The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and Hospice Action Network welcome Graciela and Nathan, our new interns. They have joined our team to develop resources to support hospice and palliative care providers and patients experiencing grief as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Graciela Rayome is a second-year Master of Public Health candidate at the University of Delaware with a concentration in Health Policy and Management.…
Black communities are grieving. They have been hit doubly hard in recent months, first by COVID-19, which takes black lives at two times the rate it kills white people, and then by the recent deaths of Ahmaud Arbrey, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. While much of the country is still under stay-at-home orders, and many…
HAN welcomes Lucy Schmitz as the new Advocacy and Grassroots Specialist. A note from Lucy: I am thrilled to join the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and the Hospice Action Network (HAN) as the new Advocacy and Grassroots Specialist. In this role, I look forward to working with care providers, partner organization, and…
What My Hospice means is different to each individual and family. For Elaine, it means giving back to an organization that cared for her mother, who could experience a family wedding thanks to hospice. Story submitted by Faith Hospice in Grand Rapids, Michigan: Elaine has been with us since early 2018, serving in a variety…
What My Hospice means is different to each individual and family we serve. For Volunteer Manager Angel Gregory, it means working with volunteers to create special, one-of-a-kind treasures for bereaved families. Village Hospice began serving a patient on Christmas Eve; he died on Christmas Day, surrounded by a loving family. In February, our Bereavement Counselor,…
What My Hospice means is different to each individual and family. For Kelly, it means expressing love through caregiving and seeing her grandparents through their final journeys. AseraCare Provider Relations Manager and My Hospice Ambassador Kelly Coons writes: One of the questions I often hear as a Provider Relations Manager is, “Why hospice?” I could…
While the timing is not ideal, I wanted to let the community know that after five years with HAN and NHPCO, I am moving on to a new opportunity. I am staying in the healthcare advocacy space, and going to the National Kidney Foundation to be their new Director of Congressional Relations. I am so…
What My Hospice means is different to each individual and family. For Bob, it meant receiving one final wish because his hospice care team (and an amazing community) went above and beyond and made it happen. Heart ‘n Home Public Relations Assistant RaChelle Squibb writes: At Heart ‘n Home in Emmett, Idaho, we focus on…
What My Hospice means is different to each individual and family we serve. For Registered Nurse Mark Sells, it means honoring his patients’ Three Most Important Things. When Caris Healthcare admits a patient to hospice, they ask “What Three Most Important Things do we need to know about you to provide excellent care?” Registered Nurse…
As President and CEO of NHPCO, I want to urge everyone to consider attending Advocacy Day 2020. Our community faces several important threats and opportunities this year, including Hospice Program Integrity legislation, PCHETA, the Rural Access to Hospice Act, and the MA-VBID proposal. I know many of you have strong feelings about these issues, but…