Mary Greeley Hospice

05/11/2025

"Mother’s Day, a day to celebrate the mothers we love and cherish, is joyous for many, but difficult for others. That is the raw, honest truth. It is a day to shower our mothers with flowers, gifts, and time to herself. It is a much deserved holiday! But what about the mothers who lost their children? What about the women who desperately want a baby? What about the children who have lost their mothers? For them, it is a really conflicting day."

Read Further At:
https://growgrahamgrow.com/2022/05/06/mothers-day-and-grief/

05/09/2025

This week, May 6th through 12th is a special week, National Nurses Week.
Our Nurses are the foundation of the care we provide to our patients. Please help us in celebrating and thanking our nurses here at Mary Greeley Hospice.

Pictured is Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. 💙

05/07/2025

If you are around tomorrow - we would love to see you!

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OUR SPONSORS AND EVERYONE WHO HAS MADE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE!

SPECIAL THANKS go out to:

HIRTA Public Transit for being our SHUTTLE SPONSOR and providing us with a parking lot shuttle to help you get through the lot and into the expo faster!

Central Iowa RSVP for helping us organize and get volunteers! They are the backbone of this event and literally cannot do it without them!

04/25/2025

𝓤𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓖𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓯
𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽

Are you navigating a difficult loss? You don't have to face it alone. This 6-week program offers a compassionate, safe space to process your emotions, share your journey, and find healing alongside others who truly understand. You will learn tools to cope with loss, connect with others who are experiencing similar feelings, and receive emotional support.

Meets: Tuesday, June 17, June 24, July 1, July 8, July 15 and July 22.
Time: 1:30 – 3 p.m.
Location: Sixty Forward
205 S Walnut Ave, Ames, IA 50010

For more information, please contact Mike Willer at 515-956-6038 or willer@mgmc.com

04/23/2025

𝘼 𝙝𝙪𝙜𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙧𝙨!
This week we celebrate National Volunteer Week. We would like to thank each and everyone of our volunteers for choosing to be a part of Mary Greeley Hospice.

Having you as a volunteer means...
that our patients and families see a caring volunteer bringing them a glass of water or delivering their meal to their room, picking up their groceries, reading to them, sitting with them so the family can do errands, listening to their Life Story, provide beautiful music, give them a soothing hand massage, or giving them an opportunity to relax next to a kind, loving dog.
Having you as a volunteer means...
That our patients and families have a kind, caring volunteer greet them at the front door and answer the phone at the hospice house, spend time in their room visiting with them, deliver their medical supplies, call them weekly to see if they need supplies, call them to offer comfort after their husband died, take the perfect photo of their hands with their loved one, as well as many other numerous simple acts of kindness you show to the patient and their family.

And we have several of you who work behind the scenes to make sure…
every patient chart is put together with all the documents and then taken apart when the patient is deceased, every chart is audited and checked for signatures and documents are in place, every chart is scanned into the system for their permanent record, every patient admission binder is put together for the nurses along with other numerous tasks done for the staff.

Thank you for being a part of hospice and making a difference every day in the lives of others.

04/22/2025

🌟 It’s National Volunteer Week! 🌟
This week—and every week—we celebrate the amazing volunteers who give their time, energy, and hearts to support our mission. 💙

Whether they're offering a warm welcome, comforting patients, supporting events, or lending a helping hand behind the scenes, our volunteers make a difference every single day.

👏 THANK YOU for being the heartbeat of our organization. We couldn’t do it without you!

04/14/2025

𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗮𝘆.

Volunteer Coordinator, Pat Howlett, works with the Master Gardener program at ISU Extension and Outreach. We have wonderful volunteers who plant a container garden, which consists of approximately 100 containers, on Mother’s Day weekend. Our memorial garden is in the backyard of the Hospice House and our volunteers turn the grounds into a beautiful, peaceful place for our patients and their families. Every year they come up with the different theme for the garden. They are currently in the process of planning the theme for this year.
For the past three years Holub Greenhouses has graciously donated to our Memorial Garden project. We are so grateful for people like Diane and Mike Holub for providing flowers so our Master Gardeners can plant a beautiful garden in our backyard.

Thank you to all the Master Gardeners who give them time and talent to the Israel Family Hospice House.

04/02/2025

What are YOU doing to get your steps in today? Share with us below!

Today is National Walking Day.

This year, we’re highlighting the powerful connection between movement and mental well-being.

Walking is one of the simplest ways to boost mood, reduce stress and improve heart health—benefits you can feel immediately.

03/18/2025

𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗚𝗠𝗖 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀

The Life Stories project seeks to help hospital caregivers discover the person behind the patient. This program was developed at the VA hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, and implemented at MGMC Oncology floor and Mary Greeley Hospice.

Our MGMC Hospice volunteer writers work with patients in hospice, interviewing them about their lives. They then write up a 600-1,000 word life story, and go over it with the patient, who can suggest changes. Once the story is finished to the patient’s satisfaction, it is given to the patient and family and shared with the nurses caring for the patient.

With the addition of the Life Stories, caregivers can learn about the patient’s personality, history, career, passions and values and provide even better care for the patient.

03/13/2025

𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳.

𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲.

Mary Greeley Hospice will be having a volunteer training coming up on April 22nd, April 24th and April 30th for interested volunteers at the front desk at the Israel Family Hospice House. The volunteers can serve our hospice program by answering phone calls, answering the door, greeting visitors and interacting with patients and families. If you have a desire to serve others and would like to be a part of a wonderful hospice team, please call the Hospice House at 515-956-6000 and ask for Pat Howlett, Volunteer Coordinator for further information about how to get started volunteering.

03/11/2025

National Funeral Director/Mortician Recognition Day

We would like to thank the Funeral Directors and Mortician that we work alongside with in caring for our patient's and families at the end of life.

03/07/2025

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆?

Hospice care in an inpatient facility provides numerous benefits for both patients and their families during the end-of-life process. Here are some key benefits:

Comprehensive Medical Care: Inpatient hospice facilities offer access to 24-hour medical care from a team of professionals, including doctors, nurses, and healthcare aides. This ensures that patients receive appropriate symptom management and pain relief.

Symptom Management: Hospice care focuses on alleviating symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and anxiety, helping patients achieve comfort during their final days.

Family Support: Our hospice team provides emotional and psychological support not just to patients but also to family members.

Environment: Hospice facilities are designed to promote comfort and a homelike atmosphere, making it easier for families to spend quality time with their loved ones during this challenging time.

Coordination of Care: Hospice care teams coordinate all aspects of care, which can reduce the burden on families to manage treatments and communicate with various healthcare providers.

Crisis Management: Inpatient facilities are equipped to handle emergencies that may arise, ensuring timely and appropriate interventions.

Family Involvement: Families can be more involved in the care process, with opportunities to participate in the patient’s care plan and decision-making.

Psychosocial Support: Many inpatient hospice facilities also offer psychosocial services, including spiritual care, social work support, and bereavement counseling, which can be beneficial for both patients and their families.

Quality of Life: The primary goal of hospice care is to enhance the quality of life for patients and their families, ensuring they spend their remaining days with dignity, comfort, and support.

Overall, inpatient hospice care provides a supportive setting tailored to the needs of patients and families facing the complexities of terminal illness.