Honoring Compassion During National Hospice & Palliative Care Month

November 6, 2024

Bluegrass Care Navigators (BCN) is joining organizations across the country in celebrating National Hospice and Palliative Care Month this November. As a leading provider of compassionate, high-quality care, BCN recognizes the positive impact hospice and palliative care have on patients and families, providing comfort, dignity, and support during life’s most challenging moments. 

This year, BCN has extra reason to celebrate: the organization recently ranked sixth in Overall Quality among the 50 largest hospices in the United States. This recognition underscores the dedication of the BCN team to exceptional, patient-centered care, ensuring that every person receives the attention and compassion they deserve. 


"National Hospice and Palliative Care Month is a time to acknowledge the critical role hospice care plays in our healthcare system," Liz Fowler, President and CEO of Bluegrass Care Navigators, said. "We’re proud to be part of a compassionate movement that helps patients and families live each day to the fullest. This recognition of our quality of care affirms the unwavering commitment of our team to support and comfort those we serve." 


For more than 45 years, Bluegrass Hospice Care has helped provide interdisciplinary, supportive care to thousands of people, allowing them to spend their final months surrounded by their loved ones wherever they call home. Our team of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, chaplains, personal care aides and volunteers work with the patients and caregivers to craft individualized plans of care. These plans ensure that pain and symptom management, therapies and treatments all center on the goals and wishes of the patient and their loved ones. Bluegrass Hospice Care also helps family members become confident caregivers and navigate their grief journey with bereavement services for up to a year. 


“They were always there,” April Evans, a family member of one of our patients, said. “Anytime I made a phone call, the nurse never, ever did not answer me. She even left her child’s ball game just to bring me the supplies that I needed.” 


Bluegrass Palliative Care is a time-limited consultative service for home-limited patients who suffer from an advanced illness. Our team of experts works with patients and their physicians to understand the patient’s goals. Together, they develop a long-term plan to manage the symptoms that often accompany illness or aggressive treatment to improve quality of life for patients and caregivers. BCN offers palliative care in hospitals, nursing homes and in-home settings. 

 

BCN also offers assistance to complete advanced directives, including a living will, healthcare surrogate and medical instructions for care for those patients unable to speak for themselves. These documents help communicate a patient’s medical, personal, emotional and spiritual wishes and allow them to give the gift of security and love to their family. 


Throughout November, BCN will host several events that focus on honoring those who have been part of hospice care journeys, whether providing ways to remember loved ones or celebrating our dedicated team. Educational sessions will help raise awareness within the community about the benefits of hospice and palliative care, and opportunities for involvement as volunteers or supporters. 


About Bluegrass Care Navigators 


Established in 1978,B CN provides hospice care in 32 counties across northern, central and eastern Kentucky. As a mission-driven, nonprofit agency, BCN supports those facing serious illness or chronic disease with both long and short-term hospice care, palliative care, transitional care, home health, PACE (Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), integrative medicine and grief counseling services. For more information on services available by county, visit bgcarenav.org or call 855.492.0812. 

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