By Ruth Bradley Hospice of the Panhandle volunteer Words that come to mind are fulfilling, rewarding, and fun. I have been a volunteer with Hospice of the Panhandle for almost 10 years. It is my heart happy place as I honor my mother and her strong beliefs every time I walk into the building.…
• Toni Milbourne tmilbourne@journal-news.net MARTINSBURG — The board of directors of Hospice of the Panhandle has announced that Nikki Bigiarelli, chief clinical officer for the agency, has been named as the new CEO. Bigiarelli will begin the transition from her current position into the role of CEO on Monday, as she works alongside outgoing CEO…
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…
Aging is Human As a follow-up to an article I wrote earlier this year, “Dying is Human,” I felt compelled to share some thoughts and observations around the aging process. I am a board certified geriatrician in addition to my role as a Hospice and Palliative Care Medical Director. I have been working with…
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: Alison Cox member of Hospice of the Panhandle’s Board of Directors Much to the dismay of prospective parents, babies do not come with a handbook or road map to instruct parents on the journey of this new life. Prospective parents spend hours in classes regarding the birthing process and caring for a newborn. Growth…
by: Maria Lorensen Development director for Hospice of the Panhandle My Aunt Rose provided my first introduction to Hospice care. She was the aunt who took care of me (I hesitate to use the word ‘babysit’ because we sure didn’t do a lot of sitting) when I was a young child. From the get-go, when…
By Chelsea Maxwell, RN As the support nurse at Hospice of the Panhandle on the weekends, I work Friday-Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to ensure that community members who are deemed to have a very short prognosis get the support they need. I want to assure that the families of the patients that…
By Dr. Sarah Phillips Medical Director, Hospice of the Panhandle Every living thing, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, dies. We all exist in the circle of life, one that has a beginning, a middle and an end. And for a minute number of species, with death comes grief. Humans are one of the…