Hospice News
Ocean County, NJ -- The last time Daniel Murdock of Beachwood had been fishing was over 10 years ago when he and his wife frequently enjoyed time together at sea and then reaped the benefits of their catch in a bountiful meal.
Now at 86, Mr. Murdock was afforded a rare and treasured opportunity to go fishing once more, this time on Barnegat Bay, thanks to the Van Dyke Hospice and Palliative Care Center at Community Medical Center, an affiliate of Barnabas Health Hospice and Palliative Care Centers, and the assistance of MONOC, the Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Corporation which provides emergency services along New Jersey’s shore.
“One of the questions we always ask our patients is what is their goal for hospice,” explains Dawn Brune, LSW, a social worker for Van Dyke Hospice. “Mr. Murdock clearly stated that he wanted to go fishing again but his wife voiced skepticism that it would even be possible. ‘You never know!’ I said, and with the help of MONOC, which offers ambulance services to try to meet people’s final wishes, we made it happen.”
July 13, 2011 was a hot and sunny day on the water. Accompanied by Andrew Caruso, an EMT with MONOC and an avid fisherman himself, Mr. Murdock boarded a boat and set sail. “It was a great day and a total success,” says Mr. Caruso, who took a picture of Mr. Murdock’s catch. The framed photo is a constant reminder of his wish fulfilled.
The hospice program’s collaboration with MONOC over the years has helped to bring people’s final wishes to light and create lasting memories for family members and caregivers. For more information about Van Dyke Hospice and Palliative Care Center, please call (732) 818-6800 or visit www.barnabashealthhospice.com.
Van Dyke Hospice and Palliative Care Center at Community Medical Center, an affiliate of Barnabas Health, provides Ocean County residents who are facing advanced illness, medical, spiritual, and emotional support wherever he/she lives – at home, in the hospital, nursing home, or assisted living residence. The Center also offers Ocean County’s only dedicated inpatient hospice unit.
Date: August 12, 2011
Contact:
Public Relations: ltortorello@barnabashealth.org
973-322-4924
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