October 25, 2024
Learn What Hospice Care Really Means to Patients and their Families
What makes a good death? This is a question that many people prefer not to think about in their day-to-day lives. However, for patients facing an uncertain future, it is an extremely relevant reality. The answer can vary from person to person, depending on individual personalities, interests and desires. For most people, a good death […]
Read moreOctober 7, 2024
Hospice of Central PA Announces the Retirement of President Gil Brown, Effective December 31, 2024
After more than a decade of service at Hospice of Central PA, President Gil Brown will retire on December 31, 2024. Gil has been a driving force behind the organization’s growth, steering it through significant achievements and fostering strong relationships with healthcare partners and the community. Gil, a native of Union Dale, Pennsylvania, has more […]
Read moreJuly 31, 2024
17 Reasons to Update Your Will
You have a will, so you can rest easy, right? Not necessarily. If your will is outdated, it can cause more harm than good. Even though it can provide for some contingencies, an old will cannot cover every change that may have occurred since it was first drafted. Here are 17 reasons why it may […]
Read moreJuly 23, 2024
Don’t Wait to Talk About Hospice
It’s an all-too-common situation. A family is at the bedside of a loved one who is seriously ill at the end of life and unable to voice their wishes. Each member of the family has a different idea about the care the patient would have wanted. Far too many people wait until they are amid […]
Read moreApril 16, 2024
Celebrating Hospice Volunteers in our Community
April 21-27 is National Volunteer Week, and organizations across the country are celebrating their service — the gifts of time, attention, and understanding — that volunteers give to support their communities. This commitment is especially impactful in hospice care, where volunteers are a fundamental and longstanding part of the delivery of care and support services. […]
Read moreNovember 20, 2023
Grief During the Holidays: Some Tips
The winter holidays are generally perceived as “the most wonderful time of the year.” But for those who are facing grief after the death of a loved one, the holidays may instead be a time filled with pain and sadness. Even those for whom grief is not as fresh, the holidays may serve as an […]
Read moreNovember 9, 2023
It’s Never too Late to Thank a Veteran, Even at the End of Life
Americans across the country celebrate Veterans Day on November 11, a special day to salute those who have bravely served our country in the military. These fellow Americans have made profound sacrifices in defense of freedom and they deserve our heartfelt thanks and appreciation. Honoring our nation’s Veterans includes supporting them throughout their entire lives, […]
Read moreNovember 1, 2023
Hospice and Palliative Care: Making a Difference
A hospice nurse was recently asked, “How can you work in hospice? It must be so sad!” She answered, “I love providing compassionate care because I know I make a huge difference in the quality of a person’s life. I love that I can use my training as a nurse to bring comfort and dignity […]
Read moreAugust 17, 2023
Hospice of Central PA Named 2023 Hospice Honors Recipient
For the second consecutive year, Hospice of Central PA has been named a 2023 Hospice CAHPS Honors Award recipient by HEALTHCAREfirst, a Medicare-approved vendor for administering the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) hospice survey. “We began our Annual Hospice Honors Award program more than ten years ago as a way to highlight […]
Read moreJuly 13, 2023
The Significance of Spiritual Care
The Significance of the Hospice Chaplain It is a common misconception that hospice care only addresses the physical symptoms of a dying person; pain, shortness of breath, or agitation to name a few. Pain, however, isn’t always physical. For many hospice patients, pain is also spiritual. Some patients may struggle with what is unknown after […]
Read moreJuly 11, 2023
Hospice of Central PA to Explore Affiliation with Hospice and Community Care
Hospice & Community Care, Lancaster, and Hospice of Central PA, Harrisburg, in an effort to strengthen their ability to provide the highest quality care for patients and families, have announced plans to explore an affiliation. A partnering of the two leading hospice providers in central Pennsylvania would create a combined footprint to include Adams, Cumberland, […]
Read moreMarch 9, 2023
The Importance of Planning Ahead
Planning ahead for a medical crisis or end-of-life is something most of us are reluctant to think about, let alone act on. Have you ever considered what would happen if the unexpected happened? Would your loved ones know your wishes? While advance care planning can be a difficult topic to consider, it’s necessary in order […]
Read moreMarch 1, 2023
HCP WITF Radio Interview
After former President Carter’s announcement, many have questions about hospice care Ninety-eight-year-old former President Jimmy Carter announced recently that he was entering into hospice care. Even though many families have had a loved one who has opted for hospice, there are others who may not know what hospice is, what services it provides, or may […]
Read moreFebruary 24, 2023
HCP in PennLive Letters
President Carter is receiving hospice care – but what is that? By Cory Messinger The recent news of President Carter’s decision to elect hospice care at home has been widely shared across all forms of media. Many Americans have heard of hospice before, but are unaware of the full benefits. What is hospice care? When […]
Read moreNovember 17, 2022
Hospice of Central PA Celebrates Quality and Service Excellence
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. Hospice of Central PA (HCP) is celebrating this along with two achievements which demonstrate the agency’s leadership in quality end-of-life care: a successful Joint Commission re-accreditation survey and a 4-star rating on Medicare’s quality care index.
Read moreOctober 6, 2022
When is it Time to Call Hospice?
When a loved one is faced with a serious illness, it can be overwhelming for families and caregivers to determine how to best move forward. Often, families and physicians wait to contact hospice until the final days or weeks of a patient’s life. However, we often hear they wish they had called sooner. When there […]
Read moreSeptember 19, 2022
HCP Named 2022 Hospice Honors Recipient
Hospice of Central PA has been named a 2022 Hospice Honors recipient by HEALTHCAREfirst, a CMS-approved vendor for administering the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) hospice survey. “Hospice Honors recipients are industry leaders in providing quality care and constantly seeking ways to improve,” said Ronda Howard, Vice President Revenue Cycle and CAHPS […]
Read moreJune 16, 2022
Hospice Nursing: A Calling
Becky Jo Hopkins wasn’t always a hospice nurse, but when her brother was diagnosed with leukemia 22 years ago she found hospice nursing as a career path. During that difficult time, she was inspired by a hospice nurse who cared for her brother and supported Becky Jo and their family. “After he passed, I knew I […]
Read moreAugust 10, 2021
End-of-life planning — let’s talk
When it comes to end-of-life considerations (also known as advance directives), some of us are proactive while many of us delay. There is no doubt that this is a difficult and uncomfortable topic to address. Yet, creating a plan while you and your loved one are healthy assures that your wishes will be clear when […]
Read moreMay 19, 2021
Top five myths about hospice care
Have you ever heard something from a well-meaning friend or family member that seemed truthful at the time, though after looking into it further turned out to be incorrect? Myths often occur because of commonly misunderstood topics. Hospice is one of those often-misunderstood topics. Unfortunately, because many don’t fully understand hospice, people let too much […]
Read moreOctober 28, 2020
HCP recognized for commitment to Vietnam-era veterans
Hospice of Central PA (HCP) is pleased to announce that they have achieved Level 5 partner program status in the We Honor Veterans Program. The We Honor Veterans program, is a collaboration with the Veterans Administration (VA) and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). In addition to meeting all other program requirements, Level […]
Read moreApril 29, 2020
$77,000 in donations converted to community aid during coronavirus
Originally posted on Carlisle Sentinel – April 26, 2020 Excerpt: United Way of Carlisle & Cumberland County announced Friday it has raised more than $77,000 for its COVID-19 Carlisle Area Emergency Response Fund. United Way partnered with the Carlisle Borough to start the fund in March to help deal with the emerging needs of the […]
Read moreMarch 17, 2020
A message for HCP patients and caregivers regarding COVID-19
It is the priority of Hospice of Central PA (HCP) to safeguard the health and well-being of our patients, caregivers, visitors, and our staff, at all times. We have been monitoring the CDC website for updated information and resources and are in regular contact with our local health department. HCP is prepared to take appropriate […]
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