Grant Project funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Winchester, VA, December 19, 2024 – Blue Ridge Hospice will join a nationwide project and host a community event at Luray Fire Hall on January 15, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, to engage the community in important conversations about medical decision making. The event, featuring the conversation toolkit from The Conversation Project, will provide information about how to prepare for future decisions about serious and critical health issues.
“Advance care planning is a vital conversation that ensures individuals’ wishes are understood and respected when faced with serious health decisions. At Blue Ridge Hospice, we are honored to help guide the Luray community through this important process. This event offers a safe space for participants to reflect on their healthcare preferences, ask questions, and gain clarity on how to make informed decisions for themselves and their loved ones. By empowering individuals to take control of their care, we can ensure that their values are honored, providing peace of mind for both patients and their families,” said Susana Calley, LCSW, Director, Center for Hope & Healing.
Advance care planning can be a difficult topic, but it is a necessary one to discuss. This community event will bring people together for a group discussion about living well and quality end-of-life care. Participants will receive information about medical decision-making and an advance directive that they may choose to complete. This event is a first step to advance care planning, and every participant will leave prepared to continue the conversation and take important steps to ensure their end-of-life care goals are known.
The Conversation Project event is part of a large national, NIH-research study funded by NIH and led by Lauren Jodi Van Scoy, M.D. at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, through her research program, Project Talk. Hospice Foundation of America and the University of Kentucky are partners on the project. Participants who opt-in to participate will receive up to $90 in gift cards for their time.
Learning how best to engage individuals in advance care planning is crucial to improving access to high-quality of care later in life or during a medical emergency. Blue Ridge Hospice will help the residents of Luray and surrounding communities think about their care goals and preferences and document them, so they can be honored and respected by family members and healthcare providers.
For more information, contact Caitlin Maxwell, cmaxwell@blueridghospice.org or 540-313-9275.
About Blue Ridge Hospice
Blue Ridge Hospice is a community-based, not-for-profit serious illness and end-of-life care provider that has been serving friends and neighbors across the northern Shenandoah Valley and northwestern Virginia since 1981. With a mission of “brightening life’s journey with quality and compassionate care for all whom we are privileged to serve,” Blue Ridge Hospice serves Winchester City and the counties of Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudoun, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, and Warren. Accredited by The Joint Commission, Blue Ridge Hospice consistently exceeds the national averages for quality as reported on Medicare’s Hospice Compare website. To learn more about Blue Ridge Hospice visit brhospice.org, or call 540-313-9200.
