LIVING YOUR best DAY

For 35 years Hospice of the Red River Valley (HRRV) has brought expert medical care, spiritual support and decision-making guidance to families and individuals in our community who are walking through some of the most difficult journeys of life. While many find this journey daunting or overwhelming, for the team at HRRV, this is a tremendous honor. Executive Director Tracee Capron, RN, explains, “This work is a privilege for us; it’s a sacred time for people.”

When a family chooses hospice, they benefit from an expert team of professionals who go to wherever the patient calls home—be it their house or apartment, or a long-term care facility, nursing home, homeless shelter, campground or hotel. Attending to the patient and family’s full breadth of needs, HRRV’s aim is to help each patient live well. Each patient receives care from certified medical professionals, including a physician, nurse practitioner, registered nurse, hospice aide, social worker and chaplain. Additionally, volunteers visit homes to provide companionship, or offer services such as hairstyling or housework, as well as a time for the family/caretaker to take a break.

Even after decades of service and a renowned reputation for compassionate care, the agency still faces a long-standing challenge: While hospice is designed for individuals who have lifelimiting illnesses, many families wait until the last week of life to make the phone call. However, because of the tremendous care they receive during that time, most families comment, “We wish we would have called sooner.” Dr. Tricia Langlois, medical director at HRRV, is certified in hospice and palliative medicine and is one of the few fellowship-trained geriatric specialists in the state. Overseeing all of the patient care for the approximately 300 patients they serve each day, Langlois observes, “People aren’t actually scared of death itself; they are afraid of the process.”

So now in their 35th year, HRRV has launched a new program with a goal to come alongside patients sooner in their journey. Red River Valley Palliative Care—a program of HRRV—has expanded the organization’s continuum of care. “The palliative care program enables patients to live better by aggressively managing the symptoms of their illness while the patient continues to pursue curative treatments,” explains Capron. “When a patient elects Red River Valley Palliative Care, which is also provided in their place