Jane's Story...
Faith in Action (now Brave Heart Volunteers) has made a great difference in my life, and I want to tell you how and why. Somewhat more than a year ago we (my husband and I) brought my mother to live with us here in Sitka. We knew it was time. She has dementia, and had been living in an assisted living facility in Florida. I was her nearest child; and her quality of life and care were clearly deteriorating. We didn’t really know how, living together, her daily experience of life would improve, but we knew it was possible.

As we began our life together, it became apparent that it wasn’t prudent or caring for us to leave my mother alone. Her sense of well-being, as well as her physical well-being were at risk if companionship and a steady helping hand were absent. We began looking for compassionate capable people who could come into our home to spell us so that we could get a break, accomplish necessary chores, and maintain balance in our lives. How I longed for a point of contact and network of people who could help us learn how best to support and care for my mom, and at the same time support and care for ourselves!

At the time all of this began for us, Sitka’s Faith in Action was still preparing to begin direct volunteer respite services. As soon as I learned that SFIA was beginning direct services last January, I put in a call to Auriella, the Program Director, for help! And in fact, out of that first call came the special weekly visits my mom has received since, first from volunteer Christine Littlefield, and then over the summer while Chris was working fulltime, from another volunteer, Ruth Roth. These people bring such light, and such a spirit of sensitive caring, each in their own way, and it is something for which I can never repay them. All I can do is my best to pass on that spirit of caring and openness to the possibilities that can come when we are fully present in companionship with someone. This has lead me to my present involvements with SFIA.

I was also desperate for emotional support and mentoring from other family caregivers who had personal experience with the conundrums that Alzheimer’s and other dementia present. So I began reaching out in the community and to contacts with the Juneau Alzheimer’s support group to somehow form a caregivers support group here in town. Step by step, oh so slowly it seemed at the time, a sequence of development came together that resulted in the support group start up in the spring of 2003. That too has become a reality with the assistance of a dedicated Board and the Program Director’s continual support, creativity and openness to the possibilities we can accomplish together.

Thanks to Sitka’s Faith in Action for the many contributions to the quality of my life, and for the ways in which the organization is enriching the lives of others here in Sitka.

My very best –
Jane Demmert

 According to the Northstar neighborhood staff where Elena resided at the Pioneers’ Home, Elena died peacefully on November 24^th, 2002.  She received attentive and compassionate care. True to her spirit of independence, she slipped away alone.

 Elena’s death reminds me of the “need to allow.”  She taught me the importance of allowing for non-verbal communication with another human being, of allowing the silence, and allowing for time to just be together with no agenda.  She also taught me not to force a discussion about dying or salvation, to satisfy my own needs. With Elena I just sat, tried to be present, and reminded myself to just simply “allow.”

 Written with permission from Georgina Dapcevich, Pioneers’ Home Director,
by Jamie Panzero, a Sitkan with RN training and experience in Hospice Care.