Blog

For 20 years, Frank and Ava Martin* dedicated their lives to helping others overcome addiction, as drug and alcohol counselors. The Martins selected Nathan Adelson Hospice for Frank, an Air Force veteran, after his health began to decline. Part of the reason they chose NAH was because Frank’s best friend, also a veteran, raved about the constant support and positive experience his care team provided.

Meet Nathan Adelson Hospice donor and volunteer extraordinaire, Laura Coleman! Laura is a true philanthropist and her impact is felt throughout the Las Vegas community. Laura attributes much of her social awareness to her mother Evelyn. Growing up in the sixties, Laura observed her mother challenging inequality, contributing to social causes, and standing up for human rights and those less fortunate. Laura is kind-hearted, fun and unique. She enjoys life no matter what she is doing and no matter what challenges she is facing.

Irwin Molasky (1927 - 2020)

Founder, Nathan Adelson Hospice

Nathan Adelson Hospice, Southern Nevada’s oldest, largest, and only non-profit hospice, is saddened by the passing of its founder, Irwin Molasky. Molasky died July 4th, 2020, while on service at the hospice he founded. Molasky was a philanthropist, real estate developer, and a Las Vegas icon. Most of all, he was a friend to the entire Nathan Adelson Hospice family. 

“Irwin was a true visionary and a pioneer,” said Nathan Adelson Hospice President and CEO Karen Rubel. “His compassion for people led the way in all he did in life. He always encouraged us to do what’s right, to take care of people and put them first. We will continue to honor that as we uphold his legacy.” 

Molasky founded the hospice in 1978, after the painful death of his friend and mentor, Nathan Adelson. Molasky wanted to ensure no one else would end the journey of life alone, afraid, or in pain. Thanks to his vision, Nathan Adelson Hospice has cared for over 75,000 patients and their families in Southern Nevada to date.

Molasky leaves a lasting legacy in the Las Vegas community. While his accomplishments in real estate development are unparalleled, it is his charitable contributions to our community that so many will cherish. Thanks to him, everyone in our community who needs hospice service has access to it, regardless of their ability to pay. 

“Since the formation of the Nathan Adelson Hospice Foundation in 1984, the Foundation has allowed the Hospice to provide over $20 million in uncompensated care to our community,” said friend and Chairman of the Nathan Adelson Hospice Board of Trustees, Dennis Kennedy. “Of all his achievements, I think Irwin would be most proud that what he started will continue to provide dignity, care, and compassion to thousands of people in the years to come.”

All of the Nathan Adelson Hospice family thanks you, Irwin Molasky. You will be missed and your legacy will live on through us.

We see the Nathan Adelson Hospice clinical staff go beyond the call of duty so often, yet to them, it feels like just another day. We applaud that attitude and wanted to share a story from last week.

Imagine being one of the most vulnerable, at-risk groups during this global crisis. Even going to the grocery store can put your health in jeopardy. While memes fly around the internet about the toilet paper shortage, meals and basic supplies to you are no laughing matter.

The extra care Maria and Brad Souder’s loved ones received at the end of life from Nathan Adelson Hospice convinced the couple to do more than simply donate. They volunteer and work to let everyone know how much of a difference hospice makes.

Maria and Brad have been donors and volunteers since 2008, when Nathan Adelson Hospice cared for Maria’s father. After Maria’s mother became ill in 2018, Maria recalled, “Putting my parents on Hospice was an easy decision. Both mom and dad wanted hospice care and had planned for their end of life well,” says Maria. “We were so impressed with the care, we plan to go to Nathan Adelson Hospice when our time comes,” adds Brad.

The Souder’s journey of care for their loved ones began after Maria’s father's extraordinary battle with cancer. The hospice staff admired his sense of humor and love of his family. He wanted to visit Red Rock Canyon one last time with his loved ones, so the Nathan Adelson Hospice staff worked to make a wonderful memory for the family. “He couldn’t see from the melanoma but loved the entire day. The smell, sounds, and feel of the park really moved him,” says Maria. “My dad’s life was a whole lot better. It was hard when he did go, but the way everything was taken care of made me know everything was okay.”

In 2018, Maria’s mother faced the end of her journey of life. “I made the decision with mom, made the call to Nathan Adelson, and mom was checked in the next day,” says Maria. At the same time, her husband Brad was undergoing cancer treatments. “Taking care of mom in hospice and Brad’s treatments, constantly running around, it was a ton of work,” says Maria. Nathan Adelson Hospice made a huge difference in her life during this time. “The beautiful room my mom was staying in had a little fridge and was set up for family members to stay extended amounts of time. They even provided an extra bed for my sister visiting from out of town,” says Maria.

The support the Souders received from Nathan Adelson Hospice was invaluable. Maria and Brad are grateful for the ease of admission and their ability to simply focus on Maria’s mother and father. During both parents’ stay, their spiritual needs were attended to by the Nathan Adelson Hospice chaplains. The Souder family regularly utilized the onsite chapels for church service. After the passing of each parent, The Souder Family utilized both the group and individual counseling sessions. “We felt the group sessions with Gayle were excellent. It didn’t make it easier, but helped with our triggers. The most impressive thing were all the people who attended, and were grieving, seeing them open up. I also like that anyone can attend, not just NAH patients and families,” says Brad.

Impressed with the mission of Nathan Adelson Hospice, Maria and Brad remain active donors and volunteers. They can often be found at health fairs distributing hospice information, delivering meals to patients and families, attending veteran pinning ceremonies, volunteering in the office, and greeting guests at events. “How rewarding and special volunteering is! In our time volunteering for NAH, we received excellent training, and we never heard a negative comment, and many just wanted to say thank you,” says Maria. Additionally, Brad is a leukemia survivor and they are very active with the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society too. 

"We truly can’t say enough about NAH. From everyone to the cleaning people to the clinical staff, everyone was so compassionate and respectful. We had every question answered immediately. The wonderful part is the care isn’t just for the patient, but for our entire family too. They whole experience went above and beyond expectations at all times. We give because we’re helping people, those who cannot help themselves. We are paying it forward,” says Maria.

(as of March 16, 2020)

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak continues to evolve rapidly, both globally and locally. In keeping with our mission and values, the quality of care we provide to our patients and the safety of our staff  remain the two most important priorities at Nathan Adelson Hospice (NAH).

We are proceeding with an abundance of caution to protect our patients and their families, staff, and volunteers. Our approach is in line with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, the Southern Nevada Health District, the Nevada Hospital Association and our own Emergency Management Plan.

On March 12th, A Flair for Care Fashion Presentation and Luncheon, featuring summer and fall collections from fashion icon Chloé, was held in the fabulous Lafite Ballroom at Wynn Las Vegas. More than 400 attendees helped raise almost $500,000 for Nathan Adelson uncompensated care programs and services supporting our vision that no one ends the journey of life alone, afraid or in pain. Last year, Nathan Adelson Hospice provided more than $2.8 million in uncompensated care programs and services to individuals throughout southern Nevada.

• Do you want to make the best possible transition from medical care to end-of-life care for you or your loved one?
• Are you unsure about how to evaluate the best hospice?
• Are you familiar with the differences between for-profit and non-profit hospices?

If you are deciding on which hospice should provide care to you or your loved one, it might help to understand the differences between for-profit and non-profit hospices – and how those differences influence the outcome of patient care.  

There are many for-profit and non-profit hospices 

There are over 4,500 hospices in the United States, with for-profit hospices vastly outnumbering non-profit hospices. Medicare and private insurance companies both compensate for-profit and non-profit hospices at the same rate. All hospices must comply with the same state and federal regulations. 

Our own Chaplain Matt Metevelis published this last year in Vegas Inc. Magazine. We thought it would be a good article to re-post so please share with anyone you think could benefit from it. 

The holidays can be relentless. Starting with displays showing up in stores after Labor Day, they continue with an avalanche of reminders, swallowing up an entire month in shopping, cooking, parties and family gatherings.

While the season is joyous, it can also be a season of stress. For those coping with the loss of a loved one, this stress is compounded. Reminders of happier times, disruptions in plans, empty spaces at family tables, and the societal stress to be happy and joyful can trigger increasing and vivid pain in those dealing with loss. It is never easy to grieve, but during the holidays, grief can become overwhelming.