Part of a Team
Maggie Scheppmann • December 20, 2022
The transition to hospice services is sometimes overwhelming for our patients, especially the flurry of new people that come in and out of the home. For patients with cognitive/memory impairment, these new faces can be especially overwhelming. I was touched when I received a referral for music therapy to provide social interaction and engagement with a preferred coping skill for a patient who had been fearful of letting new people into her home. For her, music was such an important part of her life that she was willing to allow me into her home even though she was nervous about welcoming strangers. The first time we met, we sang together, and she immediately lit up. We spoke about how she learned to sing and play instruments in church and at the end of our visit, her daughter made a comment to me about how much our visit seemed to improve her mother’s mood. We continue to sing together every few weeks and joke about how we will make a record and have it played on the radio. It has been wonderful to see how this patient and her daughter have opened to the hospice team because of our visits. They are slowly allowing more team members to visit, and the patient is always excited to practice singing in anticipation of visits from both the chaplain and me.
In 2024, the Coleman family’s world was shattered with a devastating cancer diagnosis and unexpected loss of Jessica, devoted wife and mother. Kyle and his three daughters were overwhelmed by grief and the daily reminders of life without her. They connected with Bluegrass Care Navigators’ (BCN) grief team whose compassionate support and counseling helped the family find comfort, connection and the tools to heal together.
Expansion will improve access to care and chronic disease management for high-risk patients across Laurel, Jackson, and Whitley Counties
Hi. I'm Callie. Most days, my job is simple: walk into rooms with my human, Mary, wag my tail, and let people know they’re not alone. I’ve been doing this therapy dog work with her for a while now, and I take it very seriously, even if I’m small and fluffy.
For Lois and Doug Gates, home has always been a place of purpose, faith and shared life. Married for more than 63 years, the couple met as teenagers, built a family through adoption, and spent decades serving others together. Their moments together became even more precious after Lois received a serious diagnosis two years ago. After undergoing surgery, the cancer recurred, and the couple chose to forgo additional treatment and live the best quality of life possible with support from Bluegrass Care Navigators (BCN).
The Bluegrass PACE Care team and participants kicked off the holiday season with their annual Thanksgiving lunch. The atmosphere was filled with gratitude and joy, as everyone enjoyed a delicious meal and each other's company. The PACE team continued to celebrate the holiday season with fun activities in the weeks to come.
As a Support Center RN, I’ve witnessed many moments of compassion, but few have touched me as deeply as the call I received from a patient’s wife in our Pikeville region. She shared how our nurse, Tiffany Little (RN), provided care with such warmth and dedication that her presence brought genuine comfort and support to their lives.
Team BCN brought compassionate, personalized care to Tim and Helen Hoffstedder during a challenging chapter in their lives. After receiving a dementia diagnosis almost seven years ago, Helen’s family did their best to care for her at home. When she required additional support, they moved her to ColdSpring Transitional Care where she could receive high-quality care around the clock. In February 2024, she began retaining fluid and had difficulty breathing. The team at ColdSpring Care referred the family to Bluegrass Hospice Care and that extra support brought her husband Tim immense reassurance.
Thanks to your remarkable generosity, our two-year Care Reimagined fundraising campaign has been a resounding success. With your steadfast support, Bluegrass Care Navigators exceeded our ambitious $7 million goal by the December 31, 2025, deadline! This achievement ensures that we can continue to provide essential care and support to seriously and terminally ill individuals within our community.
Losing a spouse or partner is an experience that can reshape every aspect of daily life, including how you connect with others. As you navigate the journey of grief and healing, you may find yourself wondering if—and when—dating might feel right for you.
Build a memory box Use a cardboard box and decorate all the sides with markers or paint, drawing memories, messages or pictures in memory of your loved one. Place items like mementos of special times or add notes or drawings for your loved one. Have a balloon release ceremony Choose a special time, like your loved one’s birthday or anniversary for the ceremony. Pick a place like a park, beach, field or burial site, to release the balloons. Use helium-filled balloons and have family members write words of remembrance on them. You can talk about how loss and change are a natural part of life, play music or read verses as the balloons are released. Plant a tree or flowers Tending to a growing plant is a symbol of an ongoing relationship and provides many chances to grieve a loss. The life cycle can help you reflect on the memory of your loved one. Read a children's book about grief There are many age-specific children’s books that address grief. Books are a great way to help children open up and begin sharing feelings after a loss. Create memory pages Use fun scrapbooking paper and include Information about your loved one, such as their name, birthday, date of death, favorite food or activities, words to describe them, or things they enjoyed. Phrases like "I remember you when..." or ''I feel closer to you when..." can help provide inspiration. Draw with sidewalk chalk art Decorate your sidewalk or driveway with pictures or words honoring your loved one. Creativity is a great way to help express your feelings and emotions. Make a bracelet Use a variety of beads with different colors, shapes and letters. Pick out beads that represent a special memory or detail about your loved one. Decorate a jar or bottle Apply paint, decoupage or other materials to a jar or a bottle. You can write messages and place them inside the bottle. These messages can be something that you did not get a chance to say, something that you wish you had done or said differently, a favorite memory, or a life update. Alternatively, you may wish to place a small candle or light inside and use it at times you wish to remember your loved one. Utilize a journal You can use a journal to write about or draw special memories of your loved one. Add photos or mementos to make it feel special. Make a playlist Create a list of your loved one’s favorite songs. Listen to this when you want to think about them. Recreate a favorite recipe Prepare a meal or dessert that your loved one enjoyed or made frequently. While you are making it reminisce about memories associated with the food and favorites that you enjoyed together. Our grief care services are for anyone in the community who has experienced the loss of a loved one. Discover how our team can help you and your family by contacting us through our website or calling 855.492.0812 .
