High praise and a big Thank You to Michelle, this year’s Volunteer of the Year. Michelle has been a Hospice of Holland volunteer for four years, contributing more than 150 hours to the Hospice volunteer program during 2023. She provides companionship to patients and respite care for weary caregivers. Michelle is a pillar in the “no one dies alone” vigil program, which requires her to be on call to sit at the bedside of someone who is actively dying during the overnight hours.

Michelle embodies the hospice philosophy. She is a consummate advocate for what hospice can do for patients and families.

“She believes in our mission, and wears it proudly in the community, said the Hospice of Holland Volunteer Coordinator. “She is not afraid to take on new challenges. A pillar of our vigil program, she creates an environment of calm, comfort and support. She is an invaluable member of the care team. She is a clear communicator, providing detailed notes regarding the condition of her patient at each visit. She checks in with her patients’ primary care giver and becomes familiar with the family dynamics at play for each person. She understands and enforces clear boundaries with her patients. She is a joy to be around, and truly gives of herself to so many people and causes.”

Holland, Michigan — Hospice of Holland has been named a 2022 Hospice Honors recipient by HEALTHCAREfirst, a leading provider of billing and coding services, CAHPS surveys and advanced analytics. Hospice Honors is a prestigious program that recognizes hospices providing the highest level of quality as measured from the caregiver’s point of view.

“Hospice Honors recipients are industry leaders in providing quality care and constantly seeking ways to improve,” said Ronda Howard, Vice President Revenue Cycle and CAHPS at HEALTHCAREfirst. “We are honored to be aligned with such high performing agencies like Hospice of Holland and we congratulate them on their success.”

Award criteria were based on Hospice CAHPS survey results for an evaluation period of October 2020 through September 2021. Award recipients were identified by evaluating performance on a set of 24 quality indicator measures. Performance scores were aggregated from all completed surveys and were compared on a question- by-question basis to a National Performance Score calculated from all hospices contained in the HEALTHCAREfirst’s Hospice CAHPS database. Hospice Honors recipients include those hospices scoring above the HEALTHCAREfirst National Performance Score on 20 of the evaluated questions. HEALTHCAREfirst holds a special recognition, Hospice Honors Elite, to honor hospices scoring above the HEALTHCAREfirst National Performance Score on all 24 of the evaluated questions. Please visit HEALTHCAREfirst’s website at www.healthcarefirst.com to learn more about HEALTHCAREfirst’s Hospice CAHPS survey program as well as the Hospice Honors awards.

Sheila has volunteered for Hospice of Holland for 20 years. She has contributed to numerous volunteer programs including bereavement, palliative care, children’s care, fundraising, office work, transportation, and Heartlink. She has also participated in the Volunteer Vigil Program, to ensure that no patient has to die alone. Most recently, Sheila has been involved in the patient companionship program. She began volunteering following her retirement as an LPN at Zeeland Community Hospital, and knew Hospice of Holland was the place for her after witnessing the compassion and caring of her patients, demonstrated by Hospice of Holland staff.

“Sheila exemplifies the dedication of Hospice volunteers,” said Correa. “She is thoughtful, warm, and a perpetual student. She embodies the spirit of hospice caregiving, and we are so grateful for her many years of volunteer service!”