In-patient Hospice Care Close to Home

I recently had the pleasure of participating in a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with Steve Richard, President/CEO, SUN Home Health and Hospice and otherstakeholders, for a new hospice center located within the Sunbury Hospital. USDA Rural Development awarded Sun Home Health Services, Inc. $99,500 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Rural Business Enterprise Grant funding to create a six-bed inpatient hospice unit within the hospital.  Terminally ill cancer patients in Central Pennsylvania now have an alternative to travelling 30–150 miles to an urban area for short-term in-patient hospice care.

I was pleasantly surprised by the homelike atmosphere of the unit. Unlimited family visitation, where even small pets are allowed, and comfortable surroundings create a special place where patients and families can continue to receive the special care of hospice. 

For instance, the first patient, admitted on October 8, 2009, was able to remain in a home like setting while professionals provided advanced symptom management and pain control in the new unit.  Like many other terminally ill cancer patients, he has chosen hospice care so that he can remain in his home and close to family members. He was able to receive a higher level of care when it was needed, close to home, and then return home quickly.

It is anticipated that over 200 patients and their families will receive services annually for a brief period of time while they need special services at the end of life’s journey.  Prior to the opening of Sun Home Health Care Center, the closest in-patient hospice facilities were too far away for a terminally ill patient wishing to be close to his home and family. 

SUN Home Health and Hospice has been serving the community since 1969 and began providing hospice care in 1981 as part of its comprehensive community health mission.  During that time the organization’s team of healthcare professionals and community volunteers have touched the lives of thousands of individuals and families. I am very proud that USDA Rural Development was able to financially support this much needed inpatient hospice care unit in Pennsylvania. 

Thomas P. Williams, Pennsylvania State Director, USDA Rural Development

Permalink  |  Posted: 11:53AM Nov 23, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [0]

First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary Tom Vilsack Visit HealthierUS School Award Winner

This morning Secretary Tom Vilsack joined First Lady Michelle Obama at Hollin Meadows Elementary School to recognize their Silver Meadal achievement in the US HealthierUS School Challenge.

USDA established the HealthierUS School Challenge as a way to recognize schools that are creating healthy school environments by promoting good nutrition and physical activity. Silver Medal winners offer a different fruit every day and fresh fruit at least one day per week, as well as have at least 70 percent average daily participation for lunch.

The First Lady and Secretary Vilsack passed out fresh fruit to students before joining other classes in the garden for a fall harvest.

Students at Hollin Meadows enjoy gardens planted by parents five years ago not only during recess, but also during class. Science classes learn about hydroponic plant growth, math classes measure creatures living in the gardens and students plant peanuts as they learn about Virginia history.

 

 

 

Permalink  |  Posted: 08:27PM Nov 18, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [2]

Merrigan Addresses Global Agricultural Leaders

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Merrigan today kicked of the 36th Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations – the first woman to hold this role and the first time the United States has chaired the Conference in 20 years.

As Merrigan welcomed top agricultural officials from throughout the world, she highlighted the Obama Administration’s commitment to advancing global food security and improving agricultural productivity. She also noted her past work for FAO to advance organic agriculture internationally, and urged her fellow leaders to build on past efforts and prioritize organic agriculture as one step to meet global ecological and environmental challenges.

See Merrigan’s opening remarks:

“The conference this year comes at a critical time following the World Summit on Food Security.  President Obama has committed the United States to a whole-of-government approach to tackle the problem of global food security.  The United States will work with Members as we move forward with this important effort.

 “My government fully supports the FAO and its mission.  We believe the FAO reform process underway provides a unique opportunity to move the organization into a more relevant, focused, and effective organization and we reaffirm our commitment and dedication to the faithful implementation of the FAO’s Immediate Plan of Action.

This endeavor will greatly enhance FAO’s contribution to agriculture development and global food security.  

“The FAO’s mandate to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, improve agricultural productivity, promote rural development and, ultimately, provide all people at all times with access to the food they need for an active and healthy life, is extremely important to the United States.

“It has been 20 years since the United States last chaired this ministerial conference.  But, I am not a stranger to FAO.  My association with FAO began 10 years ago, when, as an expert consultant, I assisted FAO staff in drafting the Committee on Agriculture paper on organic agriculture, adopted at the 30th session of the Conference.  

“Since that time, organic agriculture has grown substantially in my country and around the world. In the United States, more than 2 million hectares and over 10,000 certified producers are involved in organic agriculture.

“There have been some important efforts by FAO on organic agriculture, including the FAO–led organic standards harmonization effort and the 2007 FAO meeting in partnership with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements on organic agriculture and food security.   

“However, after 10 years, the organic program is neither mainstreamed in the FAO program of work nor in the FAO budget.  Even the very small amount of central funds given to the interdepartmental working group on organic agriculture may soon disappear.   

“As someone with a deep interest in this subject, I would like to see the importance of organic agriculture and its role in agro-ecology elevated within the FAO scope of work.

“The Agenda before us calls for decisions that will have a lasting impact on the future of our Organization. Given that we have only five and a half days to do this, I call on your cooperation and understanding to ensure we make the best use of our time to make wise and forward-looking decisions for the good of this Organization and its mission.”

 

Permalink  |  Posted: 05:26PM Nov 18, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [0]

60th Anniversary Telecom Programs and Award of Community Connect Grants Observed in Hurley, Virginia

It was exciting to have Congressman Rick Boucher, 9^th District of Virginia and the Deputy Administrator for USDA Rural Development’s Rural Utilities programs, Jessica Zufolo join me last week in Hurley, Virginia for an awards ceremony. The event highlighted the funding of three Virginia rural community broadband projects and the 60^th anniversary of the involvement of USDA in providing Telecommunication infrastructure improvements to rural America.

 

I am proud to say that Southwest Virginia will be receiving Community Connect Grants totaling over $2.4 million dollars that will help purchase and install high speed internet equipment to the rural communities of Hurley, Carbo and Grant. Working with the Rural Utilities Service Virginia Field Representative Richard Jenkins; Paul Gearheart from Inter Mountain Cable, Michael Maynard from the Wired Road Authority and Thomas Kurien from Almega Cable were successful in their pursuit of this USDA Funding. Certificates of Appreciation were provided to each cable service at the ceremony. As a result of this assistance, cable customers in these three areas will soon have high speed internet service available, improving educational and business opportunities.

 

Starting with a farm family receiving its first in home telephone in the 1950’s, to the rural household now being able to run an international business from a home office, USDA continues to play an important role in bringing new modern telecom services to rural Virginia.

 

Virginia has been very successful over the years in delivering new technology to rural areas of the state.  Since the inception of the programs, over $10 million dollars has been provided in our State for Distance Learning and Community Connect Grants. Other key achievements in Virginia include the Telemedicine System currently being operated by the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville. This state-of-the-art system allows medical specialists at the UVA Medical Center to perform detailed medical examinations of patients in over 20 rural clinics mainly in remote Southwest Virginia. Without this service, these patients would have to travel for many hours over challenging roads to obtain advanced medical care.  

 

 

 By Ellen M. Davis, Virginia State Director, USDA Rural Development

Permalink  |  Posted: 03:39PM Nov 18, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [0]