Newport Beach Woman Honored for End of Life Care

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - March 13, 2015 - PRLog -- “Close your eyes and imagine what your last day would look like.” This is the scenario Arnetta Robinson presents her patients on a daily basis. As community relations liaison at Sea Crest Home Health and Hospice (http://www.seacresthh.com/), knowing how a person would like to spend his/her last day is as important to Robinson as memorializing the life they already lived.

Robinson, a Newport Beach resident, is the March/April recipient of Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/community/oliver-halsell-care-award). Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary, with locations in Santa Ana (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/) and Mission Viejo (http://www.fairhavenmemorialservices.com/), created the recognition program in 2012 to pay tribute to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional care in their profession and community, improving the lives and spirits of those they help.

With more than 20 years experience in the healthcare industry, Robinson began her career in outpatient physical therapy. But after her sister lost her 16-year battle with lupus in 2002, Robinson changed course and transitioned to hospice to help improve the quality of life for people battling terminal illnesses. She now spends her days traveling throughout Orange County to meet with patients and their families to discuss how they would like to live out their remaining days.

“Arnetta is dedicated to bringing comfort, compassion, and good quality care to patients and their families at one of the most difficult periods of their lives,” said Marla Noel, president of Fairhaven. “Her work is admirable and she truly serves from the heart, just as Oliver Halsell did more than a century ago.”

For Robinson, no patient request is too great. She recalls one man in Sea Crest’s cardiac program who loved hamburgers but couldn’t eat them for health reasons. After learning the man was terminal and near the end, Robinson drove to In-N-Out Burger to fulfill his dying request. Whether it’s a burger, flowers, chocolates or a party, Robinson assists in any way to ensure her patients finish out their lives in the best way possible. Making herself available to work any time, including nights and weekends, Robinson admits there is no separation between her personal and professional lives – the two are intertwined.

In addition to working for Sea Crest, Robinson also is Chairwoman of the Board for Pacific Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation (http://www.phpcf.org/), an organization created to provide patients with improved end of life care and families with bereavement services, despite any hardship they may be facing. Robinson also has a passion for working with people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. She is an advocate for Alzheimer's Association, Orange County (http://www.alz.org/oc), is a POLST (Physicians' Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) educator for the Orange County Aging Services Collaborative (http://www.ocagingservicescollaborative.org/) and a past chair of the Alzheimer's Family Service Center (http://www.afscenter.org/)’s "A Gathering of Friends” gala.

In what little spare time Robinson has, she visits with friends and family, travels and raises awareness for hospice and pre-planning through her blog Hip Hospice Gal (http://hiphospicegal.com/).

“It can be difficult for people to talk about death and dying,” said Robinson. “When people realize they’re dying, it’s scary. I do my best to help them work through their fear and get the conversation started.”

Robinson will be honored at Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Awards banquet in November at Fairhaven’s Mission Viejo location. The banquet honors a year’s worth of achievements within the local community. Additionally, Fairhaven will make a donation on her behalf to her selected charity, Pacific Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation.

Fairhaven is currently accepting nominations for the 2015 Oliver Halsell Care Awards. For more information and to nominate a deserving candidate, visit: http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/community/oliver-halsell-care-award or email CareAwards@FairhavenMemorial.com.

About Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award

Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award pays tribute to Orange County individuals whose kindness and dedication to serving others is inspirational. These courageous individuals go above and beyond their job descriptions to serve with the utmost care and compassion. Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award winners come from many fields including private care, hospice, social work, counseling, assisted living, medical providers, nursing, therapy, volunteer work and more.

About Fairhaven

Founded in 1911 by Oliver Halsell to provide a peaceful and comforting place for families to honor their loved ones, Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary is Orange County’s most beautiful independently owned and operated full-service mortuary, crematory and cemetery. With the memorial park and mortuary in Central Orange County (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/) and an elegantly appointed mortuary in South Orange County (http://www.fairhavenmemorialservices.com/), Fairhaven provides funeral, cremation and burial services both at the time of need and through advanced planning, maintaining its steadfast commitment to care and compassion. Fairhaven is dedicated to celebrating the individual, providing services that are as unique and wide-ranging as the people they celebrate. Additional information is available at www.fairhavenmemorial.com. Connect with Fairhaven at www.facebook.com/fairhavenmemorial or www.twitter.com/fairhavenoc.