MOMENTS OF Compassion IV
Choosing Hospice Early Brought Patient and Family Peace
Over the course of a year, Cammie Grant watched her father, Marshall’s, health steadily decline. Although he lived in an assisted living facility and she or someone in her family visited him daily, she realized he needed more care and support than they could provide. That’s when she turned to Bluegrass Care Navigators.
For five months, Team BCN walked alongside her family prioritizing expert medical care, comfort, dignity and connection.
“Team BCN was always there when I needed them, whether it was to answer questions or offer advice,” Cammie said.
The extra support BCN provided allowed Cammie to shift from caregiver to daughter and give her father consistent, high-quality medical attention.
“Hospice made everything better for all of us, and the support we received increased as my father’s care needs changed,” she said.
Since Marshall was a veteran of both WWII and the Korean War, BCN connected him with veteran volunteer, Clark Kidwell. Clark and Marshall visited regularly for several months, sharing stories and life experiences before Clark performed a Veteran Pinning Ceremony to honor Marshall’s service.
As Marshall neared the end of his life, he expressed his wish to go home. Because hospice was already in place, BCN was able to act quickly and make it happen. Although every situation is different, Marshall was able to spend his final 30 hours surrounded by family in the comfort of his home.
“It was clear that the BCN team wasn’t just doing their job,” Cammie said. “They were genuinely invested in my father’s comfort and our well-being. With their help, I could give my father what he needed at the end of his life so that I could feel at peace letting him go.”
Listen to Cammie share her story in her own words by scanning the QR code.
11th Hour Volunteer Provides Comfort to
Patients and Families
Jenny Brown, a dedicated 11th-hour volunteer at Bluegrass Care Navigators in our Northern Kentucky region, has spent 13 years volunteering with BCN in a variety of ways, but her favorite is 11th hour.
In this role, Jenny offers comforting companionship to patients in their final moments, providing additional support to the patient and family.
One of Jenny’s most profound experiences was during an early morning 11th-hour visit with a couple who had been together for 58 years. While the patient’s partner rested in the other room, Jenny sat quietly by the patient’s bedside, offering prayers and a gentle, comforting touch. As the first light of dawn broke, the partner returned, and Jenny softly encouraged him to speak to his loved one. With tender affection, he stroked his partner’s face and whispered, “I love you.” In those sacred moments, Jenny not only brought comfort to the dying man but also connected deeply with his partner, listening to stories of their beautiful life together.
“Life and death are hard,” she said. “Whatever impact I can make on a family or individual to ease their journey during their lifetime, I want to do it.”
For Jenny, these moments are a blessing, a way to use her own journey for good, and a testament to the power of love and companionship at the end of life.
Bluegrass Care Navigators is committed to providing expert care with compassion. Our team of clinicians and volunteers work together to ensure that each person receives the care they would want for their own family members. Your generosity enables us to continue to serve friends and neighbors in our communities and ensure that no one passes alone.
Listen to Jenny share why she chose to volunteer by scanning the QR code.
Finding Care and Community at Bluegrass PACE Care
When Rodney Arnold first heard about Bluegrass PACE Care, he wasn’t convinced it was the right fit for him. But his daughter saw something he didn’t, a chance for her father to regain connection, care and purpose.
“She made me an appointment, and I came here,” Rodney said. “At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go. But later, I realized I needed that social part.”
Now a PACE participant, Rodney’s life has changed in ways he never expected. The Bluegrass PACE team provides primary care, access to specialists and everything he needs to live safely at home and stay active in the community.
“They’ll pick you up, feed you, and make sure you have the medicine you need,” Rodney shared. “They evaluate your situation and accommodate you based on your needs.”
More than anything, Rodney found something he didn’t know he was missing, a community.
“It’s a better alternative,” he said. “You’re surrounded by people who have the same kind of wants and needs, and we actually have fun here.”
Rodney’s story is a powerful reminder of what your generosity makes possible. Your support gives older adults like Rodney the chance to thrive, physically, emotionally and socially. You’re not just giving to a program. You’re restoring independence, dignity, and joy.
Listen to Rodney share his story in his own words by scanning the QR code.
Bluegrass Grief Care Helps Child Find a Brighter Outlook
Alice, a young bereavement client, experienced profound loss at a very early age. Alice herself had been diagnosed with leukemia at just 2 ½ years old and underwent more than two years of treatment before her cancer went into remission. Then, at the age of 10, Alice’s mother passed away under the compassionate care of Bluegrass Hospice Care.
In the aftermath of her mother’s death, Alice’s father sought grief counseling for both him and Alice. During Alice’s first session, she was tearful and withdrawn, struggling to cope with the overwhelming emotions. By the second session, there was a glimmer of change.
Alice continued to progress each session. She began sharing her feelings more openly, reflecting on cherished stories with her mom, and learning to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Through relaxation and breathing exercises, journaling, art, and memory-making activities, Alice found new ways to navigate her grief. She created a memory bracelet and a memory box, filled with items that remind her of her mom.
After six months of dedicated grief counseling with BCN, Alice transformed remarkably. She evolved from a withdrawn, quiet child to one who eagerly attended her sessions, filled with smiles, laughter, and a willingness to share both past and present memories. Talking about her mom became easier, and Alice’s resilience and strength shone through.
Bluegrass Grief Care guided Alice through this season and helped her emerge with a lighter heart and a brighter outlook on life.
A Second Chance: How Medical Respite Changed One Couple’s Story
In January 2025, Janice and Herb, partners of 20 years, were out of options. Both faced serious medical challenges, and their temporary hotel stay, funded by a homeless service provider, had come to an end. With nowhere else to go due to their health conditions, they were referred to Bluegrass Care Navigators’ Winter Weather Medical Respite program.
Team BCN quickly stepped in to provide a safe, warm place to stay and delivered groceries the same day. The couple had recently lost their car and savings after being exploited by a relative and now faced food insecurity and isolation.
A social worker helped connect them to housing case management and secured transportation, as well as helped them get appointments to obtain the needed documents, such as birth certificates and proof of income, for permanent housing.
Less than three weeks later, the couple moved into their new apartment, just in time to welcome home their dog, who had been fostered by a local rescue.
BCN continued to support the couple by enrolling them in Bluegrass PACE Care for ongoing medical and social services so they can continue to live safely together in their new home. Their story reflects the heart of our mission as we work together to ensure the most vulnerable are not forgotten, but supported with dignity and compassion.
This life-changing program exists only because of generous community support and grants. Your gift helps us provide urgent care, safe shelter, and hope to our most vulnerable neighbors—and ensures we can grow to meet the rising need.
Scan the QR code to hear Director of Specialty Programs, Jamie Cody, share the life-changing difference the Medical Respite Program makes.
This summer 26 children, ranging from 6-17 years old, gathered at Camp Hope in central and southeast Kentucky. Because of Your Support, Kids at Camp Hope Know They’re Not Alone
Bereavement counselors, social workers, volunteers and integrative medicine specialists provide an opportunity for participants to express their grief and develop effective coping strategies in a fun, safe and supportive environment. At the end of the day, campers report a sense of lasting community and inner healing.
“Camp normalizes that I am not the only person to experience this,” Susan Houston (LCSW), bereavement counselor, said. “The ages are congruent, so they’re all on the same level in reacting and understanding their loss, and they know they’re not alone. You can see from the hesitancy in the morning, and it’s just this beautiful transformation by the end of the day.
Children and their caregivers engage in a variety of physical, mental and social activities to process their loss and find a way of expression that is a good fit for them. Campers start the day together with family activities before being divided into peer groups. Each age-appropriate activity is tied to a grief support objective, such as sharing their personal grief story, learning healthy coping strategies, developing communication skills to share feelings, and understanding the importance of remembering loved ones.
“I learned that it is okay to grieve over a loss and it’s okay to feel a lot of emotions because that’s normal,” one camper said. “If we lose someone that is close to us, or they cared about us and we cared about them, it impacts our lives a lot.”
Our Grief Care Team is here to support our patients, their families and the larger community. Whether we’re providing one-on-one counseling or a support group, our services are always available thanks to the generosity of donors.
Transforming Lives with Compassion: Your Gift Provides Hope Beyond Medicine
Throughout his career, Scotty Caudill, LCSW at the Greg and Noreen Wells Bluegrass Hospice Care Center, has cared for patients with many kinds of needs, some physical and some deeply emotional. Recently, he and his co-workers supported a female patient who had suffered a lifetime of trauma and substance abuse.
Through consistent love, respect and empathy, our team provided more than medical care; they offered healing for her heart and soul. Team members made her feel valued as they listened to her physical and emotional needs.
They helped her sit outside in the sun, fixed her hair and helped her find a safe place to stay. This patient told Scotty that thanks to our team her final days became the best days of her life.
“Just treating her like a human being was probably more than anybody had ever done for her before,” Scotty said. “It’s rewarding to be part of someone’s life in these critical moments, listen to their goals and help make their last days, months and moments a little better.”
Your donation helps make this kind of compassionate, comprehensive care possible. It empowers our social workers, nurses, chaplains and aides to meet patients where they are and to provide comfort when it matters most. Together, we can bring hope and dignity to those whose pain goes far beyond the physical.
During his visits with Integrative Medicine music therapist Emma Powers, every conversation unfolded like the next stanza in a life well-lived.
“I thought that his story needed to be written down, and I heard a song in the making,” Emma said.
Together, Emma and Don began to write lyrics, capturing Don’s voice, his journey, and the music that had always been a part of his life. The result was a deeply personal song that reflected the legacy Don wanted to leave behind.
During her final visit, Emma sang the completed song to Don.
“It was something he was proud of, just like I was” she said.
After Don passed, his wife Roberta played Don’s Song at his funeral, allowing friends and family to celebrate his life in a way that felt authentically him.
“I just can’t thank you all enough,” Roberta said. “I’ve always said you all are angels, and I’m happy that Don was able to spend his last days focusing on music because it made him so happy.”
Because of your generosity, Don’s story didn’t end. Instead, it became a song that continues to bring peace, joy and healing to those who loved him most.
“Thank you to anyone who has donated to the Integrative Medicine program,” Emma said. “It truly makes a difference for patients and families.”
Listen to Roberta share her story in her own words by scanning the QR code.
Giving the Gift of Peace in Life’s Final Chapter
When Princess Nelson’s husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, their world turned upside down. After trying chemotherapy for several months, he made the difficult decision to stop treatment. That’s when his oncologist recommended hospice care.
Like many, Princess didn’t fully understand what hospice could offer.
“I thought hospice came when someone was near death,” she said. “I didn’t know the wonders of hospice before this experience.”
What they discovered was a level of care, compassion and support that far exceeded their expectations and provided months of care.
“They were there in a medical way, in a spiritual way, and in a supportive way,” Princess shared.
The hospice team managed her husband’s medications, so she no longer had to worry about filling prescriptions. Nurses visited regularly and were always available when needed. Aides came to bathe her husband, giving Princess a rare but cherished moment to herself.
“The approach was compassionate, gentle, and understanding,” she said. “And without saying it with words, I felt like hospice was showing me: ‘If you need me, we’re here for you.’”
Thanks to donor support, families like the Nelsons don’t have to face serious illness alone. Your generosity ensures that expert, comforting care is available at the most vulnerable time in life.
Listen to Princess share her story in her own words by scanning the QR code.
