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 Tony Pirrone, Chaplain, Hospice of the Panhandle As a chaplain for Hospice of the Panhandle, it is my goal to help people improve the quality of their life, at the end of life. I have the privilege to journey alongside patients and their families, and the honor of being invited into their lives. My…
By Margaret Cogswell, CEO When I think back over the last 30 plus years that I’ve served as the CEO of Hospice of the Panhandle, some of my most powerful memories center around words that people have said or written to me. These words have helped me with my decision-making, influenced the way we care…
It’s no surprise that Steve Johnston is passionate about his new position as an advanced practice nurse for Hospice of the Panhandle’s new palliative care program. He learned from the best. His late mother, Linda, was an operating room nurse at Jefferson Memorial Hospital for 15 years until she retired. Her passion for nursing was…
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 Maria Lorensen Development Director, Hospice of the Panhandle The smell of freshly baked sugar cookies wafts through the air. Volunteers line up around the large perimeter of the room, scoping the hundreds of dozens of cookies that lie front of them. Gloves on, they are ready to pack large pink bakery boxes, adorned with…
By Vickie Elliott Assistant Vice President of Administration and Human Resources Director at Farmers & Mechanics Insurance Companies in Martinsburg On April 5, 2015, my entire world was turned upside and my faith was shaken beyond belief. My husband woke me on Easter Sunday morning at 1:30 a.m. and said he did not feel well…
By Monica Trivero, LPN, Hospice of the Panhandle At every staff meeting Hospice of the Panhandle has had over the years, there is usually a staff member who presents to all of the staff a “connect to purpose” or why they work for Hospice and what inspires them. This pandemic has certainly made it difficult…
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…
The COVID-19 crisis has hit us all hard. Our world today looks very different than what it was a few short (but oh, they have felt long) months ago. We have scrambled to get the equipment our staff, patients and their families need—often paying higher prices than normal to make sure that our staff, patients…