WHEREAS, for more than 40 years, hospice has helped provide comfort and dignity to millions of people, allowing them to spend their final months at home, surrounded by their loved ones;

WHEREAS, the hospice model involves an interdisciplinary, team-oriented approach to treatment, including expert medical care, quality symptom control, and comprehensive pain management as a foundation of care;

WHEREAS, beyond providing physical treatment, hospice attends to the patient’s emotional, spiritual, and family needs, and provides family services such as respite care and bereavement counseling;

WHEREAS, since its conception, the hospice benefit’s holistic approach has helped patients prepare for and face death, and their loved ones carry on supported in the wake of it; WHEREAS, 1.72 million Medicare beneficiaries living with life-limiting illness and their families received care from the nation’s hospice programs in communities throughout the United States in 2020; WHEREAS, hospice and palliative care organizations are advocates and educators regarding advance care planning that help individuals make decisions about the care they want; WHEREAS, the central philosophy of hospice care puts patients first, ensuring a coordinated and person-centered approach to care, protecting patient choice and access to individualized services based on a patient’s unique care needs and wishes.

WHEREAS, since 1985, Meadowlark Hospice continues to meet patients where they are in Clay, Cloud, Marshall, Republic, Western Riley, and Washington Counties;

WHEREAS, Meadowlark Hospice is ranked 2nd for quality of all not-for-profit hospice organizations in the state of Kansas by the National Hospice Locator;

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Chairman David Thurlow, by the authority vested in me by Clay County, do hereby proclaim November 2023 as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and encourage citizens to increase their understanding and awareness of care at the end of life, discuss their end of life wishes with their families, and observe this month with appropriate activities and programs.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 30 day of October 2023 and caused this seal to be affixed.