Yes! I want to support compassionate care at UVM Health – Home Health & Hospice.
Dear Friends & Supporters,
How do you measure a life?
Is it in years? In titles? In accomplishments?
Or is it in the quiet moments at the end — when someone you love is comfortable, cared for and surrounded by dignity?
My father, John “Jack” Rouille, peacefully left this earth on May 28, 2024, at age 92. He spent his final days at the McClure Miller Respite House after six months of home care from Home Health & Hospice.
We first connected with Home Health & Hospice when my dad’s health began to decline, and his daily needs became more complex. Nurses, chaplains, social workers and physical therapists came each week. They treated my dad, Jack, not as a patient, but as a whole person. They listened to his stories from Burlington’s Old North End, asked about his time in the Marine Corps and made him feel connected in a world that had grown smaller.
Your donation helps thousands of patients receive expert home health care and compassionate end-of-life care at home and at the Respite House, Vermont’s only Medicare-certified inpatient hospice facility. It ensures families like mine can receive care, comfort and respite when it matters most.
My dad was a Marine who served during the Korean War. He later devoted his life to service, working alongside Senator Patrick Leahy, serving as U.S. Marshal for the District of Vermont and volunteering for veterans and his church community. He believed in integrity, hard work and showing up for others.
At age 87, dad became dependent on me for daily care. I was honored to care for him at home. But as his needs grew, so did the weight of caregiving. Nights were long. Decisions were heavy. Isolation crept in.
Before I retired, I planned a special “Victory Lap” trip with my dad to visit Onslow Beach at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, his first duty station, and to see my siblings along the way. But as his health became more fragile, it seemed I might have to cancel. Our hospice social worker suggested caregiver respite at the Respite House.
For the first time in years, I could step away, knowing my father would be in safe, compassionate hands.
I felt both relief and sadness. Leaving him, even briefly, was not easy. But after visiting the Respite House and meeting the caring team, I knew he would be well cared for. The trip gave me the gift of reflection, time to process my emotions and prepare my heart for the challenges ahead. When I returned, I felt a deeper presence and connection with my dad, appreciating each moment of his final months that transcended the pain and anchored him in my heart forever.
In dad’s final two days, when his health and comfort became too much to manage at home, he returned to the Respite House. The staff kept a constant vigil to ensure his comfort. I was able to rest and be present for the moments that mattered most.
After everything we experienced, supporting Home Health & Hospice felt like the most meaningful way to honor my father’s life.
Your gift today strengthens services that provide care at every age and stage of life, address critical community needs and ensure families have access to expert, compassionate care at home and at the Respite House.
Please make your gift now.
When you do, you help another daughter sit beside her father with a little more strength. You help another veteran feel seen and respected. You help another caregiver step away briefly and return renewed.
Thank you for making these moments of peace possible. Thank you for renewing your support and making these moments of peace possible.
With gratitude,
Melinda Rouille
P.S. Thank you for giving families like mine the gift of comfort, connection and dignity.