Rock Creek woman wins statewide Hospice award
Oct. 16—ROCK CREEK — For years, Joyce Misinec of Rock Creek has been opening her heart to patients who are near death and to families grieving afterward.
Her volunteering recently won her the statewide Hospice Volunteer of the Year award from the Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice.
"She does so much for us," said Nichole Lister, volunteer coordinator with Bella Care Hospice in Ashtabula County. "Joyce participates in our Stepping Stones program, and she visits and sits bedside in the final hours of someone's life to provide comfort to the patient and family."
Misinec also makes three- and six-month bereavement calls to families after their loved one has died. She attends her patients' memorial services.
"Hospice is a wonderful way to care for those who are vulnerable," Misinec said.
Lister said Misinec often reads to patients.
"She has a great sense of humor," she said. "She is very understanding, she tries to relate to everyone. She has such a giving heart and often says that she gets more from her patients than she gives, which is why she dedicates so much of her time at Bella Care."
Volunteer coordinator, Nichole Lister, said, "Joyce truly takes her time getting to know as much as she can about each patient and family member, so that each interaction is as meaningful to them as it is to her."
Misinec said she enjoys her volunteer work.
"Being able to chat with someone about their fondest memories, or read to someone who can no longer read for themselves, or play a Beatles play list and watch them move their body move to the beat, is truly gratifying," she said.
Misinec volunteers between 15 and 25 hours a month for Bella Care. She also volunteers as an usher at Playhouse Square in Cleveland and Jefferson United Methodist Church.
OCHCH is a non-profit association that represents the interests of health care at home providers in Ohio. OCHCH advocates for ethical, compassionate, and quality home and community-based care, as well as for the individuals and families its members serve.
As the voice of health care at home, the association strives to provide value, resources, and partnership for those who provide care for Ohio's most vulnerable citizens.
