By Justin Suder
The Parsons Advocate
At the beginning of this year, Mountain Hospice moved the Tucker County office from Thomas to Parsons. The opportunity arose to purchase a building in Tucker County where Mountain Hospice could call home.
According to the Director of Marketing and Public Education, Michael “Mike” Elza, there are many patients taken care of in Tucker County. Rather than nurses traveling from other counties into Tucker, Mountain Hospice understands the importance of having a quick response to patient needs. It became obvious that a local office would better serve the community. This office also gives employees an area to document and communicate with patients. The office is open for you to stop in with questions about hospice services.
The main office is located at Belington in Barbour County. There is one organization that falls under the name Mountain Hospice but covers a total of seven counties. They are Barbour, Randolph, Pendleton, Grant, Mineral, Pocahontas and Tucker County. There are nurses, home health aides, chaplains, social workers, volunteers and a medical director in all seven counties.
In 1991 Mountain Hospice began in Barbour County with only a few employees. Barbara Smith and husband Don are the founders of the organization and are still both very active. Barbara is a member of the board, a volunteer, and according to Elza, “a lady we couldn’t do without. You can always count on her to be there.” Today there are approximately seventy employees. This past March was the 25th anniversary of Mountain Hospice providing care for patients.
“We take care of patients in their home,” Elza explained. “Most patients want to be in their home.” Patients can call anywhere home including nursing homes, assisted living facilities and personal care homes. No one – Absolutely no one is ever turned away. Private insurances, Medicare and Medicaid are the common paying source.
According to Elza, Mountain Hospice covers medications pertaining to the hospice diagnosis, durable medical equipment, just to name a few.
Elza explained how patients can use their own physician to oversee the hospice plan of care. “Patients come first. When a critical need occurs, it is amazing how our RNs, LPNs and others go that extra mile to step in and do what is needed for the family. They know what the caregiver and family members are going through and are ready to jump in and help.”
Much has changed since the business began, automation has allowed employees to have quick access to patient information which has also improved our bed side care.
“When we take care of patients, we always treat them like family because they become family,” stated Elza. He explained the importance of having nurses from the area. Elza stated that they want to have nurses in the patient’s home quickly instead of them having to drive a long distance. “When there’s an emergency and families are in need, our team is only minutes away.”
Different from other hospice organizations, Mountain Hospice focuses on their communities. “We work, live and serve the communities where our patients live,” stated Elza.
Donald Trimble RN is the CEO in charge of Mountain Hospice Operations in all counties. Trimble often travels to offices in all the counties we serve. Elza stated that Trimble assists and does much above and beyond what many CEOs would do, his hands on approach has gained him respect from our employees, families, and the communities we serve.
Mountain Hospice’s purpose according to Elza is “During a life limiting illness, we want to assist the patient and family in living each day to the fullest. We want the patient to be in control. We focus on physical and emotional pain and offer support such as: Chaplains, social workers, home health aides – there are many who assist with the needs of the patient.” Elza explained there is a bereavement department that continues support with family and caregivers of a patient for 13 months after the loss of a loved one. That department also provides Camp Good Grief for any child who has experienced a loss.
Elza added “Mountain Hospice is a wonderful organization to work for, it is not about death and dying, it is about living life to the fullest.”
The Mountain Hospice in Parsons is located at 229 Walnut St. The office hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can contact the Parsons’ office at 304.478.4777.
