These values guide every team member at Hospice of the Valley as they care for patients and families during life’s final chapter.

I’m the HR Director, not a nurse or aide, but every day I witness the extraordinary compassion of our staff. From licensed nurses and personal care workers to volunteers and chaplains, this team is dedicated, skilled, and deeply human. Many hold advanced certifications. Some even share music with patients through singing and instruments, creating peace through presence.

Serving these families is uplifting. One chaplain brought beer and watched football with a patient who simply missed his game-day routine. Another patient wanted to see the ocean. Our team made that happen. These moments matter.

I carry my own story too. Fourteen years ago, my sister passed just one day after entering hospice care. She had spent weeks in a hospital room, fighting and hoping. I didn’t know at the time what I know now about how hospice could have brought her comfort at home. I’ve often wished we had started sooner.

Hospice doesn’t mean giving up. It means shifting focus. Instead of continuing treatment, the goal becomes comfort, connection, and peace. Our team supports the entire family, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This support often continues for more than a year after a loved one passes. From home equipment and medications to massage therapy and grief support, we surround our patients with care that is both practical and personal.

At Hospice of the Valley, we believe dying is not the end. It is another chapter. We are here to make that chapter one of comfort and love.

Continue reading Pat’s full story at HCHOTV.org/blog.

Hospice of the Valley is an independent, local nonprofit serving Garfield, Eagle, and Pitkin counties. Hospice provides compassionate and dignified care when you or your loved one is facing a life-limiting condition. This Hospice provides end-of-life care that provides comfort for your Mind, Body, and Spirit. Hospice care can be provided at home, at an assisted living facility, at a long-term care setting, or even at a hospital.

Hospice services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week as needed. The Hospice care team includes: Your personal care physician, a Hospice Medical Director, Registered Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants, Social Workers, Chaplains, Dieticians, Physical, Speech and Occupational Therapists, Volunteers and Bereavement Counselors. This team provides the support you and your loved ones need so that you can have quality time together and be surrounded with peace, comfort, and dignity. For more information, visit hchotv.org.

Patricia Pier is Human Resources Director for Hospice of the Valley.