THE HISTORY OF HOPE HOSPICE
Co-Founders: Rev. Ronald Purkey and Sarah Purkey, RN
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 dying patient. Over twenty years have passed since Sarah and her husband,
Rev. Ronald Purkey, envisioned starting an organization that would provide
hospice care to terminally ill patients and their families in Fulton County,
Indiana -- a small, rural county.
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 Hope Hospice,
Inc. was born.
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 Fulton County was based on surveys that were
taken from local physicians, the Board of Health and Woodlawn Hospital. The
data revealed that up to 10 patients a day could be served by local hospice
care. In addition, out of the 26 physicians surveyed, 13 agreed to utilize
hospice care when appropriate for their patients.
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 donated, one-room office in town. Using donated office
equipment and an all-volunteer staff, Hope Hospice began its quest to meet
those special needs of dying patients and their families.
The agency has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Today, Hope
Hospice has their own office, maintains nine paid staff positions and has a
pool of over 30 trained volunteers. Hope Hospice is grateful to their
volunteers, as they are the backbone of the organization. In addition to lay
volunteers, a local physician, Dr. Michael J. Brubaker, DO, donates his time to
serve as Medical Director for the agency.
Hope Hospice serves the residents of Fulton County and the patients
outside of Fulton County. 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 overall goal 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, their 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 their
neighbors in Fulton County and nearby cities.
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E-mail:
hospice@rtcol.com