Hospice of the Panhandle Quality Metrics: Care You Can Trust
Hospice of the Panhandle is proud to share some of the numbers behind the care we provide! 91% of families would recommend Hospice of the Panhandle, with our care receiving 4 out of 5 stars from families – both above the national average.
We are also proud that 57.9% of our patients received hospice visits from a registered nurse or social worker during their final day, providing important support when families need it most. These numbers represent real patients and families who have trusted us with their care, and we’re grateful to continue showing up with compassion, integrity, excellence, and respect every step of the way.
These achievements would not be possible without the staff and volunteers at Hospice of the Panhandle, as well as community members who continue to support our mission. Thank you for all that you do and for trusting us to care for your community!
Hospice of the Panhandle Hires Four New Employees to Join Our Mission
We are so happy to welcome four new members to our organization! We cannot wait to see the compassionate and driven work that these four do.
From left to right:
- April Blackburn – Registered Nurse, Cacapon Team
- Michelle Schatz – Registered Nurse, Support Team
- Virgil Scaggs – Registered Nurse, Potomac Team
- Paige Elliott – Social Work Intern
Join Us for the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Light Up a Life
There is something truly special about the holiday season, the glow of lights, the warmth of community, and the memories of those we love. At Hospice of the Panhandle, Light Up A Life is a beautiful tradition that brings our community together to honor and remember loved ones who have passed away.
This December, we will gather at three locations throughout our service area, creating moments of remembrance, reflection, and hope in communities across the Panhandle.
We are incredibly grateful to our Presenting Sponsor, Nadine Kennedy with the Kennedy Home Team, Coldwell Banker Premier, for helping make this meaningful tradition possible.
We are still looking for Light the Path Sponsors and Angel Sponsors to join us.
Your sponsorship will help illuminate our communities while providing an opportunity to honor someone special. Every light represents a life, a memory, and a story that continues to shine.
Sponsorships are open to businesses, organizations, and individuals.
Click the link here to become a sponsor!
Sponsorships close on November 20, the same cutoff as luminary orders and donations. Logos received by that date appear on the printed materials.
Patient Celebrates Birthday with Wife Thanks to Hospice of the Panhandle Staff and Volunteers
We were honored to have the privilege of setting up a birthday dinner for a patient and his wife. During a casual conversation, the patient’s wife expressed deep love and compassion for her husband and her hope to see him out of bed again. Her husband then shared that he and his wife had a tradition of going out to dinner each year to celebrate her birthday, which was just a few weeks away. His greatest wish was to be able to get out of bed and take his wife to dinner for her birthday.
Our team got to work and collaborated to ensure that his wish could come true. Because of our social workers, transportation team, volunteers, management, and facility staff, we were able to make this wish a reality.
The couple enjoyed food, dessert, music, and ambiance at our Inpatient Facility.
We are so incredibly honored to be a part of moments like this, which reminds us of why we do what we do.
Hospice of the Panhandle received verbal and written permission to use photos.
Hospice of the Panhandle Celebrates End of Q3 with In-Person All-Staff Gathering
We ended Q3 with an all-staff meeting full of celebrations and love!
Every quarter, we get together to learn about updates happening within our organization, give recognition to our excellent employees, and more. It’s a time for our staff to see the impact of the work we do and where we are heading!
We celebrate 6+ year work anniversaries:
- Brenda Sandy, Nurse Liaison (9 years)
- Melissa Beard, LPN (11 years)
- Adaira Jenkins, Director of Quality and Compliance (11 years)
- Brooke Smith, Dietitian (13 years)
- Dr. Sarah Phillips, Medical Director (14 years)
- Renee Parsons, RN (18 years)
We also recognized TWO employees with our Quarterly Excellence Award:
- McKenna Fuston, CNA
- Megan Hanna, CNA
Finally, at the end of these meetings, we have a staff member connect their purpose for working at Hospice of the Panhandle. Michele McCoy, Nurse Manager at the IPF, shared her story as a caregiver and how her experiences inspired her to work at Hospice of the Panhandle!
Hospice of the Panhandle Delivers Flowers to Local Assisted Living Facilities for National Assisted Living Week
Hospice of the Panhandle delivered flowers to our local assisted living facilities for National Assisted Living Week, which is from September 13 to September 19!
The theme for this year was “Shining Through the Years,” and we have been honored to collaborate with these facilities throughout the years – taking care of patients and their families while collaborating with our teams to ensure the best care possible.
We want to thank all the staff from each facility for all they do to care for patients and their families!
We also want to give a special thank you to Ginger’s Flower Shop for providing us with the BEAUTIFUL bouquets of flowers! 💐
Hospice of the Panhandle Participates in United Way of the Eastern Panhandle Day of Caring
Hospice of the Panhandle was honored to participate in United Way of the Eastern Panhandle’s Day of Caring!
Members of our team helped at different parks in Martinsburg with landscaping and beautification projects to give back to our community.
We were also grateful to share the day with Maria Lorenson, former Development Director at Hospice of the Panhandle!
We want to thank United Way of the Eastern Panhandle for allowing us to participate, and a HUGE thank you to the employees from Hospice of the Panhandle who helped!
Hospice of the Panhandle Expands Transportation Services with New Van
As we continue to expand access to care for the patients and families we serve, we are excited to add another van to our transportation services!
We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with Heffle Motor Company on the purchase of our new van. Their team went above and beyond to help us find the right vehicle and worked with a local company to complete the conversion to meet our transportation needs.
From start to finish, they were helpful, responsive, and committed to getting everything completed on time. And when the van was delivered, it came with a handshake and a smile, just the way local business should be.
We are grateful for businesses like Heffle Motor Company that understand the importance of investing in and supporting our community. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
Patient Witnesses Loved One’s Wedding Thanks to Hospice of the Panhandle Staff and Volunteers
We had the incredible honor and privilege of helping a family create a very special moment at our Inpatient Facility.
A son and his fiancée had planned their wedding, but as his mother’s health declined, she became a patient at our Inpatient Facility. Knowing how much it meant to him to have his mom there to witness this special moment, he shared his wish with our team. Our social worker, Ebony, began working to make that wish a reality.
We set up our Inpatient Facility Chapel for the ceremony, with our Chaplain Wayne Clark officiating. One of our wonderful volunteers baked a beautiful wedding cake. The flowers and wedding photography were donated. But most importantly, his mom was able to be there for the entire ceremony and share this incredible moment with her son and new daughter-in-law.
These are the moments that remind us why hospice care is so much more than medical care. We want to give a special thank you to all of the staff and volunteers who helped make this moment possible!
Hospice of the Panhandle received verbal and written permission to use photos.
Delegate Ian Masters Secures $10,000 Through LEDA Grant to Further Support Transportation
We are incredibly grateful to Delegate Ian Masters for securing $10,000 through the LEDA Grant Program to support Hospice of the Panhandle’s Transportation Services.
This generous funding will be used to purchase a stretcher for our newest conversion van, expanding our ability to provide safe, reliable transportation for patients who require specialized assistance.
This investment will have a meaningful, direct impact on the lives of those we serve, helping ensure that transportation is not a barrier to accessing care and support.
Thank you, Delegate Ian Masters, for investing in our mission and in the people of our community!