FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/13/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.   During this season of giving, the Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association reminds people that advance healthcare planning (ACP) conversations are important for all adults at all stages of life and health.  “When people share their thoughts and wishes about end-of-life healthcare with their loved ones, they give their loved ones the gift of peace of mind,” stresses Elaine Peck, PCHPCA Director. 

Peck added, “At the end of life, difficult decisions about healthcare treatment must be made by loved ones if the seriously ill person is unable to make their own decisions.  Having a sense of what your loved one would have wanted is such a wonderful gift to have at this very sad and stressful time.” 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/09/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.   On November 11 our nation marks Veterans Day and thanks veterans for their service.  Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) takes this opportunity to share some of the many resources that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides to seriously ill veterans.  “At the PCHPCA, we hear many stories of satisfied veterans receiving high quality diagnostic and other care from the VA,” said Elaine Peck, PCHPCA Director.  “Unfortunately, we do not have a VA clinic in Putnam County, but there are clinics in Terre Haute, Martinsville, and Brownsburg, where veterans can receive healthcare and information about the benefits for which they may be eligible.” 

Several VA benefits are identified below:

• For veterans who served during a foreign war and meet the income/assets guidelines, the “VA Aid and Attendance Benefit” provides monthly financial support to cover the cost of non-medical care of the veteran such as bathing, eating, and grooming. This monthly income is also available to the spouses of these veterans.
• Medications, artificial limbs, physical therapy, and mobility assistance such as wheelchairs may be available at no cost to the veteran.
• The VA Hospice Benefit does not require a six-month prognosis, and does not require patients to end curative treatment to enroll in hospice. The VA will cover both types of care concurrently, and provides this service both within its own facilities and also in the veteran’s home through collaborations with private community-based hospice and healthcare providers.
• The Indiana Veterans Home is located in West Lafayette and provides several levels of residential care for veterans. They accept Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and private pay. Veterans with a 70% or greater service-connected disability are eligible to receive free nursing care at the Indiana Veterans Home.   

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/09/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.  During National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, the Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) wishes to share the message that “Anyone May Request a Hospice Evaluation.”  Tammy Hunter, President of the PCHPCA noted that the most frequent comment from families on post hospice-care evaluations, is that they wished they would have accessed hospice care benefits earlier.  “We encourage people to become informed about the benefits of palliative and hospice care as early as possible after being diagnosed with a serious illness.” 

Ask yourself these questions: 

• Is your loved one having repeated medical crises, resulting in trips to the emergency room and hospitalizations?
• Are your loved one’s pain and/or other difficult symptoms becoming harder to manage? 
• Are your loved one’s bad days beginning to outnumber the good days?

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/08/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.  During National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, the Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) is pleased to announce the release of a new resource for seriously ill patients, their families, their caregivers, and their healthcare providers.  “We are very excited to be able to offer this new patient packet,” said Elaine Peck, Director of the PCHPCA.  “We provided folders to Family Medicine of Cloverdale last week, and we are offering them for free to the public and to all Putnam County healthcare providers.” 

The new resource folder offers a wealth of information including:

• Home healthcare providers serving Putnam County.
• Home-based personal care providers serving Putnam County.
• Palliative and hospice providers serving Putnam County.
• Wheelchair and stretcher transportation providers serving Putnam County.
• Helpful information about hospice and palliative care.
• Fact-sheets about life-prolonging treatments.

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All of us will die, and we either die very quickly or very slowly.  Quick deaths - through accident or an acute medical incident – can bring shock and trauma to the loved ones who survive.  Slow deaths - from aging or a terminal illness – can bring different challenges and great uncertainty for both the dying person and his/her loved ones and caregivers.  Below a PCHPCA Board Member shares a personal story in hopes that it may help others. 

“105 years old!  Wow, she doesn’t look that old at all.  What amazing care you are giving her.  She is so lucky to have you looking after her!  You are quite something.”

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The Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association hears many end-of-life stories.  These stories are always hard, but sometimes they are also stories of peace, comfort, and enduring love.  We work toward the vision that everyone’s end-of-life story can have its own kind of beauty and be a source of inspiration and connectedness.  A board member shares her family’s story below, in hopes that it might help others. 

When I was asked to share my story about the experience our family has had with cancer care, I did not realize how hard it would be to describe.  Considering I have been in hospice and palliative care for over 13 years, I am sure I hold many strong beliefs about how we best care for those with life-limiting illnesses.  Our family’s experiences this year reveal that it is more important than ever to educate and advocate about hospice and palliative care, as well as healthcare choices and planning, and it is my hope that our story will help others.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 06/28/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.
Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) is pleased to offer free information and forms to all Putnam County adults wishing to choose a legal healthcare representative and complete other advance healthcare directives.  The “My Advance Directives” folder is a deep blue color and full of important information, such as how to choose a healthcare representative, how to be a healthcare representative, and fact sheets about life sustaining treatments.

PCHPCA continues to provide free red Vital Medical Information files for persons who have a serious illness diagnosis or are aged 60 and older.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 06/11/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.
The Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) is delighted to announce that it was awarded financial support from the Putnam County Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to expand its free Vital Medical Information File program to Putnam County’s most vulnerable populations.  “We hope to hear soon when we will receive the grant so we can get started,” said Tammy Hunter, PCHPCA President.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04/25/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.
Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA), along with other national, state, and community organizations, is leading the effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making—an effort that resulted in April 16 being designated as National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD).  As a participating organization, PCHCPA provides information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with loved ones and healthcare providers, and execute written advance directives (healthcare representative and living will) in accordance with Indiana state laws.

Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA), announces a free advance healthcare planning (ACP) Lunch and Learn Series of workshops, that will take place on the second Wednesday of each month from Noon to 1 PM via Zoom.  PCHPCA Director, Elaine Peck, said she hopes attendees will enjoy the opportunity to have their questions about advance healthcare planning answered while enjoying the comfort and convenience of their home or office. 

The first ACP Lunch and Learn session is scheduled for Wednesday, May 11 from noon to 1PM.  Register by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to receive a Zoom invitation and instructions.  Call (765) 301-7614 for additional information. 

The Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) seeks to enhance the quality of life for the terminally ill, their loved ones, and caregivers, by educating the Putnam County community about the benefits of hospice, palliative care, and advance care planning.   PCHPCA is a nonprofit, public charity, and operates with the help of donations, financial support from the Putnam County Community Foundation, and fiscal sponsorship by the Putnam County Hospital. For more information contact Elaine Peck, Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.pchpca.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04/05/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.
A healthcare representative is a person chosen to make healthcare decisions, including end-of-life decisions, for someone should that person become unable to make his or her own decisions.  This is a very important role.  The person who has chosen you trusts you to make the decisions that he or she would make if able. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04/05/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.
A healthcare representative is the person you choose to make healthcare decisions for you if you should become unable to speak or make decisions for yourself.  You may legally identify your healthcare representative in an advance directive.  If you do not do so, and become unable to make your own healthcare decisions, Indiana law decides who can do this for you according to a priority list.  In this situation, your physician will try to contact a representative for you using the priority list. Your health care choices will be made by the person your physician is able to contact.  

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04/05/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.
In 2021, Indiana legislators passed a new law simplifying Indiana’s legal advance healthcare directives.  Advance healthcare directives state a person’s appointment of one or more healthcare representatives and also a person’s medical treatment preferences for future care in various situations.  They are completed in “advance,” while a person is mentally competent, and may be changed at any time by the person, either verbally or in writing.  Advance directives do not become active or enforceable unless a doctor determines that the person is unable to communicate his or her own decisions.  Adults of all ages and health conditions should complete and share their advance directives with loved ones and healthcare providers.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04/05/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.
Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA), along with other national, state, and community organizations, is leading the effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making—an effort that resulted in April 16 being designated as National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD).  As a participating organization, PCHCPA provides information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with loved ones and healthcare providers, and execute written advance directives (healthcare representative and living will) in accordance with Indiana state laws.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 02/25/2022
Greencastle, Indiana.

The Board of Directors of the Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) announces its annual report to the community.  PCHPCA seeks to enhance the quality of life for the terminally ill, their loved ones, and caregivers, by educating the Putnam County community about the benefits of hospice, palliative care, and advance care planning.  

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Greencastle, Indiana. Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) announced its 2022 board of directors. The all-volunteer Board of Directors has members representing healthcare providers, retirement communities, funeral homes, faith communities, communications, hospice providers, caregivers, emergency responders, and others committed to the PCHPCA mission.

2022 officers are: Tammy Hunter, President; Charity Pankratz, Vice President; Judi Purvis, Treasurer; Christina Wagner, Secretary.  Board Members are:  Amber Alexander, Jenny Charles, Marilyn Culler, Angie Davis, Matt Demmings, Shannon Detro, Alice Greenburg, Sue McCune, Meagan Montague, Kelly Russ, Brand Selvia, Anthony Taylor, and Laury Wallace.  M. Elaine Peck is the Director.

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Please help us keep our records complete and current. 
Contact Elaine Peck at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to report an update or an error. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 05/21/2021

When a doctor determines that a patient is eligible for hospice, the person and/or loved ones may choose to stop trying to cure the illness, and opt to receive hospice care. Hospice focuses on managing pain and other difficult symptoms and keeping patients comfortable so that they can enjoy a good quality of life for the remainder of their time left. Hospice provides goods and services allowing the patient and loved ones to stay together in the comfort of the home or other desired setting.

Every Medicare-certified hospice company must provide four levels of care. With four levels of care in place, no terminally ill patient should ever be without appropriate care. One person may experience all four levels, perhaps in just a week or ten days of hospice services. Another person may experience one level of care throughout the duration of his or her hospice care. Each level of care meets specific needs, and every hospice patient is unique. The determination of which level of care is needed is made by the hospice physician.

Level 1: Routine Home Care. Based upon the individual patient’s needs, routine home care may include: intermittent skilled nursing services; physical therapy; occupational therapy; speech-language services; social services; intermittent home health aide services; medical supplies; personal hygiene supplies; and durable medical equipment.

Level 2: Continuous Home Care. Continuous home care is available when a higher level of care is needed for at least eight hours in a 24-hour period to manage acute medical symptoms. Fifty percent of continuous care services must be provided by a nurse. Some examples of symptoms requiring continuous care include: unrelieved pain; severe nausea and vomiting; severe shortness of breath; anxiety or panic attacks; or a breakdown in the primary caregiver support system.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04-23-21
A new report, 2021 Hospice News Outlook Survey and Report, sponsored by Homecare Homebase, provides insight into the issues facing hospice providers in 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected all sectors of health care in 2020, and hospice was no exception. Regaining regular access to hospice patients in nursing homes, assisted living, and other facilities is a top concern for providers nation-wide. Locally, Lisa Miller, immediate past president of the Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) and Executive Director of Intrepid USA Hospice, said, “Reduced access to facilities means that hospice providers are not able to be physically present to patients and families as often as is optimal.” In addition, although facilities allow nurses in to see patients, they generally are not including other members of the interdisciplinary team or volunteers. Social workers, chaplains, aides and volunteers have been doing their best to serve patients virtually.

Staffing is a top industrywide concern. The United States has 13.35 hospice and palliative care specialists for every 100,000 adults 65 and older, according to an April 2018 study by the National Institute for Health (NIH). The research estimated that by 2040 the patient population will need 10,640 to 24,000 physicians, and supply is expected to range between 8,100 and 19,000. Hospice and palliative care providers also experience shortages in non-physician disciplines, including chaplains, nurses, and social workers. In addition, many hospice staff members are approaching retirement, with nearly half of the total nursing workforce expected to retire within the next decade.

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Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) and other national, state and community organizations, are leading a massive effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making - an effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 15 as National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD).

As a participating organization, PCHCPA is providing information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with family, friends and healthcare providers, and execute written advance directives (healthcare representative and living will) in accordance with Indiana state laws.

These resources are available at www.pchpca.org or www.nhdd.org.

While April 15 is specifically set aside as National Healthcare Decisions Day, any day is a good day to begin talking about advance care planning and advance care directive forms

As a result of National Healthcare Decisions Day, many more people in our community can be expected to have thoughtful conversations about their healthcare decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known.

Fewer families and health care providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient, and health care providers and facilities will be better equipped to address advance health care planning issues before a crisis and be better able to honor patient wishes when the time comes to do so.

To learn more about PCHPCA, visit the website above, call 765-301-7614 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD), the day when Americans are encouraged to talk to their loved ones and friends about what matters most to them when it comes to end-of-life care. With NHDD activities planned all over the country, April is a great time to start the conversation. In recognition of NHDD, the Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association provides terms every adult should know.

• Advance Care Planning (ACP)– A process for identifying wishes for future medical care should a person become unable to speak for him/herself. The critical task in advance care planning is to clarify values and goals as a guideline for others to follow, rather than trying to address every possible medical situation. It requires conversations with loved ones, key healthcare providers, and anyone else who may be involved in future decision-making. It can begin at any point in a person’s life, regardless of current health status. Ideally, these wishes are documented in an advance directive, recorded in the medical record, revisited periodically, and become more specific as the person’s health changes.

• Advance Directive - A general term for any document in which you provide instructions about your healthcare wishes or appoint someone to make healthcare decisions for you should you become unable to make decisions for yourself. Living wills and healthcare representatives are both types of advance directives. They are signed in "advance" and shared with your healthcare representative, loved ones, and healthcare professionals. These documents and preferences may be changed or cancelled at any time either verbally or in writing.

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