Boulder Archives

Veteran Pinning – Arthur Sidney Roberts

July 31, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

Arthur Sidney Roberts served in the United States Navy for four years on an oil tanker during the Korean War. One of his fondest memories while in service, Art (as he prefers to be called), traveled to Australia and visited Christ Church during the same time period that President Eisenhower was touring the island nation. To this day, Art still brags how he has been to both poles while serving his country.

As an ordained minister, Art had the honor of presiding over his granddaughter’s wedding last month, just days after being diagnosed with ALS. He represents America with a love of family, country, and baseball. In fact, Art played on a softball league at 83 years old until this past March. He finished his softball season allowing only one walk as a pitcher.

Art’s family gathered on Sunday, July 21st, 2019 to celebrate his 84th birthday and to honor his service in the U.S. Navy with a veteran pinning ceremony. His home in Longmont, Colorado was filled with his family and friends as the TRU Community Care team arrived and prepared for the ceremony.

TRU volunteer and fellow veteran of the Korean War, John Franko, began the ceremony with an introduction paying tribute to Art’s service in the military. Art’s loved ones watched as he received his pin and honorary military salute.

There was a depth of reverence for the sacrifices made by these men, seemingly strangers but brought together by a common thread, their service to our country. John continued the ceremony by giving Art a star saved from a retired American flag that is given only to military veterans and first responders stating,

“I am part of our American flag that has flown over the United States. I can no longer fly, the sun has caused me to be tattered and torn. Please carry me as a reminder that you are not forgotten”.

Arthur was filled with deep gratitude, mutual respect, and joy in response to the ceremony. You couldn’t help but perceive the profound and wholehearted life in service to others that Art has lived and carries with him through his family.

TRU Community Care offers and produces Veteran Pinning Ceremonies to honor their service to the United States Military. Veterans, who are near the end of their life, share their experiences both leading up to and during the ceremony. The retelling of stories is an important part of what TRU Community Care offers to individuals nearing the end of their life.

To read more by TRU Community Care, please visit https://www.trucare.org/blog.

Thrift with a Mission

June 6, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

Infectious joy. Those are the two words that people frequently use to describe the atmosphere at TRU Thrift and the volunteers who work there. And it has the ability to impact anyone who steps foot into the store.

Mary Scripter has been volunteering with TRU Thrift for over three years. She helps with everything from organizing the literacy section to working the register. She even helped start the TRU Thrift Online Amazon Bookstore. She loves volunteering with TRU Thrift because of their mission — and the first look at all of the items coming in the door doesn’t hurt either.

Originally from South Dakota, Mary went to college in Wyoming and has lived in Colorado since 1971. She has been volunteering with hospices across Colorado since ‘76. She started her volunteering in Colorado Springs, until she found TRU Community Care.

Mary began working with hospice communities because of her experience through her sister’s death.

“When you’ve been helped by a hospice, you want to give back.” Mary tells us. “TRU Community Care has such a wonderful community, who donate furniture and goods to TRU Thrift.”

She understands that when people go through the death of a loved one, they want to give back and support others who are going through a similar experience. Mary’s favorite section is in the book stacks. There are days that she organizes 100’s of donated books.

Mary loves to organize and research the books for their value. If at any time you find yourself at TRU Thrift, check out their amazing book section. You may even find Mary there to help you support your efforts in finding the perfect summer read or even a treasure.

In the words of TRU Thrift’s Store Manager, Lynn McCullough, “Shopping at the TRU Hospice Thrift Shop can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Who doesn’t love the hunt for a bargain?”. Merchandise includes high-end furniture at reasonable prices, gently worn clothing from designer to basics, jewelry, collectibles, art, books, sporting equipment, housewares, and more.

TRU PACE Art Gallery Opening

May 28, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

Last week, more than 60 people joined TRU PACE to celebrate the opening of our art gallery featuring the works of PACE participants and visiting artist, Al Canner. The artwork created by PACE participants was produced through the therapeutic art program, Purple Art.

Al Canner, a fiber artist, is the chairman of the TRU Ethics Committee and our first featured community artist. We are grateful to have his intricate work featured with the works of PACE participants.

TRU PACE participants artist cards are available with a small donation in support of PACE programming by emailing LeslieMader@trucare.org.

If you were not able to come to the TRU PACE Art Opening and would like to view the pieces, showings are available by appointment only. Please make a scheduled viewing by contacting Leslie Mader at 303.665.0115.

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the TRU PACE Art Gallery Opening a hit!

Stay in the loop for our next TRU PACE Art Opening and other events by signing up for our newsletter at https://bit.ly/2ZbzPdk.

TRU PACE Celebrates 2nd Birthday with a Prom!

April 29, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

TRU Community Care’s program, TRU PACE, celebrated its second year with a prom last Thursday for all of their participants and staff!

A day to honor the success, growth, and future health of the TRU PACE community.

Since opening the TRU PACE program in 2017, this innovative model has served more than 154 participants. The PACE model is designed to provide a community of all-inclusive care for individuals in need of nursing-home-level services, helping them to live as independently as possible. Events like the TRU PACE Prom highlight the many social benefits of the PACE model.

Joy, laughter, and smiles fill the room, making it quite evident the value and need of this program for the elderly, in illness and in health. TRU Community Care is devoted to making sure that life is supported and cared for at every moment.

PACE, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, is a permanent Medicare program, established in 1997. The program is an essential part of TRU Community Care as it supports a variety of acute, preventative, and long term continuance services that are sustained in health care services and integrated by the community of TRU.

The purpose of the PACE program is focused on providing a unified community of health care services to support the following:

An enhanced quality of life
Maximized dignity of and respect for older adults
Participants autonomy – to live at home, with their community, for as long as medically and socially possible
Preservation and support of the participant’s family unit

Each service of PACE is crucial to providing well-rounded health for the participant that supports their mind, body, and disposition in life.

All of the members that make up the TRU PACE program are essential to supporting TRU Community Care’s mission and experiences like the TRU PACE Prom!

According to the 2010 census, only 3.1% of older adults in need of care lived in nursing homes, most prefer to stay at home. TRU Community Care provides every service possible for these transitions faced later in life, in and with a community of experts, volunteers, and families.

2010 Census

TRU PACE is a program of TRU Community Care, a Colorado-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Though the PACE program is a part of the Medicare/Medicaid governmental program, donation-based support is necessary to maintain a high level of health, community, and support that is so necessary to the participants.

You can donate is so many ways!

To learn more about how you can volunteer and/or donate, please visit: https://www.trucare.org/giving-back/ways-to-donate/.

For more information about TRU PACE, please visit: https://www.pace.trucare.org/.

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Our Care Center Has Moved!

May 25, 2016 by TRU Community Care

TRU Community Care has relocated its hospice inpatient unit to Longmont united Hospital, 4th Floor South as of April 2018.

Since 1999, TRU has operated a hospice inpatient unit – the only facility of its kind in the area. The hospice inpatient unit offers patients around-the-clock nursing care, state-of-the-art pain and symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, and personalized attention. These services will continue at TRU’s new inpatient unit, located on Longmont United Hospital, 4th Floor SOuth, 1950 Mountain View Ave. Longmont, CO 80501.

We remain committed to making space available for hospice patients and their families, and are excited to be working with Longmont United Hospital.

Join us for our 40th bash!

May 10, 2016 by TRU Community Care

Mark your calendars! In celebration of our 40^th, TRU Community Care will be hosting an anniversaryparty on Sunday, June 26 from 2 to 5 p.m. and all of TRU’s supporters are invited to attend. The celebration will also include the grand opening for our new PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly) and Grief Services building. PACE is a comprehensive program that helps nursing-home eligible seniors live as independently as possible.

The event will be held at 2593 Park Lane in Lafayette, around the corner from our existing administrative offices on Trailridge Drive. We hope to see you there!

Movie highlight: “Way to Go: Death and the Irish”

April 18, 2016 by TRU Community Care

As those involved in hospice know very well, death is something few in our society want to talk about or acknowledge, yet it is a certainty. Why bother talking about it at all? In this the documentary, filmmaker Norah Casey explores Ireland’s relationship with death, speaking to healthcare professionals as well as people with terminal illnesses who share their thoughts on the last months of their lives. The film also includes contributions from well-known figures such as Gabriel Byrne, broadcasters Marian Finucane and George Hook, plus comments from members of the Irish public.
Check out this thought-provoking piece meant to promote open discussion on the topics of death and dying, as it has as much to say to Boulder County as it does to Ireland. It may seem too early – until it’s too late.

Shop Amazon and Help TRU Hospice

March 8, 2016 by TRU Community Care

Did you know that you can shop on Amazon.com and donate to TRU Community Care at the same time – at no cost to you?

Here’s how it works. If you shop through the site smile.amazon.com, you’ll have access to all the products on amazon.com, but the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to a nonprofit of your choice.

Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same. On your first visit to AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), you need to select a charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. The website will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.

So do your shopping and support Boulder area hospice care at the same time – it’s a win-win. Think of TRU next time you shop!

Hiking Off the Grief with TRU

February 26, 2016 by TRU Community Care

Updated post! Dates are set for our kids-teens-and-parent hiking groups.

Once again this season, we will offer a way to combine exercise and support for people who are grieving or caregiving. The idea for organizing hikes came from a realization that “nature heals”, and that participating in a traditional grief support group, especially immediately after a loss, can be too difficult for some people.The hikes have a mostly free structure. Route, pace and duration are flexible, depending on the participants, the weather and the season.Making connections with fellow hikers, especially those who have shared similar losses, can be the greatest comfort. Caregivers too stand to benefit, both from the emotional support and respite these outings provide.
TRU Hiking Groups are open to Boulder hospice families, as well as the community.

For Kids, Teens and Parents
This offering is for families – parents will go on one trail, teens will go on another and kids will go on their own. Each group will have a group facilitator. We do a series of six hikes and you can remember your special person who has died, be around others that are going through the same thing and get support.
You are responsible for transportation to the meeting place at the trailhead each week and to bring water and snacks. Pre-registration required, with hikes starting on Tuesday, May 3 at 5 p.m. at the Chautauqua ranger station. See our grief services page for details and to RSVP.

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