The staff members at Dorothy Love Retirement Community have suffered many losses this year. Over sixty residents have died during the course of 2017. This past week, with the help of Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County, a Holiday Tree Memorial ceremony was held for staff members to honor and remember the patients they have lost this last year.

Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County Community Care Liaison Gail Stokes spearheaded this effort to support members of the staff through these multiple losses. “They have one of the best groups of caregivers out there. From the leadership, all the way through the caregiver, housekeeping, and office staff, they are an exceptional group of people,” Gail says. “We are grateful share in their dedication to high quality care and compassion for their residents.”

To support the staff through these losses, Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County staff made 61 ornaments for a tree ceremony to represent each of the patients lost. The names of each resident who died was read aloud as ornaments dedicated to them were hung on the tree. The hospice bereavement services staff also put together some “coping at the holidays” information and a list of the residents’ names for the staff to take home from the Holiday Tree Memorial ceremony for reflection and remembrance.  The program included comments from the executive director of the Dorothy Love campus and the campus chaplain.

The tree of remembrance will remain in the extended care facility through the new year for staff to pause and remember the patients they cared for and lost.