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ELKINS -- The Randolph County Commission learned about hospice and palliative care during their regular meeting last week.
A representative from West Virginia Caring spoke to the commissioners during their meeting Thursday at the Wees Courthouse Annex.
Since 1992, the month of November has been designated National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. It is celebrated annually to help raise awareness about hospice and palliative care and to celebrate those who provide care to patients and their families.
Nancy Dotson, Volunteers Service coordinator for WV Caring, spoke to Commissioners Cris Siler, David Kesling, and Chris See during the meeting.
"Hospice and Palliative Care are holistic patient and family centers provided by a team approach to treat the body, mind and spirit," said Dotson. "At the heart of all of this is meeting patients and families where they are living with serious life-limiting illnesses.
"For more that 41 years hospice and community-based palliative care providers have helped provide comfort and dignity to millions of people."
Since its inception, WV Caring, formerly known as Hospice Care Corporation, has served those in Barbour, Braxton, Calhoun, Gilmer, Marion, Monongahela, Pocahontas, Preston, Taylor, Wetzel, Tucker and Randolph counties.
National Hospice and Palliative Care Month is a time to encourage citizens to increase their understanding and awareness of care at the end of life, and to discuss end of life wishes with family members, and observe the month with appropriate activities and education.
"Hospices take care of people with life-limiting illnesses and it's our goal to take care of people earlier rather than later," Dotson said. "A lot of times you get a call that someone is coming from the hospital and you only take care of them for 24 or 48 hours.
"We want to educate and let people know that we are here for a whole lot longer than that. We want to be able to keep them out of the hospital and keep them home so they can live the best life they can live for the time that they have."
Hospice is a type of care that focuses on providing comfort and support to patients who are facing a terminal illness. Palliative care, meanwhile, is a type of care that focuses on relieving the symptoms of a serious illness, regardless of whether the illness is curable.
The Commission voted unanimously to sign a proclamation designating November as Hospice and Palliative Care Month in Randolph County.
The next Randolph County Commission meeting will be held Dec. 5 at the Wees Courthouse Annex beginning at 1:30 p.m.