Mountain Valley Hospice & Palliative Care (MVHPC) announced a new underwriting opportunity for 2021. Ed and Susan Grover, principals of The Grover Family Fund, elected to sponsor MVHPC’s newly created Palliative Care program to manage symptoms and pain for the chronically ill in the comfort of their community home.
“We are happy that Kara informed us of this program and we are able to support this Palliative Care need in our community.” said Ed and Susan.
Launched in July of 2021, MVHPC’s Palliative Care service assists patients in navigating the complexities of chronic illness by collaborating with their community healthcare providers to deliver emotional support, as well as symptom and pain management. Unlike the strict parameters of the Hospice benefit, Palliative Care does not require a six-month-or-less prognosis, nor does it prohibit ongoing curative care.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer patients expanded services in their home without having to make the difficult choice of discontinuing aggressive treatment or experimental drug regimens. However, this pioneering work comes with a tall price tag, for which we are eternally grateful to the Grovers for their financial support,” said MVHPC President/CEO Kara Travis.
“MVHPC has been discussing this critical component of the care continuum for more than a decade. We felt strongly that we could no longer wait for the perfect business model or reimbursement stream. Patients need us now. Physician practice partners need the collaboration and support. Emergency rooms need decanting, and Hospitals need their beds for those recovering from planned or unplanned medical procedures,” Travis added.
“We feel confident that the MVHPC team is well designed to carry out this long overdue support for the seriously ill population, alleviating worry and removing uncertainty with 24/7 access to an experienced nurse,” said Susan Grover. “It’s what Ed and I would want for ourselves or our family members should the time come that we need it. We live among a rapidly aging population that often faces geographic and economic barriers to healthcare.”
The Grovers split their time between Mayfield, NY and Bradenton, FL.
MVHPC is a community-based, not-for-profit agency founded in 1988 with a mission of enhancing the lives of those served by honoring what matters most. Providing end-of-life care in homes, hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities across Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery and Saratoga Counties, MVHPC also offers the unique eight-bed, Adirondack-style Nancy Dowd Hospice Home for 24/7 personalized care located in Gloversville. In July 2021, MVHPC expanded services to include home-based pain & symptom management for the chronically ill to reduce Emergency Room visits & prevent Hospital readmissions.