Read our latest and cataloged blog posts here as well as our Comforter newsletter. You’ll stay informed about how Hospice of the Panhandle is impacting the lives of others and how our team can benefit your family.
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Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness at any stage of their illness. That…
Individuals volunteer in many roles, including patient support, where they help hospice patients and their families through providing a break…
He was the Board’s treasurer for many years, which prompted weekly trips to Hospice’s offices to sign hundreds of checks.…
Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness at any stage of their illness. That…
Friends, family and co-workers all gathered to recognize Cogswell and all the incredible work she’s done throughout her 36 years…
By: Laura Senic Registered nurse for Hospice of the Panhandle For more than 40 years, Hospice of the Panhandle has…
As I reflect on my journey over the past 16 years being a registered nurse, 13 of which with Hospice…
There is an exercise I have done with my staff, with medical students, and even with patients over the years.…
by: Maria Lorensen Development Director, Hospice of the Panhandle Sheryl and Ted Person were married for 55 years when he…
By Ruth Bradley Hospice of the Panhandle volunteer Words that come to mind are fulfilling, rewarding, and fun. I…
• Toni Milbourne tmilbourne@journal-news.net MARTINSBURG — The board of directors of Hospice of the Panhandle has announced that Nikki Bigiarelli,…
by Deanna Rudy, MSW, LGSW Hospice Grief Counselor On April 16, we recognize National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD). This…
Aging is Human As a follow-up to an article I wrote earlier this year, “Dying is Human,” I felt…
by: Beth Loy, Grief Counselor Hospice of the Panhandle’s Center for Grief Support Grief is a natural, universal response to loss.…
by: Alison Cox member of Hospice of the Panhandle’s Board of Directors Much to the dismay of prospective parents, babies…
by: Maria Lorensen Development director for Hospice of the Panhandle My Aunt Rose provided my first introduction to Hospice care.…
By Chelsea Maxwell, RN As the support nurse at Hospice of the Panhandle on the weekends, I work Friday-Sunday from…
By Dr. Sarah Phillips Medical Director, Hospice of the Panhandle Every living thing, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant,…
by Maria Lorensen Development Director, Hospice of the Panhandle I happened to raise my head and look out my office…
Pediatric E-Journal | Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Care in the Community ISSUE #69 | NOVEMBER 2022 Renee Bledsoe, LPN, CHPLN…
By Margaret Cogswell CEO of Hospice of the Panhandle As a nurse and hospice provider I have always recognized the…
Ryan McCarthy MD, WVU Medicine November is National Hospice Month. Let’s take a moment and reflect on how our very…
KEARNEYSVILLE – Hospice of the Panhandle has joined the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), a national nonprofit…
Reva, the love of Warren’s life, wanted to stay in the home where she lived from birth despite the fact…
By Maria Lorensen Development Director Theirs was a romance for the ages. They were married more than 58 years, raised…
By Ashley Horst Fundraising & Marketing Coordinator It seems appropriate that today, Independence Day, we talk about freedom and independence…
Two longtime Hospice of the Panhandle employees have been promoted. Nikki Bigiarelli, most recently the clinical director and earlier nursing…
By Margaret Cogswell, CEO Ever since March 2020, the word “normal” has been in our vocabulary much more often. At…
By Renee Bledsoe LPN, CHPLN Talking about children in hospice care is tough. What is tougher is being the parent…
By Tony Pirrone, Hospice Chaplain During my first two years as a clinical chaplain at Hospice of the Panhandle, I…
By Katrina Stevens Volunteer Services Manager One of the things I have missed the most during COVID is seeing people’s…
By Julie Sayre, MA, LSW, LMFT Social Work Manager at Hospice of the Panhandle I was at a doctor’s office…
By Dr. Karen Rudolph Board of Directors When I was asked to write an article sharing my perspective on palliative…
By Deme Warner, LGSW Social Worker The sibling bond is special and undeniable. Siblings are the people who teach us…
By Amie Burks, RN, BSN My name is Amie Burks. I’m a nurse at Hospice of the Panhandle. I would…
By Ashley Horst Fundraising & Marketing Coordinator The last two years have been difficult. Shutdowns, quarantines, masks, the fighting over…
By Dr. Steve Johnston In March 2021, Hospice of the Panhandle (HOTP) embarked on a new community venture. A service…
Editor’s Note: Jean is not the real name of the woman Hospice served, nor is Miranda the real name of her…
I am Sandy Hamilton and am grateful and humbled to share some background information and insight as to why I…
By Maria Lorensen, Development Director Taylor Spigler-James served as a nurse at Hospice of the Panhandle’s Inpatient Facility, until she…
By Margaret Cogswell, RN, CHPCA CEO I’m writing today to share with you a story of someone who just last…
By Maria Lorensen, Development Director Several months ago, our good friend Dr. Ryan McCarthy reached out to ask about Hospice…
This article was originally published by 100 Days in Appalachia, an independent, non-profit digital news publication incubated at the Media Innovation Center…
The story of Sandy Hamilton and her father is a familiar one. Many of us have to face difficult decisions…
Emergency plans – something that most of us don’t value or see the importance of until we’re in a crisis…
By Ashley Horst, Fundraising & Marketing Coordinator For the last 13 years, I have been educating the community about the…
By Ashley Horst Fundraising & Marketing Coordinator Recently I was watching the Netflix series, Cobra Kai. For those who aren’t…
By Katrina Stevens Volunteer Services Manager Over the past year, so much of what we have defined as “normal” has…
By Julie Sayre, MA, LSW, LMFT Social Work Manager As a social worker for Hospice of the Panhandle, I help…
By Tony Pirrone, Chaplain, Hospice of the Panhandle As a chaplain for Hospice of the Panhandle, it is my goal…
By Margaret Cogswell, CEO When I think back over the last 30 plus years that I’ve served as the CEO…
It’s no surprise that Steve Johnston is passionate about his new position as an advanced practice nurse for Hospice of…
By Deme Warner, LGSW As we approach the one-year mark since the first mandated shutdown due to COVID-19, we…
By Maria Lorensen Development Director, Hospice of the Panhandle The smell of freshly baked sugar cookies wafts through the air.…
By Vickie Elliott Assistant Vice President of Administration and Human Resources Director at Farmers & Mechanics Insurance Companies in Martinsburg…
By Monica Trivero, LPN, Hospice of the Panhandle At every staff meeting Hospice of the Panhandle has had over the…
By Cindy Burdette, MA LPC The holidays can be an especially difficult time for those who are grieving, especially this…
The COVID-19 crisis has hit us all hard. Our world today looks very different than what it was a few…
Grief affects so many things in your life — how you feel physically, emotionally, cognitively, socially and spiritually. But right…
By Ashley Horst, Fundraising & Marketing Coordinator It all started with a group of innovative volunteers. In 1980 the congregation…
September is disaster preparedness month. Part of our job at Hospice of the Panhandle is to help our patients and…
On this beautiful warm sunny day, I watch a little towheaded girl in a blue top and pink shorts outside…
By John Sherwood, Hospice of the Panhandle Veteran Volunteer My volunteer service with Hospice of the Panhandle has been one…
Caregiving is one of the hardest jobs out there. Approximately 1 in 4 adults in West Virginia is caring for…
Nearly 30 years ago, when my father was in a Hospice facility, an unknown Hospice volunteer brought little bouquets of…
KEARNEYSVILLE — A soft-spoken but articulate woman who works as a human resource professional, Eula Thomas wants others to know…
When I tell people that I work at Hospice of the Panhandle as the human resources director, I often get…
MARTINSBURG — May 24, 2019, is a day that Patricia Hosby and Bill Bailey will remember forever. Not just because…
I remember always being fascinated by nature. Even as a young child I was in awe of the complexities of…
KEARNEYSVILLE — What may have surprised Hospice of the Panhandle social worker Nina O’Connor the most about a recent advocacy…
By Ashley Horst Marketing & Fundraising Coordinator Phil Ernst, who served in the Marines for 4 years and owned Woodbrier…
On this very brisk spring day, I have been looking over some of the copies of the Comforter that have…
Anniversaries, birthdays and milestones are important occasions to remember and celebrate. At Hospice of the Panhandle, we’ve become quite adept…
My first experience with hospice services began in high school when my grandparents moved into our home after they both…
By Maria Lorensen, Development Director Three Italian Greyhound puppies scurry up into their “daddy’s” lap, nestling in a plush tan…
Millions of elderly people (age 65 and older) experience falls. Further statistics show that; one out of five falls result…
Caregiving is hard work. With it comes a lot of emotions. Some of these emotions are positive—love, connection, gratitude. Others…
Having experienced the compassion of hospice care with family members and friends, Mike Everhart and his family knew that hospice…
When Brigadier General V. Wayne “Speedy” Lloyd was diagnosed with a fast-growing brain tumor, he wanted to get back to…
By Maria Lorensen, Development Director Gratitude. That’s what Diane Stewart feels in response to the care her late mother, Gladys Singhas,…
So….you are going through one of the most difficult times in your life…..maybe you are the one experiencing serious health…
Robert “Bush” Seem wasn’t sure he’d be able to see his son, Stephen, walk down the aisle on his wedding…
Unlike many families, Marie Luksa and her family were very familiar with the care and support hospice provides. Her husband,…
The suggestion of hospice care came as a shock to Yvonne See, a retired paramedic from the Hardy County Emergency…
