Khalil Bourgoub

Retired home health agency owner joins YoloCares board

June 27, 2024 — David Mountain, retired owner of Domus Home Health Services and previous program manager at Eskaton, has joined the YoloCares Board of Directors.

Mountain’s extensive background in senior living and home healthcare as well as his acumen as a business owner and financial advisor align closely with the hospice and palliative care agency’s needs.

Now retired, Mountain most recently served as a Sacramento-area program manager for Eskaton, a non-profit organization that oversees retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and skilled nursing facilities across Northern California. In this capacity, he oversaw the operation of the community outreach program where he was immersed with a volunteer project that organized welfare and companionship calls to lonely or high-risk residents.

In the 2010’s, Mountain led Domus Home Health Services, an agency located in Redding, as the CEO. Under his leadership, he established and led the company through successful Joint Commission accreditation, the same accrediting body that certifies YoloCares’ high quality clinical programs. “We look forwards to having Mountain’s expertise in strategic planning, clinical staffing models, marketing, and general operations of a home health agency on our board of directors. He will no doubt bring valuable insight to our executive leadership team,” says Craig Dresang, CEO.

Throughout his 15-year business career with home health, Mountain has recognized the value of people over profit. Of the six home health agencies to serve Redding, Domus Home Health Services was the only provider to care for patients located in remote areas of Shasta County. This commitment to bringing high-quality care for all is in line with YoloCares’ mission as a community-rooted non-profit organization.

When asked about his vision for his board tenure, Mountain shares that he looks forward to both utilizing his expertise to contribute to the success of YoloCares while enjoying the benefits of supporting a mission he feels strongly towards. “I know I’m going to gain by doing meaningful work with people who care. However I can share my experiences in business, finance, sales, or any programs, I will jump in,” offers Mountain.

Damn straight I’m confident

By: Craig Dresang, CEO, YoloCares

A Pride Month special column

Over the years, co-workers and colleagues have occasionally said to me, with an element of shock, “You are certainly confident.”  In nearly every instance, the comment was meant neither as a compliment nor a criticism.  Rather, it was simply an observation rooted in a sense of surprise or amazement.  Sometimes, these verbalized observations have felt more like a judgement on my character . . .  an insinuation that I have no right to be confident.  In other words, I should know my place.

It usually leaves me wondering why people feel the need to point out my confidence the way they would point out a rare species of fish in an aquarium or a run-away zebra that escaped the zoo. My professional reputation, over a span of three decades, has been one of getting results, and of being open-minded, collaborative, and the opposite of authoritarian.  So why is my ability to possess confidence such a wonder?

When I dug a little deeper with a close colleague about the nature of his comment to me, he said, “The world is not used to confident gay leaders in certain industries or professions.”  Gay men are expected to be confident in areas like the arts, beauty, social services, or the food industry.  He continued, “But how often do people see confident gay leaders in banking, business, manufacturing, or tech?”  I was grateful for his candor, but completely shocked.

From presidential candidates to corporate billionaires, society has made clear that a sense of confidence is not just acceptable, but expected and celebrated from straight men in circles of power . . .  even if they are completely incompetent or immoral.  But hold the phone if a gay man exhibits the same level of confidence for being competent or exhibiting integrity.

Confidence was not easy to come by for me or for many others in the LGBTQ community.  I grew up in a time and place that required me to be inconspicuous.   Many of the Wisconsin communities where my family lived were more than 95 percent white, and by all appearances, zero percent LGBTQ.

This was an era when no one in either my high school or university graduating class was openly gay.  Men fit into a certain stereotype.  They were football fanatics (Greenbay Packers fans), sports nuts, and beer drinkers.  They hunted, chewed tobacco, drove oversized pickups, farted on each other, and worked hard.  They carried enormous confidence in who they were and in what they did for a living.  They had pride.

It was a time when identifying as LGBTQ could easily get you injured or killed.  At the least, it would certainly mean you would be ridiculed and made to feel small and insignificant.  When I was in middle school, being bullied was an everyday occurrence.  It was only 26 years ago that Matthew Wayne Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, was beaten, tortured and left to die in Laramie, WY because of his sexual orientation.

A 95-year-old friend of mine from New York once told me that when he was in his 20s, it was illegal for two men in a bar to be dancing together or hugging.  “Back then,” he said, “New York gay bars were named after birds like flamingo, eagle, or parrot, so they could be easily identified by the gay community.”  There was always a lookout person, like a bouncer, at the entrance who would watch for the police.  When he saw an officer heading down the street, he would shut off the lights inside the bar, and then turn them back on.  “That way, if men were dancing together, they knew to stop and separate themselves when the lights went off.  Then, when the lights came back on, they were just standing around having conversations like they would in a straight bar.”  He continued, “If they were caught dancing together, they would be arrested.”

The journey toward pride for gay men in my generation has been hard-won.  When half of my friends were sick and dying of AIDS in the 1980s and 90s, no one seemed to mind.  Over one million deaths later, the federal government — including the president of the United States — could not care less.  At a very young age, out of necessity and without any training or support, I learned how to be a perpetual caregiver, healthcare navigator, and case manager.

On the work front, sexual orientation has been used to deny many of us opportunities for career advancement, promotions or equal pay.  In 1994, I asked my employer why a candidate with much less experience, expertise, and responsibility than me was earning 50 percent more.   He said, “Because he is married and starting a family.  You don’t need to earn as much.”  Another employer once advised me to lay low regarding my sexual orientation and suggested that I go into conversion therapy to change who I am.

Even here in Davis, not that long ago, an employment attorney insisted on referring to my husband of 20 years as my paramour.   Not partner.  Not husband.  Not significant other.  But paramour, which means an illicit or scandalous partner of a married person.  There could not be a more demeaning and prejudiced term used to describe our relationship.  Ironically, the law firm says it specializes in litigating discrimination claims related to sexual orientation.

So now, if someone comments on my sense of confidence or pride, I will simply smile and agree.  That confidence is the product of survival and experience.  Our tribe has emerged from a world that wanted us to stay hidden and ashamed of how we were created. 

We now live in a time when our community needs to hold onto and expand its confidence (when and where it is justified) and take pride in how far we have come. The rights and freedoms that took generations to realize should not be taken for granted.  This is our time to be heard and seen.  Our journey is far from over.

Prominent local rabbi joins YoloCares Board of Directors

Rabbi Greg Wolfe, Rabbi Emeritus from Congregation Bet Haverim in Davis, California, has joined as the newest member of the YoloCares Board of Directors.

As a spiritual leader for over 20 years, Wolfe is deeply embedded within the Yolo County community and has been a trusted link between his congregants and local resources during times of need. Speaking about his experience with end-of-life care, Wolfe says, “hospice is a wonderful support for families going through end-of-life transitions. Having someone to hold your hand and offer support is deeply valuable. It’s so important that people are or become aware of these services.”

As a longstanding representative of the local Jewish community, Wolfe hopes to deepen the relationship between congregants of all faiths and the hospice and supportive care agency by helping to tailor programs and clinical and spiritual practices at YoloCares to better serve not only Jewish families but all those in the faith community.

In the last two years, YoloCares has rebranded the agency’s grief support services as the Center for Loss & Hope and doubled its offerings of support groups, workshops, and public events. Rabbi Wolfe’s presence on the board and expertise in spiritual care will help to elevate and diversify this rich community resource.

“Rabbi Wolfe is an excellent addition to the board. His deeply rooted presence in the local community mirrors YoloCares’ identity as a community-based nonprofit organization that has been a trusted resource for Yolo County and beyond since 1979,” says Craig Dresang, CEO.

Wolfe served as the spiritual leader of Congregation Bet Haverim from 1995 until his retirement in 2022. Currently he is the incoming president of the Northern California Board of Rabbis, an organization dedicated to providing resources and collegiality for rabbis across all Jewish movements.

YoloCares is a community-rooted end-of-life care agency that serves the counties of Yolo, Sacramento, Sutter, Solano, and Colusa. The agency offers hospice, palliative care, caregiver resources, community grief support and adult day care services. To learn more about YoloCares’ programs, visit www.yolocares.org or call (530) 758-5566.

YoloCares names former healthcare CEO as new board chair

Jackie Clark, RN, MBA, and former CEO has been selected to represent Sacramento Valley’s first established end-of-life care agency as the board chair.

Clark served as a board member from 2014 to 2018 before returning to her post in 2022. As a registered nurse with over 30 years of extensive experience in clinical administration, Clark is an asset to the agency’s leadership.

“We are pleased to see Clark assume the position of board chair, her unique background in healthcare administration coupled with her personal experience in direct patient care offer the agency a level of expertise that is difficult to come by,” says Craig Dresang, YoloCares CEO.

Before her retirement, Clark was the CEO of the California Correctional Healthcare Facility Stockton and California Medical Facilities (CCHS) that serves approximately 5,000 incarcerated patients annually and offers the only hospice program for incarcerated individuals in the country. She also was the Deputy Director of Clinical Operations for (CCHS) overseeing all aspects of healthcare within corrections.

During her tenure, Clark expanded hospice care and developed a program for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Recognizing the emotional impacts that an inmate’s death can have in the prison community, Clark expanded an existing peer support training program to include training volunteers to aid hospice patients.

When asked what she hopes to bring to her new position as board chair, Clark says: “I see myself really leaning on my background in quality improvement to help the agency move to a whole new level. I want to draw on my experiences in healthcare policy, change management and government relations to help YoloCares cement its position as a national leader in end-of-life care.”

Clark and Dresang have been colleagues since Dresang assumed the role of CEO in 2014, and she has enjoyed watching the agency flourish under his leadership. “I was initially excited by Dresang’s background in fundraising when he joined YoloCares so it’s exciting to see the results of the last decade and to work closely with him to grow the agency’s vision.”

In addition to her role as board chair, Clark will also serve as a board representative for the California Hospice Network, an affiliation of nonprofit, community-driven hospices of which YoloCares is a member. Clark will be a valued contributor to the Network’s senior leadership and hopes to help drive the conversation on high-quality care delivery.

Spark, Flicker, Flame:
Citizens Who Care still burns bright

During the 1980s, a small group of Yolo County residents were concerned about a growing lack of support for the county’s increasing number of seniors and their caregivers. By 1988, the group had transformed their concerns and ideas into a newly established organization called Citizens Who Care (CWC).

Little did this handful of citizens know that the energy they put into CWC’s formation would morph into a crucial resource and safety net for some of the county’s most vulnerable older adults. For the next three decades CWC provided weary family caregivers with a caregiver respite program. The group, comprised mostly of professionally trained volunteers, was also available as a resource for older adults who were navigating a variety of life changes and challenges. Together, they provided companionship, psychosocial support, health navigation, and a limited adult day program on every other Saturday.
Some CWC board members described their small but mighty nonprofit as a hand-to-mouth organization with an annual budget of just $182,000. Then in 2018, the CWC Board voted to merge into YoloCares with the understanding that the historic programming components remain intact, and free of charge. Because CWC had no earned revenue and it was up to the board to raise the entire annual budget, leadership saw the merger as a way to secure the agency’s future in perpetuity.

As part of the merger, three of CWC’s board members were welcomed onto the YoloCares board of directors. They include Christye Hatfield, Julie Sheehan, and Rose Choloewinski who all carry a special responsibility of ensuring that the quality and integrity of programming related to CWC’s mission remain solid. Annual spending on CWC programs now totals close to $500,000, largely due to grants from health systems and private foundations. What started as a tiny spark by a handful of community do-gooders, grew into a steady flicker and then a flame.

CWC’s adult day service, once called Saturday Club, has evolved into a full-service state-of-the-art $2 million facility named Galileo Place. The program is a licensed adult day operation in a thoughtfully appointed 4,500-square-foot building with an accompanying therapy garden. Participants enjoy a regular schedule of activities including creative arts projects, music and memory activities, a variety of games, gardening, and physical fitness. Lunch and snack times are also provided.

The Senior Peer Companion (SPC) program which supported just three individuals in 2017 is now benefiting nearly 50 Yolo County residents annually. Designed to help older adults who are experiencing challenges with age-related issues, the program connects seniors with other seniors who have navigated similar life experiences. Survey data has shown the program to be highly beneficial for seniors who are trying to overcome and cope with loneliness, isolation, depression, loss of loved ones, or other health concerns.

Among SPC clients who completed surveys (more than half), 100 percent of respondents reported improved mood, describing their attitude after seeing their Senior Peer Companion as one or more of the following: comforted, inspired, encouraged, in good spirits, optimistic, confident, refreshed, happy, peaceful, hopeful, and relieved.

• 41 % said they felt comforted and happy.
• 38% said they felt in good spirits, refreshed, and optimistic.
• 35% said they felt encouraged and peaceful.
• 32 % said they felt hopeful.
• 24 said they felt inspired.
• 17% said they felt full of energy.

Another 100 percent of respondents said they were supported in one or more of the following areas: increasing socialization, reducing loneliness and isolation, coping with anxiety and depression, loss of a spouse/family members, navigating family conflict, and providing community resources. Increasing socialization, reducing isolation and loneliness, and coping with anxiety and depression were the most common responses.

Data can tell one story, but anecdotes may provide a clearer picture of how clients benefit from programming. According to Tracy Keenan, senior peer companion program coordinator, “There was an 80-year-old woman living alone in a remote area. She was struggling with anxiety since her spouse died and was initially reluctant to share anything about her life.” However, the connection she made with her SPC volunteer motivated the client to get support for her grief. “She began to participate in community activities like exercise and language classes. The program support also helped her quit smoking,” according to Keenan.

A different client, a 78-year-old man dealing with depression and grief since his wife moved into a care facility due to her degenerative disease, was paired with another SPC volunteer who recently lost his spouse. Keenan says, “Since this connection, the client is engaging in activities and wants to volunteer to help other clients.”

Other ways the original CWC framework has been enhanced or expanded since the six-year-old merger are evidenced in both the agency’s volunteer program and in the creation of the Center for Caregiver Support. Since CWC was such a volunteer-oriented organization, YoloCares made the decision to name its agency-wide volunteer program, Citizens Who Care. The name reflects, and keeps alive, the nonprofit’s founding spirit and helps define any volunteer as a citizen who cares. These volunteers provide socialization and in-home respite visits so that caregivers can step away from their home environment with the peace of mind that their loved one will be watched over and cared for in a professional way.

The Center for Caregiver Support, another outgrowth of CWC’s original vision, provides four programmatic areas to address the medical, emotional, and practical needs of clients and their families. Offerings include case management, respite care, caregiver education, and grief support. The center will be hosting the following summer events that are free and open to the community:

Workshops and Retreats

The Sound of Music: How Music can bring more Harmony
Saturday, July 20, 10 am – 2 pm at Galileo Place
Explore complicated feelings, develop self-care tools, and connect with fellow caregivers.

Dementia Care Workshops
4th Thursday of each month, 3 pm at Galileo Place
Wednesday, July 24, 10 am – 2 pm at West Sacramento Community Center
Gain a deeper understanding of how dementia impacts your loved one and learn practical strategies to better support them as their needs change.

Support Groups

YoloCares’ Center for Loss & Hope offers a variety of support groups and grief workshops to address a multitude of losses. These groups are free and open to the public. Registration is required prior to attending. Please call 530-758-5566 or email griefsupport@yolocares.org to sign up.

To view the full list of CLH offerings, please visit yolocares.org or peruse the grief support flyers on the main hallway of Suite A outside the HHA offices.

• Anticipatory Loss: Mondays at 6 pm
• Caregiver Support Group: 1st & 3rd Thursdays at 10 am
• The Griever’s Circle: 1st & 3rd Thursdays at 6 pm
• Farewell, My Love: 2nd & 4th Tuesdays at 4 pm
• Mourner’s Book of Hope Reading Group: Mondays at 6 pm starting July 1