With a heartfelt belief that they are truly neighbors helping neighbors, Mountain Valley, a Hospice and palliative care organization, has blessed families with unwavering support for more than 40 years.

Kristie Szarpa, SVP, Practice Management, sees Mountain Valley as a blend of clinical excellence and deeply personalized service – serving a wide range of family scenarios in 18 counties across North Carolina and Virginia.

“Our team members are very emotionally invested and rooted in these communities,” she explains. “Serious illness, death and dying is a space in life that’s unique, and it’s important that we ‘live’ inside that space with our patients. It’s an honor and a tenderness that doesn’t exist in other medical care.”

Kristie also shares having two in-patient homes is a real advantage.

The Joan & Howard Woltz Hospice Home, located in Dobson, NC, features a lovely view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, set amid peaceful farmland. It has served residents of Surry County and surrounding areas since 2009. This 22,000-square-foot residence features 20 patient suites with outdoor patios.

Also situated in the most peaceful surroundings, The SECU Hospice Care Center in Yadkinville opened in August of 2017, with a 10,000-square-foot facility featuring six patient suites with outdoor patios.

Chief Clinical Operations Officer Jenna Campbell knows that, for those who work in the field, Hospice care is really a personal calling.

“I discovered the process when my grandfather needed Hospice care,” she shares. “As clinicians, we have the opportunity to guide individuals and explore all options with them. Education is so important because many families don’t realize the number of options they do have. We are ‘on’ 24/7, and I believe that level of provider support is what sets us apart.”

Mountain Valley focuses on a Holistic Care Plan, addressing both a patient’s physical and emotional needs with a strong in-home support system that consists of physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, chaplains, counselors and volunteers. Hospice care can take on many forms, and the definition of “home” can vary – from a patient’s actual residence to a nursing facility or even a hotel. 

As Kristie points out, “Home is where we meet them.”

While Hospice care is geared towards comfort for patients with a life expectancy of six months or less, those in palliative care may still be receiving treatment but likely have a prognosis of 24 months or less. In addition to cancer, Mountain Valley’s Serious Illness Specialists can also cover patients with heart or lung disease, dementia, neuro-muscular diseases like Parkinson’s or ALS, and kidney failure.

Each patient who is referred to Mountain Valley is carefully screened to ensure appropriate support can be offered. If their services are not a fit, the staff does its best to make recommendations for alternate support that may be available. Some instances that might qualify for serious illness specialists are patients experiencing uncontrolled symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, constipation, anxiety or agitation, those experiencing frequent emergency department visits or hospital admissions for serious illnesses and wish to minimize trips to the ER, or patients with advanced illnesses who could qualify for Hospice, but who aren’t psychologically ready for that level of service.

The scope of services offered by Mountain Valley allows patients to spend more quality time with those they love, enjoying the things that are most important to them. With the ultimate goal of caring for the entire family – not simply a set of medical symptoms – they also offer Love’s PEAK, a specialized program that provides empathy and assurance for kids up to age 21.

Anyone can make a referral to Mountain Valley, whether it’s a self referral or making one for a loved one or friend. For more information on the services and support provided by Mountain Valley or for volunteer opportunities, visit mtnvalleyhospice.org or call 888.789.2922. The Woltz Hospice Home is located at 945 Zephyr Road, Dobson, NC 27017. To schedule a guided tour of the facility, call 336.356.5000. The SECU Hospice Care Center is located at 243 North Lee Avenue, Yadkinville, NC 27055. To schedule a guided tour, call 336.677.1692.