by Deanna Rudy, MSW, LGSW Hospice Grief Counselor On April 16, we recognize National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD). This now-nationwide initiative began in 2008 in an effort to encourage and demystify the process of advanced care planning. So, what is advanced care planning? It is deciding what kind of medical care we want during…
by: Beth Loy, Grief Counselor Hospice of the Panhandle’s Center for Grief Support Grief is a natural, universal response to loss. While grief is generally associated with the death of a loved one, it can also be a response from other traumatic experiences, such as the loss of one’s favorite pet, or a loss related to…
By Ashley Horst Fundraising & Marketing Coordinator It seems appropriate that today, Independence Day, we talk about freedom and independence – and in the story below, how that is impacted by aging. People with serious illnesses often lose their independence. Depending on the illness, this may happen suddenly—like when a stroke occurs—or gradually as the…
Emergency plans – something that most of us don’t value or see the importance of until we’re in a crisis situation. At Hospice of the Panhandle, we have seen the value of emergency plans in many different situations – specifically those for optimal symptom management and those who help to prepare our staff, patients, and…
By Ashley Horst, Fundraising & Marketing Coordinator For the last 13 years, I have been educating the community about the importance of an advance directive. I’ve spoken on the subject dozens of times with various groups—church groups, civic organizations, hospice volunteers and more. Each time I speak with a group, I invariably hear a version…
By Julie Sayre, MA, LSW, LMFT Social Work Manager As a social worker for Hospice of the Panhandle, I help our patients complete advance directives so that we can honor their end-of-life medical wishes. Many of our patients have not thought about what they would want for their end-of-life care before having these conversations with…
By Deme Warner, LGSW As we approach the one-year mark since the first mandated shutdown due to COVID-19, we have seen just how ever-changing life can be. With continuing efforts to keep up with regulations, finding new ways to stay connected with our loved ones, and attempting to maintain our own health, we are…
By Cindy Burdette, MA LPC The holidays can be an especially difficult time for those who are grieving, especially this year. Whether we have lost a loved one to COVID, or as a result of something else, because of the challenges surrounding funeral services and celebrations of life, we may feel even more at a…
On this beautiful warm sunny day, I watch a little towheaded girl in a blue top and pink shorts outside my window. She first runs, and then skips along the lawn of our inpatient facility. She’s about 7 or 8 years old, probably here after being picked up from school. She routinely stops under each…
Caregiving is one of the hardest jobs out there. Approximately 1 in 4 adults in West Virginia is caring for a loved one. Unpaid and overworked, mentally and physically exhausted, these selfless individuals have transformed their lives so that they can care for a family member or dear friend. This is a lifestyle that the…