30 S G M A G A Z I N E | FA L L 2 0 1 7 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 31 HelpusSoundtheAlarmaboutfiresafety. Every day, 7 people die in home fires. You can help change that. This fall, the American Red Cross will team up with partners and volunteers to install 100,000 free smoke alarms in more than 100 at-risk communities across the country. We’ll also mark a major milestone—our 1 millionth smoke alarm installation since 2014! To learn more about Sound the Alarm and upcoming events in your community, visit SoundtheAlarm.org/ga or call 229-242-7404. 30 S G M A G A Z I N E | FA L L 2 0 1 7 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 31 It started with a small group of volunteers, and 30 years later, Hospice of South Georgia has grown into one of the largest providers of end-of-life care services within the region. Charlie Oliver was one of the volunteers that worked toward establishing a hospice program in South Georgia. “We found out that Tifton had started a hospice program and was providing training for people who wanted to become certified hospice volunteers,” Oliver said. “We began with less than a dozen volunteers, and the first year was spent getting all the documentation together.” In 1987, the volunteers applied for a hospice license through the Georgia Department of Community Health. Physicians, registered nurses, and social workers began visiting terminally ill patients in their home. The following year Susan Bowden, who now serves as executive director of Hospice of South Georgia, was hired as a patient care coordinator and registered nurse. “When you look back at when hospice came to the U.S., it was a grassroots community or local hospital-based movement with a high percentage of volunteers, much like our start,” said Bowden. “We are the only community-based, not-for-profit hospice in the area.” The utilization of hospice services has expanded over the years and includes maintaining or improving the quality of life for patients that have an illness, disease, or condition that is unlikely to be cured. Bowden explains that there are some misconceptions about hospice and the services provided. “When people hear that hospice has been brought in, they often think this means totally giving up all hope,” she explained. “If something new comes along that might be a good option, then the patient can come out from under the care of hospice at any time to pursue other therapy. It also doesn’t mean that the patient gives up seeing their family doctor; they can keep those relationships and appointments.” Bowden said that hospice is more than the discussion of death; it is also the understanding of living and improving the quality of life. “Often we see people getting a little better, maybe not in the big picture scene with a cure but the sense of a better quality of life,” Bowden said. “When we can get the pain under control and breathing is under control, then we take care of helping the caregiver understand the process. This is when we begin to support improved quality of life.” Hospice of South Georgia Celebrating 30 Years of Service Photo: Charlie Oliver, Hospice of South Georgia volunteer and advisory board member, left; and Susan Bowden, executive director of Hospice of South Georgia. MILESTONES