Valley Hospice has been named a bronze Employer of Choice by LeadingAge Ohio for 2017-18.

The award recognizes providers of aging services who demonstrate leadership in employee development and engagement and meet stringent workforce development

criteria.

“We’re very proud to be recognized for our employee culture and commitment to excellence,” said Cynthia Bougher, Valley Hospice CEO. “We believe that respecting our staff and ensuring their success is the best way to create a positive experience for our patients.”

This is the inaugural year for the Employer of Choice program, which awards gold, silver and bronze designations. Three organizations received the gold designation, while 30 received bronze.

LeadingAge Ohio is a nonprofit trade association that represents approximately 500 long-term care organizations and hospices, as well as those providing ancillary health care and housing services, in more than 150 Ohio towns and cities.

The continuum of care reflected by the member organizations serve an estimated 400,000 elderly Ohioans annually and employ more than 35,000 persons statewide.

Valley Hospice has been providing specialized end-of-life care in homes, nursing facilities and hospitals for more than 30 years.

In addition to being the oldest, most experienced hospice in the area, Valley Hospice offer services that set it apart from other hospices: “A Hero’s Salute,” a veterans’ program designed to provide specialized end-of-life care and support to Valley Hospice patients who have served in the military; “A Plan for Living,” a program that helps anyone in the community create their advance directives; “Whispered Wishes,” granting end-of-life wishes to Valley Hospice patients; “Meaningful Moments,” a program developed to provide meaning and comfort for individuals and families dealing with dementia; and “Bobby’s Books,” using books to help build a child’s coping skills.

It also offers the area’s only state-of-the-art inpatient hospice care centers: Valley Hospice Liza’s Place Care Center South in Wheeling and Valley Hospice Mary Jane Brooks Care Center North in Steubenville.

“As your community hospice, we are committed to continuing to be innovative as we strive to provide the best possible care,” Bougher said. “Every patient is the ‘most important patient’ and nothing is more important than helping each individual patient and family.”