Co-Founders: Rev. Ronald Purkey and Sarah Purkey, RN
THE HISTORY OF HOPE
HOSPICE
After spending over 30
years as a nurse, registered nurse Sarah Purkey decided that a cold, sterile hospital
room was not the best that could be done for a seriously ill patient with a
life limiting disease.
Over twenty-five years have
passed since Sarah and her husband, Rev. Ronald Purkey, envisioned starting an
organization that would provide hospice care to patients with life limiting conditions and
their families in
Based on the premise that
any patient who wishes should be in the comfort of their own home, surrounded
by family and friends, the seed of
That vision took the
Purkeys on a long journey that ended with Hope Hospice, Inc., becoming a
reality on
The need for a Hospice in
Initially, the Purkeys used
their own money to start-up the organization. The first office was out of the
Purkey's home. A few months later the organization moved to a one-room office
in town donated by the late Jim Zimmerman. Using donated office equipment and
an all-volunteer staff, Hope Hospice began its quest to meet those special
needs of seriously ill patients and their families. The agency has come a long
way from its humble beginnings.
Today, Hope Hospice has
their own office at 1476 West 18th Street
in Rochester, maintains 20 paid staff
positions and has a pool of trained volunteers. In addition to lay volunteers,
a Rochester physician, Dr. Michael J. Brubaker, DO, donates his time to serve
as Medical Director for the agency. He has been the Hope Hospice volunteer
Medical Director for fifteen years. Also, Hope Hospice has added an inpatient
component.
Hope Hospice serves the
residents of Fulton County and patients in nearby counties. A Hope Hospice
“on call” staff nurse is always available to patients 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. In addition, services are provided at no cost to the
patients or their families. As a not-for-profit, public benefit organization,
Hope Hospice has never sent a bill to a patient or to a patient’s family.
Hope Hospice funds come from Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, grants, and
donations.
The Mission of Hope Hospice is threefold:
·
To address the physical, social, emotional and
spiritual needs of those who are dying, recognizing that individual's situations
and wishes for the last part of their life will vary.
·
To support those who care for the dying during their
loved one's final illness and during their time of bereavement.
·
To inform and educate the community about death and dying
and about the benefits of Hospice care.
In all that Hope Hospice
does, the goal is to act with understanding and compassion, helping people live
to the last moment of their lives, peacefully and in comfort with meaning and
dignity. As the population ages the need for services such as quality Hospice
and Palliative Care Services will be on the increase. Hope Hospice plans to be
here to provide those services to our neighbors in
H O P
E H O S P I C E
Telephone:
(574) 224-HOPE or Fax: (574) 224-4444
E-Mail: hospice@hopehospicefc.com