German Meal Brings Happiness to Man on Hospice

When really good food is enjoyed, who doesn’t make happy, humming noises? It’s a sign that life is good, right?

But for Joe Ourada, who made joyous sounds recently while eating a favorite German dish, life is short. That’s because Ourada is very sick and currently receiving hospice care.

The focus of hospice care is comfort and pain management. Ourada’s hospice team makes sure his quality of life is as pleasant as possible and that means doing special things to make him smile.

Recently, Joe had a great reason to smile. He and his hospice companionship volunteer talked about his German ancestry, German foods his mother cooked and the foods he missed.

“My mother would make really good potato dumplings,” Ourada said. “She’d use nutmeg in the gravy and I remember it tasted so good.”

It was obvious to his hospice volunteer that he needed to taste an authentic German meal once again.

“Joe, I could look up a recipe and make “something” German,” his volunteer said. “But since I’m Italian, I might end up bringing you lasagna!” He laughed.

The hospice volunteer knew of a wonderful family-owned German Restaurant that made potato dumplings and sauerkraut from scratch--Gerda’s German Restaurant at 50th and Leavenworth Street in Omaha. The volunteer shared Joe’s story and manager, Kim Reefe agreed to donate an authentic German meal of potato dumplings and gravy, tangy sauerkraut, and German potato salad. Just what Joe wanted!

A few days later, Joe received his German dishes. His hospice volunteer set out everything on a tray table and he gawked at each dish. The silverware couldn’t be unwrapped fast enough! Joe dipped his fork into the sauerkraut and brought the tangy goodness to his mouth. That’s when the happy noises and humming began.

“People won’t believe what we’re doing here,” Joe said. “This is out of this world!”

His hospice volunteer sat there and smiled. Watching Joe, her hospice patient, forgetting for a short time that he has a life-limiting illness. The volunteer will tell you this is one of the joys of being in hospice work--making companionship visits like this.

As the hospice volunteer was getting ready to leave, she asked Joe what he wanted next time. “Apple strudel,” he said without hesitation.

Gerda’s German Restaurant makes those from scratch, too. Get ready to make some more happy, humming noises, Joe.

Lisa Dempsey is the Hospice Volunteer Coordinator for Prime Home Care LLC Compassionate Care Hospice. She’s always looking to add compassionate people to her volunteer team! Call 402-690-0327 to learn more about hospice volunteering.

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