Blue Ridge Hospice Inc

BRIGHTENING LIFE'S JOURNEY WITH QUALITY AND COMPASSIONATE CARE FOR ALL WHO WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO SERVE.

BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE, INC. BEGAN OPERATIONS IN NOVEMBER, 1979, THROUGH THE VISION AND DETERMINATION OF TWO INDIVIDUALS. BLUE RIDE HOSPICE, INC. IS A MEDICARE AND MEDICAID-CERTIFIED NOT-FOR-PROFIT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION PROVIDING PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL AND SPIRITUAL CARE FOR THE TERMINALLY ILL AND THEIR FAMILIES. BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE, INC. HAS ALSO EARNED THE JOINT COMMISSION'S GOLD SEAL OF APPROVAL. AT ITS INCEPTION, BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE SERVED ONLY A FEW PATIENTS EACH DAY IN THE WINCHESTER AREA. TODAY, BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE SERVES OVER 1,600 PATIENTS A YEAR IN THE CITY OF WINCHESTER AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES OFFERING A VARIETY OF CARE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, MUSIC THERAPY, BEREAVEMENT, AND CHAPLAIN SERVICES. THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND ITS GROWTH, BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE INC.'S MISSION HAS REMAINED CONSTANT. BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE, INC. STRIVES TO MAKE QUALITY END-OF-LIFE CARE AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FACING SERIOUS ILLNESS AND TO SUPPORT ANYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY AFFECTED BY DEATH, DYING, AND LOSS. BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE, INC. IS REGARDED AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE HEALTH SERVICES SYSTEM IN THE NORTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY AND SURROUNDING AREA. BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE INC.'S CURRENT SERVICE AREAS INCLUDE THE CITY OF WINCHESTER AND THE COUNTIES OF FREDERICK, CLARKE, WARREN, SHENANDOAH, PAGE, FAUQUIER, AND LOUDOUN. SERVICES PROVIDED BY BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE, INC. ARE UNDER PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL SUPERVISION AND PROVIDED TO ALLOW THE DYING PERSON TO LIVE AS PAIN-FREE AND COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE. SUCH SERVICES INCLUDE PHYSICIAN CARE, NURSING CARE, SOCIAL WORK, CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANTS, SPIRITUAL SUPPORT, BEREAVEMENT COUNSELING, MUSIC THERAPY AND VOLUNTEER ASSISTANCE. MORE THAN 150 VOLUNTEERS OFFER GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS OF TIME, TALENT AND COMPASSION TO BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE PATIENTS AND FAMILIES. FURTHERMORE, BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE SERVES ITS PATIENTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY TO PAY FOR THE HOSPICE SERVICES. IN 2021, BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE PROVIDED OVER $228,000 IN CHARITY CARE TO INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT INSURANCE OR THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO PAY FOR THEIR CARE. THE COST OF THIS CARE, AS WELL AS THE COST OF PROVIDING UNREIMBURSED SERVICES, SUCH AS MUSIC THERAPY, CHAPLAIN, AND BEREAVEMENT SERVICES, IS SUPPLEMENTED BY BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE INC.'S OPERATION OF VARIOUS THRIFT SHOPS. THESE THRIFT SHOPS PROMOTE THE HOSPICE MISSION AND AWARENESS AS WELL AS SUPPORT THE SERVICES PROVIDED TO PATIENTS AND FAMILIES THAT ARE WELL BEYOND MEDICARE AND OTHER INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT. THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATION OF THE THRIFT SHOPS ARE INCLUDED IN BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE INC.'S FUNDRAISING EXPENSES.

IN MOST CASES, HOSPICE PROVIDES CARE FOR THE TERMINALLY ILL PATIENT IN THE HOME. HOWEVER, BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE, INC.'S EIGHT-BED INPATIENT CARE CENTER OPENED IN 2004 IN DOWNTOWN WINCHESTER TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE SETTING FOR SOME PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN 2021, THE INPATIENT CARE CENTER SERVED OVER 84 PATIENTS. THESE PATIENTS STAY AT THE FACILITY FOR GENERAL INPATIENT OR RESPITE LEVEL OF CARE, OR FOR ASSISTED LIVING ROOM AND BOARD CARE. AS WITH ALL OF BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE INC.'S SERVICES, THESE WERE PROVIDED REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY TO PAY FOR THEIR STAY AT THE INPATIENT CARE CENTER. IN 2021, 21 PATIENTS RECEIVED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE FOR THEIR STAY AT THE INPATIENT CARE CENTER.

BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE CONSIDERS IT A PRIVILEGE TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE GRIEVING REGAIN THEIR BALANCE AND RESUME HEALTHY LIVING. INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED TO CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN A COMPASSIONATE SETTING THAT ENCOURAGES SELF-CARE AND HOPE. OTHER GRIEF SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO HOMES, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND FACILITIES. THESE EXTENSIVE RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND STAGES IN THE GRIEF PROCESS ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND ARE FREE OF CHARGE. IN ADDITION TO THE WIDE VARIETY OF AGE AND LOSS-SPECIFIC GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE OFFERS, OUR EXPERIENCED GRIEF COUNSELORS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PHONE CONSULTATIONS AND REFERRALS. FAMILIES WHOSE LOVED ONE RECEIVED BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE SERVICES HAVE THE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF 13-MONTHS OF ONE-ON-ONE OR FAMILY GRIEF COUNSELING. IN ADDITION TO BEREAVEMENT SERVICES, BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE PROVIDES MUSIC THERAPY AND CHAPLAIN SERVICES. BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE MUSIC THERAPISTS ARE PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED, BOARD CERTIFIED IN THEIR CARE FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH ADVANCED ILLNESSES. MUSIC THERAPY INCREASES QUALITY OF LIFE, ALLEVIATES SPIRITUAL SUFFERING, PROVIDES PAIN AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT, AND PROMOTES RELAXATION IN END-OF-LIFE CARE THROUGH MUSIC. THE CHAPLAIN SERVICE TEAM MEMBERS AT BLUE RIDGE HOSPICE ARE NON-DENOMINATIONAL, ORDAINED CLERGY OR LAY PERSONS WITH SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN END-OF-LIFE CARE. THEY PROVIDE PRAYER, PRESENCE, ASSISTANCE WITH EXPLORATION OF SPIRITUAL ISSUES AND ASSISTANCE WITH FUNERAL PLANNING. ALL THESE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AS AN UNREIMBURSED SERVICE TO HOSPICE PATIENTS.