LETTERS: Hospice Workshop Addresses the ‘End of Life Journey’

Dear Editor,

Nikkei and Retirement had a program entitled “What Is Hospice Care?” on Saturday, April 24, at the Christ United Presbyterian Church.

The San Francisco Senior Citizens’ resource directory states, “Hospice is a philosophy of care that accepts dying as a natural part of life, and aims to enhance comfort and quality of life during the last phase of one’s life. The focus is on caring — not curing. Hospice is specifically for individuals with a life expectancy of six months or less (as determined by their physicians). Payment is covered by Medicare, Medi-Cal or private insurance, depending on the patient’s coverage and the hospice service provided.”

There were three panelists: Sheri Oelze, provider and community relations liaison, Nadine Narita, patient care team leader of Hospice by the Bay, and Emily Murase, the caretaker for her father, the late Kenji Murase, who shared her experiences with the Kaiser Hospice Program during the terminal illness.

The comments made by the two Nikkei panelists, Narita and Murase, of their personal experiences dealing with death and dying in a Japanese American cultural setting were most revealing of issues faced. Quality of life as it affects the terminally ill person and his family in a Japanese cultural environment versus keeping a person alive through artificial means, i.e. tube feeding, ventilators, or simply not resuscitating a person, are enormous issues to be addressed.

Murase stated after the meeting that it was possible for her father as well as herself and her siblings “to accept and understand without fear the end of life’s journey.”

Nob Fukuda

San Francisco

Thanks and Best Wishes to Nichi Bei

(Note: This letter was sent in response to Erin Yasuda Soto’s “OVERCOMING OSTEOPOROSIS: Sunnyvale Woman, 98, Back on Track After Treatment for Spinal Fracture” article, April 22, 2010.)

Dear Nichi Bei Weekly,

The Mitsunaga family wishes to express their thank you and appreciation to (Erin Yasuda Soto) and the Nichi Bei Weekly staff for their time and effort you all put forth to publish the article about our mother… My grandchildren got a real big “kick” when they saw their picture. Our relatives and friends called my mother as soon as they saw the Nichi Bei Weekly.

Wishing you and the Nichi Bei Weekly much success for the future.

Our thanks, again.

Edith Oda

San Jose