, will discuss behaviors associated with dementia, interventions for dealing with behaviors and activities for individuals with dementia. Hospice of the Red River Valley is an approved provider of continuing education for social workers in North Dakota. This program has been approved for 1 contact hour.

For your convenience, Lunch and Learns will be held at three Hospice of the Red River Valley locations: Fargo – 1701 38th St. SW, Fargo, ND; Lisbon – 415 Main Street, Lisbon, ND; or Valley City – 1240 W Main Street, Valley City, ND.

*The Lisbon and Valley City office locations will be connected via video conference to the Fargo office where the live presentation will take place.

Space is limited; pre-registration is required. RSVP to Missy at melissa.haut@hrrv.org or 701-356-1563 by July 11. Participants may bring their own lunches; coffee and water will be provided.

Lunch and Learns are free and open to all health care professionals. They will be held on an ongoing basis every other month (January, March, May, July, September and November) on the third Tuesday of the month from noon – 1 p.m. Specific topics and descriptions will be shared closer to each date.