Mary Lonergan swears she’s NOT the diet police. As a dietitian, her role is more about providing guidance and support. She helps patients and families understand how illness and medications can affect dietary needs, and suggests nutrition options to help them feel comfortable. Mary’s work with Angela Hospice began 24 years ago. In addition to her position here as Nutrition Consultant, Mary also manages her private practice in addition to teaching at Eastern Michigan University and Oakland Community College. “I love what I do,” said Mary, who believes hospice is about “shining a light on the patients who need care.” When her own mother needed care and was admitted to a hospice program on the west side of Michigan, Mary supported her decision. “Mom had been given six months but was a spitfire who lived three years!” she said. As a Nutrition Consultant, Mary is available to confer with  hospice team  members to help patients achieve their goals. When her mom would ...

Paula was in nursing school at Madonna University when she and her chemistry lab partner, Sister Mary Catherine, were working with combustible chemicals. As the two of them began mixing things, Paula teased, “Be careful, Sister. You’re going to get me killed and I’m afraid of dying.” “Why are you afraid of dying?” Sister Mary Catherine asked. “You need to go over to see Sister Giovanni and start working for her at the Care Center. Put in an application.” Paula thought about it and ended up applying for a position as a contingent nursing assistant. She was hired almost immediately. She continued working at Angela Hospice until she finished her nursing degree and took a full-time position at a nearby hospital. But she held onto her intention of being a hospice nurse. When a position opened up three years later, she applied right away, and has been working in the Care Center now almost 20 years. “Why I stay is because it’s an honor and I love the challenge of symptom co...

Melanie Miller (right) working with Volunteer Dottie  Wait  at the Light Up a Life Gala. Name, title: Melanie Miller, Volunteer Liaison/Development Clerk How long have you worked here? Seven years. What made you decide to work here? I was at home, and my mom had just died, I had had my daughter, and I decided that I wanted to go back to school and get my four-year degree. So I went to Madonna University and started the hospice and palliative studies program. I took my first hospice class and I really liked it so I thought if I’m going to be in a hospice environment then I need to probably volunteer at a hospice. I came over here and I started volunteering. I went to school for many years and I finally got my four-year degree. Then after I finished school there was a job opening so I applied for it and I got the job. How had you heard of Angela Hospice? I live in Livonia so I drive by here all the time. What’s a typical day like for you? ...

Name: Mike Conway, Home Care Social Worker, LMSW How long have you worked here? Six years. What made you decide to work here? After the loss of a loved one I went back to college to get my Masters in Social Work and I was able to complete one of my field placements at Angela Hospice. In only a few days into my placement I knew that Angela Hospice was where I wanted to pursue my career as a social worker. Under the supervision of Rebecca, Whitney, and Mary Ann, I was able to observe how the staff at Angela Hospice was able to make a difference in patient’s and families’ lives during very difficult times. The staff’s care and kindness was not only extended to the patients and families, but also to each other and me. How had you heard of Angela Hospice? Prior to working at Angela Hospice, I worked for a marketing agency on Newburgh road across from Angela Hospice. What’s a typical day like for you? My day usually starts off at the Care Center reviewing the pri...

Name, title: Penny Weeks, Home Care Nurse How long have you worked here? Three years What made you decide to work here?   In my first year of nursing, I had a very young patient at the University of Michigan who had kidney failure and she was not a candidate for dialysis or transplant; she declined further life-prolonging treatments. A hospice consult was written, and the family wanted Angela! This patient was a patient of mine for weeks in the hospital and I became very close with them and their family. The family kept in touch with me after she was discharged and transferred to the Care Center and when she died they called me. They had so many wonderful things to say about Angela Hospice and the staff, and the fact that Angela Hospice was Christ-centered care, and how comforting it was to have their nurse pray with them and be supportive of their faith. I knew then that someday I wanted to work for a company whose mission was Christ-like. How had y...

Name, title: Matt Kozlo, Purchasing Coordinator How long have you worked here? Four years in April. What made you decide to work here? I worked prior for a DME vendor in purchasing and Angela Hospice was one of the accounts. When I heard about the opening at Angela Hospice, I not only wanted to expand my experience to the other side of the finance spectrum, but I also wanted to be a part of such a great organization. It has been the best decision I have ever made. I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to work for Angela Hospice and to be a part of the company’s growth to be a great provider to those in need of hospice services. How had you heard of Angela Hospice? Through my old employer and fellow associates that also came over to work for Angela Hospice. What’s a typical day like for you? That’s the best part about my job: I don’t have a typical day. I try to stick with a routine of certain tasks to complete each day of the week but since my job de...

Name, title: Grace Washington, Home Care Hospice Aide How long have you worked here? Almost 16 years. What made you decide to work here? I was working at another company where I was doing a similar thing but it wasn’t hospice. I was going through the newspaper and I saw it. The HR woman at the time had me come in, put the application in, and she hired me. I just love being in the medical field. How had you heard of Angela Hospice? Through an ad in the Southfield Eccentric newspaper. What’s a typical day like for you? In home care there isn’t one. (laughs) It always changes, every day, it’s never the same. Call-ins or from the patients that we see or you get a call to go somewhere else…there’s not a typical day for a hospice aide. You want everything to go well but when you knock on that door you never know what you’re going to get. Before you even get a “hello” they have all this stuff going on that they want addressed right then before you even wal...

Name, title: Bernadine Hillman, Home Care Aide/CHPNA How long have you worked here? Over 12 years. What made you decide to work here? When I was working for a home care agency that was located in Livonia they had assigned me a patient that had dementia, and she was on hospice, and she passed. I didn’t realize how emotionally attached I had become to her until her daughter told me she was dying…so that’s when I decided ok, I think that’s my calling; to get into hospice. And I’m glad I did. How had you heard of Angela Hospice? Through a CNA program that I was taking at the time, they had listed some different agencies that were hiring. Bernadine has worked at Angela Hospice for over 12 years. What’s a typical day like for you? I go to my first visit, where I’m welcomed by the family, or the patient if they stay alone. Then I get them prepared for their personal care, setting out what I would need to give them a bath or assist them in the shower. Then I...

Name, title:  Kelly Hardy, Home Care Social Worker How long have you worked here? 15 years What made you decide to work here? The idea of working with families in their own homes really appealed to me. Being able to see what daily life is like for someone is very helpful in trying to understand their needs. I also really appreciated the extent to which emotional and spiritual needs were valued at Angela Hospice – that’s often not the case in other areas of health care. How had you heard of Angela Hospice? I had a friend who had worked at Angela Hospice for a brief time and she encouraged me to consider working here. What’s a typical day like for you? My days are typically comprised of several phone conversations with patients and families who are currently in our program, as well as bereavement phone calls to families who have recently lost a loved one. Home visits are also a regular part of each day in which I serve as a counselor and a community res...

Name, title: Kathy Ostroskie, Spiritual Care Coordinator How long have you worked here? Six years. What made you decide to work here? I worked at another hospice for seven years prior to coming to Angela Hospice and the fact that Angela Hospice is a faith-based hospice was the draw for me.   How had you heard of Angela Hospice? I had never even heard the word “hospice” until my mother was referred to a hospice program. After that, the hospice philosophy was imprinted on my heart. I live in Livonia and whenever I passed the beautiful Angela Hospice grounds, I just knew that I would work here eventually.     Kathy in the adoration chapel in the Care Center. What’s a typical day like for you? I visit patients and their families in their home setting for any spiritual care needs and then provide those needs, whether it’s a scripture reading, prayer or spiritual conversation, etc. I might also facilitate a patient connection with a parish or locate clerg...

Name, title: Barb Brown, Mission Integration Leader & Administrative Assistant How long have you worked here? Six years. (My anniversary is Nov. 8 which also happens to be my birthday. My first day at Angela Hospice was the best birthday present ever.) What made you decide to work here? I worked as a volunteer with Angela Hospice and was looking on the website because I had missed receiving the volunteer newsletter. I happened to look at the job openings and saw the Administrative Assistant job advertised. I applied, taking a chance and not thinking anything would come of it, and here I am six years later. How had you heard of Angela Hospice? My mother was a patient at Angela Hospice 20 years ago. So my family was fortunate to experience firsthand the wonderful services of Angela Hospice. What’s a typical day like for you? I guess the best way to answer that question is that I don’t have typical days – and that’s why I love my job. My days include planni...

Name, title: Martha Hutchinson, Home Care Case Manager How long have you worked here? Almost 17 years.  What made you decide to work here? As a new, inexperienced but older nurse, I followed the advice of my friend Wendy Winkler -- an Angela Hospice pediatric RN at the time -- to visit and consider working for Angela Hospice. Oh, what she set in motion! What’s a typical day like for you? Most days, plans made the day before will change after listening to report -- requiring more flexibility than I knew I possessed. A typical day involves lots of phone calls related to patients and their care. A good typical day includes regular interactions with my clinical peers. Each day includes home visits, of course, which can go as planned or can provide unexpected challenges. I sure have been exposed to many opportunities to reach outside my original comfort zone. What is your favorite part about working at Angela Hospice? The interactions with people facing end-o...

Name: Krystie Davis, RN Home Care Case Manager How long have you worked here? Four years. What made you decide to work here? While going through Wayne State University Nursing School I worked as a caregiver at an assisted living facility, and Medtech. I loved that with this job I got to know residents and families, and I really enjoyed working with the elderly. There was a hospice RN who used to come to the facility I worked at, and she knew I was going through nursing school, so she would talk to me and teach me things about hospice. I found her job very interesting and knew I wanted to find out more about it. When I was in my community clinical rotation my last semester of nursing school, I was able to shadow Karen Cafeo (Angela Hospice Director of Quality Systems and RN) for a day and I loved it. A few months after graduation and taking my boards, I put in an application and was hired right away for the position. What is a typical day for you? Not sure if t...

Name: Kristy Hunley, Employee Relations Coordinator How long have you worked here? Six-and-a-half years. What made you decide to work here? I actually always wanted to be in the hospice field but I’m not clinical so I didn’t really think there was anything out there for me. But when I worked for Metro Medical, which was the local DME (durable medical equipment provider) that worked with Angela Hospice a lot, I talked to people here almost every single day. They always seemed so happy and so fulfilled with the position that they had, no matter what it was. I kept saying, “That’s what I want.” So that’s kind of what brought me over here. How had you heard of Angela Hospice? I heard of them a lot when I was working for the DME…I kind of always knew they were in this area. When Sister Giovanni started to look for donations for Angela Hospice, before it all even existed, she was standing outside at 5 Mile and Middlebelt, which was Arbor Drugs at that point, and m...

Name: Helen Balmforth, Events Coordinator What made you decide to work here? I had run my own company for about 10 years doing event planning. I had called Deirdre (Stemmelen) over at Laurel Manor, as we were planning an event, and by coincidence she mentioned to me that Angela Hospice was hiring an event planner. It felt like that was sort of my tap on the shoulder move, as I’ve always sort of lived and worked in this square mile. I went to St. Edith for grade school, Ladywood High School, went to Madonna (University) for college, and my most recent contract work – prior to working here – was at Ladywood High School. So when I was deciding if I wanted to continue doing contract work or go full-time…and that sort of fell into my lap, it felt like it was divine intervention, and here I am. I called, interviewed the next day, and was hired the day after that. How had you heard of Angela Hospice? I’ve lived in this area my whole life. I’ve had a handful o...

Name: Ann Peczynski, Finance Assistance How long have you worked here? 21 years What made you decide to work here? I heard that it was a nice place to work and there was a part time opening in accounts payable. I had worked in accounts payable at my previous job before taking a few years off to raise my son. How had you heard of Angela Hospice? Through a friend who had a friend that worked here, who actually told me about the job opening. What’s a typical day like for you? I handle the accounts payable and other financial functions. It keeps me busy, which I enjoy. Ann (far left) has worked in finance at Angela Hospice for 21 years. What is your favorite part about working at Angela Hospice? I enjoy it because of our mission, all the good we do in the community, and the wonderful people that I work with – now and through my 21 year history. What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Angela Hospice? The opening of the new Care Cen...

Name: Lisa Norton,   Public Relations and Development IT Coordinator How long have you worked here? 15 years. What made you decide to work here? I was taking a journalism class at Madonna University, and our guest speaker from one of the Detroit newspapers ended up not being able to make it. But the public relations coordinator from Angela Hospice happened to be walking by, and the professor called her in to talk to the class. She mentioned they were looking for a public relations intern. I applied for it, and came on as an intern for the summer. I was hired on part-time while I was in college, then full-time after I graduated. The way it happened so unexpectedly, almost randomly – I had never considered a career in public relations (although a career aptitude test I took in the seventh grade suggested it!) – it really felt serendipitous to me, like I was meant to be here. I know there are a few people on staff here that have stories like that. How had you heard ...

Name: Paula Schrock-Bending, Care Center Nurse How long have you worked here? I answered an ad in the paper in 1994 for a CNA. I had done patient care my whole life but I wanted to do something alongside going to nursing school. So I came over and trained with staff and went through all the shifts. As a nurse when I graduated in 1997, there wasn’t a position for a RN, so I waited patiently and then I came on board in 2000 as a RN. So 16 years. What made you decide to work here? I answered the ad primarily because a Felician Sister, who was my lab partner in a chemistry course at Madonna, said, “Paula you need to go into that hospice field. Sister Giovanni has just opened up a Care Center and you need to go.” I said, “No, I don’t know if I want to do that,” because death and dying to me was very scary. I wanted to work with the geriatric clientele but I didn’t want to do it at the end stage. But then I decided, OK, why not? I was pleasantly surprised working for Ange...

Name: Bonnie Morris, RN Case Manager How long have you worked here? 18 years. What made you decide to work here? I liked home care but when [Angela Hospice] came and took care of my family I saw a new aspect of nursing that I thought might be very interesting. So I tried it and it was a good fit, and it has been for 18 years. How had you heard of Angela Hospice? Through them coming to take care of my dad. What’s a typical day like for you? I get up and do a little charting, manage my cases, make phone calls. Then I go out and do my visits. Then I come home and chart whatever I need to finish up, make phone calls to make patients’ day go better. That’s pretty much it. Bonnie is constantly on the move to see patients. What is your favorite part about working at Angela Hospice? Working with the patients. I thought about going into management but I enjoy the patients just that much that I wanted to stay doing that. What is one of your favorite memories from your tim...