Why Community Based Hospice Matters

Hospice care is changing across the country. There is increased attention on quality, accountability, transparency and ensuring that patients and families receive the compassionate care they deserve. As I watch these changes happening nationally, I continue to come back to one thought: what we have here at Richmond County Hospice is incredibly special.

We aren't simply a hospice that happens to be located in Richmond County. We are Richmond County's hospice.

For more than 40 years, our organization has been part of this community. The people we care for are our neighbors, friends, former teachers, coworkers, church members and sometimes even our own family members. Our employees live here. Our volunteers live here. Our board members, donors and supporters are part of the same communities we serve.

That connection creates a level of responsibility that goes far beyond providing a service.

When a family chooses Richmond County Hospice, they are trusting people they know to care for someone they love during one of the most vulnerable times of their lives. That trust has been built one patient, one family and one experience at a time.

Being a local nonprofit hospice also means our mission extends beyond the care Medicare reimburses. It is Hospice Haven. It is bereavement support long after a loved one dies. It is honoring our veterans. It is supporting caregivers, educating our community, helping families who need a little extra assistance and simply being present when someone needs us.

And because we are a nonprofit, the generosity of our community comes right back into that mission.

As hospice continues to evolve nationally, quality measures and regulations will change. Technology will change. Reimbursement will change. There will always be new challenges for us to navigate.

But some things should never change.

We should know our patients. We should know our families. We should answer the phone. We should show up when people need us. We should take pride in providing exceptional care. And we should never forget that the reputation of Richmond County Hospice is built through the experience each family has with all of us.

That is the difference a community-based hospice can make.

And after more than 40 years, I believe our local roots are not simply part of our history — they are one of our greatest strengths as we look toward the future.

Thank you for protecting the trust this community has placed in Richmond County Hospice and for continuing to make our mission more than words:

Local Care. Lasting Impact.

Kristina Leyden