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Every day, Hospice of the Valley strives to make a positive difference in the lives of our patients and families. Learn more about agency, our staff and our 40 year commitment to exceptional care in these recent stories by the news media.

December 01, 2024
Hospice of the Valley and CLS bridge the generation gap

Hospice of the Valley (HOV) and Christ Lutheran School (CLS) are entering the second year of a partnership that connects students with individuals at the Dementia Care and Education Campus.

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November 15, 2024
Educating and inspiring healthcare students to care about dementia

Arizona has the fastest growth rate of Alzheimer’s disease in the country. Yet there are not enough paid caregivers or even geriatricians — only 92 in the entire state — for this population.

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June 12, 2024
Hospice of the Valley Dementia Program Enriches Young and Old

At first glance, it looks like “Grandparents’ Day” at preschool — a roomful of giggling seniors playing peekaboo with a dozen toddlers.

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June 04, 2024
How to Provide Excellent Dementia Care for Patients with Dementia—and Their Families

Clinician knowledge about dementia is sometimes limited, regardless of one's extensive education. Familiarity with associated pathologies is one thing, but understanding how to navigate any number of challenges that commonly arise while attempting to optimize quality of life for people living with dementia, and their care partners, poses distinct challenges.

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June 01, 2024
ASU Student Volunteers Make a Difference at Dementia Campus

Volunteers are a vital part of Hospice of the Valley’s Dementia Care and Education Campus, and Arizona State University student volunteers Ethan Best and Chinmay Malik are passionate about volunteering. Both are Medical Studies majors at ASU’s College of Health Solutions.

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June 01, 2024
Arizona State Student Volunteer Impacts Lives at The Dementia Campus

Lauren Stokesberry did not expect to bond with a stranger when she signed up for her ASU volunteer course. She went into the course not knowing what to expect.

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May 22, 2024
Nurse Practitioner Enriches the Lives of Dementia Patients

Ashley Lautar grew up around a community that embodied passion and selflessness. Being raised around a family of nurses motivated her to become a nurse practitioner herself.

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May 17, 2024
MFMD receives dementia training from Hospice of the Valley

The Maricopa Fire/Medical Department recently received dementia training hosted by Hospice of the Valley at a program titled “Dementia Moments.”

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May 16, 2024
Adult Day Club Manager Creates Community for Dementia Patients

Colorful paintings adorn the room, their styles ranging from charming and clumsy to refined and soulful. The room’s occupants chatter, talking happily. A beanbag lies on the floor, a remnant of a particularly enthusiastic game of cornhole.

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April 15, 2024
How To Reduce Stress When Caring for Aging Parents

With all that’s going on in our country, our economy, the world, and on social media, so many of us are under a great deal of stress. Caring for elderly or aging parents can be particularly stress-inducing.

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April 11, 2024
Arizona Woman Organizes Dementia Care Support Groups

Nicole Crothers is no stranger to dementia. In her nine years as a dementia educator and medical social worker at Hospice of the Valley’s Dementia Care and Education Campus, she has helped numerous patients, care partners, and families through one of the most emotionally and physically taxing journeys ever. 

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March 27, 2024
An Unexpected Path

Maribeth Gallagher’s life took an unexpected turn that led her directly to a rewarding career, although it was an undeniably emotional and painful journey. She went from being a successful professional singer to a caregiver and then a program director in a span of a few years.

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March 21, 2024
Finding Beauty in the Present

Gillian Hamilton, M.D, Ph.D., has been fascinated with aging for as long as she has been in medicine. Gerontology, or the study of medicine in our aging population, is core to treating dementia. This specialty piqued Dr. Hamilton’s interest when she was a young volunteer at a local nursing home, eventually inspiring her to enter the medical field.

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February 23, 2024
Volunteer Spotlight: Nancy Kelso and Coco Chanel

Nancy Kelso, a pet therapy volunteer, and her adorable Havanese, Coco Chanel, kick off our new volunteer and staff spotlight series. Kelso and Coco chatted about their background, their favorite memories from volunteering at the Dementia Care and Education Campus, and the importance of volunteerism.

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October 16, 2023
Mercy Care donates $670,000 to help launch Choose Your Person

Mercy Care, Hospice of the Valley and Contexture are collaborating on a community education campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of making and documenting advance healthcare decisions. This initiative, called Choose Your Person, encourages Arizonans to start the process by selecting a healthcare power of attorney.

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October 13, 2023
‘Choose Your Person’ helps for end-of-life care

The Arizona Healthcare Directives Registry, which houses living wills, power of attorneys’ forms and medical care directives for pre-hospital and end of life care, has grown by about 22,000 accounts in the past two years.

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October 04, 2023
Phoenix Theatre Group Delights People Living with Dementia

It’s a little magical how a small theater troupe can walk through the door and instantly transform the space around them. That’s exactly what five talented actors do so effortlessly as part of Phoenix Theatre’s Partners That Heal program.

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August 07, 2023
Unique Dementia Program Enriches Young and Old

At first glance, it looks like “Grandparents’ Day” at preschool — a roomful of giggling seniors playing peekaboo with a dozen adorable toddlers. Welcome to a one-of-a-kind Intergenerational Enrichment Program, where people living with dementia enjoy activities, social engagement, and the excitement of interacting with young kids.

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March 21, 2023
Hospice of the Valley gala raises record funds for dementia care

The incredible generosity of the community was displayed in grand fashion at Hospice of the Valley’s annual art auction “Aaha! Art. Food. Wine,” where the nonprofit raised a record $650,000 to support innovative dementia care programs for families across the Valley.

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January 31, 2023
Piano Gift Hits High Note for People with Dementia

When Steve Harnden brought home a beautiful ebony baby grand, he envisioned his wife learning to play an instrument she had always loved. Monica was thrilled. The piano even had a “player piano” feature so it could play tunes by itself.

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January 17, 2023
Simulation puts first responders in the shoes of people with dementia

It’s not easy to rattle a firefighter, but that’s exactly what Hospice of the Valley did to a roomful of first responders from the Queen Creek Fire and Medical Department who had signed up for a training exercise.

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December 05, 2022
Dementia education comes to a doctor near you soon

It’s staggering to think that 6.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. You may even know a relative, friend or neighbor who has it.

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September 20, 2022
How Arizona is managing rising number of Alzheimer’s and dementia cases

From a statistics standpoint, the trajectory of people in the U.S. at risk of Alzheimer’s disease is sobering. According to a 2022 report released by the Alzheimer’s Association, “By 2050, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s or dementia is projected to reach 12.7 million.”

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May 19, 2022
Memory Café connects Valley families on the dementia journey

When Tim Shaffer’s wife was diagnosed with dementia, both their lives changed. In the blink of an eye, he became her caregiver. Suddenly, Tim was the one responsible for keeping her safe and meeting her daily needs. “I was looking for answers, trying to figure out why certain behaviors were occurring,” he confesses. “I was extremely frustrated and angry.” 

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May 19, 2022
$25 million Phoenix campus offers one-stop shop for dementia support

A $25 million campus created to serve a fast-growing population of Arizonans with various forms of dementia has partially opened on 3.2 acres in Phoenix.

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May 03, 2022
Hospice of the Valley’s Dementia Care and Education Campus opens in Phoenix

As Mayor Kate Gallego addressed the crowd at the ribbon cutting on April 19 for Hospice of the Valley’s Dementia Care and Education Campus in Phoenix, she shared that she had a grandmother who had dementia.

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March 21, 2022
Hospice of the Valley auction nets over $500,000 for dementia care

Our community turned out in spectacular fashion to raise a record $514,000 for Hospice of the Valley’s innovative dementia care programs.

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February 14, 2022
Caregivers empowered by ‘Understanding Dementia’

When a loved one has an illness like dementia, it affects the entire family. Spouses and adult children often step into the role of caregiver, unprepared for the challenges ahead.

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January 26, 2022
Campus Helps Our Community Live Well With Dementia

It’s astonishing to think that right this moment, there are 5.8 million Americans living with dementia. Arizona currently has the nation’s highest growth rate for the condition, with more than 200,000 cases predicted by 2025.

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January 16, 2022
'It's going to touch all of us': What groups are doing to help people with dementia

Arizona is known for a warmer climate attractive to late-career workers and retirees, but experts believe it will soon also be known for having the largest population of people with dementia.

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November 01, 2021
Hospice of the Valley unveils Dementia Care and Education Campus

For over 40 years, Hospice of the Valley has served families of people with severe and chronic illnesses. The not-for-profit, community-based provider is now ready to expand with their brand-new campus in Arcadia, located at 44th St. and Indianola Ave.

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October 20, 2021
Sharing the Holidays with a Loved One with Dementia

The holidays can be both enjoyable and stressful. The hustle and bustle may cause fatigue and overstimulation in someone living with dementia, leading to confusion, anxiety or agitation. Caregivers may become overwhelmed, particularly with the additional challenges posed by COVID-19.

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July 28, 2021
Caring for a loved one with Dementia

All of us are most likely affected by dementia—if not directly, then as a family caregiver or friend. It is now the fourth-leading cause of death among Americans age 65 and older. About half of people 85 and older have Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.

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March 14, 2021
Valley Irishman makes virtual visit to boyhood home for St. Patrick’s Day

Alzheimer’s disease has robbed 82-year-old Brendan “Eamon” Treanor of day-to-day memories. Yet he can vividly recall his childhood in tiny Monaghan, Ireland, where he went to school, played soccer and lived on a street called St. Patrick’s Terrace.

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November 01, 2020
Caring for A Loved One with Dementia? Hospice of the Valley Provides Free Support

Family caregivers often feel overwhelmed, anxious and isolated while they are caring for a person with dementia. They want to keep their loved one at home for as long as possible but wonder how to make it all work. Thanks to a federal grant, Hospice of the Valley can now help these families at no charge.

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September 01, 2020
HOV receives grant to provide free dementia support

Family caregivers often feel overwhelmed, anxious and isolated while they are caring for a person with dementia. They want to keep their loved one at home for as long as possible, but wonder how to make it all work. 

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August 19, 2020
Hospice of the Valley earns prestigious Alzheimer's grant

Hospice of the Valley has been awarded a federal grant from the Administration for Community Living to serve more families living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

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June 01, 2020
Mindful Care: Maribeth Gallagher has spent her career understanding dementia

Maribeth Gallagher has witnessed the power of music. As a longtime professional singer, Gallagher moved audiences with her voice, warming up crowds for the likes of Donna Summer, The Beach Boys, Huey Lewis and the News and Frankie Valli.

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April 15, 2020
Caregivers Can Live Well With Dementia Too!

It’s a staggering thought, but right this moment, there are 5.8 million Americans living with dementia. Arizona currently has 140,000 cases and we also have the nation’s highest growth rate for dementia. Experts forecast a 43% spike between 2017 and 2025.

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March 11, 2020
Benevilla launches dementia training at bistro

Birt’s Bistro at Benevilla, 16752 N. Greasewood St., Surprise, is the restaurant chosen for the launch of the “Purple Table Project,” to bring awareness on being “dementia friendly” in public places in the local community.

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February 24, 2020
AZ doctor uses virtual reality to simulate dementia

Virtual reality isn’t just for gamers anymore. Doctors who believe it has the potential to create different auditory and visual sensations emulating the sensory experience of those who deal with dementia are also using it.

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January 25, 2020
Hospice making history with dementia campus

On a shiny Friday afternoon in January, nearly 200 guests gathered for the ceremonial groundbreaking of an innovative, one-of-a-kind campus at 3811 N. 44th St., in Phoenix’s Arcadia area.

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January 13, 2020
Hospice of the Valley to break ground on innovative dementia campus

We embark on a new decade celebrating a huge milestone in our efforts to help families live well with dementia, a disease expected to affect 200,000 Arizonans within just five years.

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December 12, 2019
Hospice group to embark on $25M Phoenix campus

Hospice of the Valley is making plans to build a dementia care and education campus in east Phoenix.

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December 10, 2019
Valley doctor uses virtual reality to teach kids about dementia, Alzheimer's

Hamilton is giving students at Metro Tech High School a crash course in dementia. "You can't really care about somebody unless you understand what it's like to be them," said Hamilton.

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December 03, 2019
Arizona Dementia Doctor Uses Virtual Reality To Help Teach Empathy To Students

Is it possible to teach empathy? That’s what one Arizona doctor is trying to do using virtual reality. The experience aims to help younger people understand what it’s like to have dementia — and encourage them to pursue careers in the aging and dementia fields.

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October 26, 2019
Simulation shows what it’s like to have dementia

Imagine not remembering where you live. Forgetting your name. Not recognizing your own family members. That’s what it’s like to live with dementia.

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July 19, 2019
Phoenix Stories 2019: Hospice of the Valley — The magic of love

Walter Brown cracks jokes, pets his ‘cat’ Sweetheart, watches Westerns with his buddy, and reminisces about his service in World War II.

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June 17, 2019
Phoenix Fire, mayor making dementia training a priority

During her first State of the City address, Mayor Kate Gallego announced the fire department is on its way to making Phoenix a dementia-friendly city.

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May 15, 2019
Dementia Training For Phoenix First Responders Comes To Life

A year ago, Hospice of the Valley invited a group of 15 people to participate in a fellowship program in which they came up with ideas that could improve care for people living with dementia. One of those fellows was a Phoenix Fire Department captain.

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April 16, 2019
Innovation in Arizona

Caring for a loved one with advanced chronic illness is challenging. So is looking after a family member who’s been diagnosed with dementia. Caregiving is an around-the-clock job, and those who do it often have little or no training before it’s thrust upon them. They often feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and isolated. It’s precisely for these struggling families that the unique care programs at Hospice of the Valley, a not-for-profit agency in Phoenix, Arizona, have been designed.

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March 02, 2019
Dementia can’t dim love story 54 years in making

Gerald calls it her “million-dollar smile” because of the beautiful way it lights up her face and the tingly way it makes him feel. He fell in love with the smile and the girl and married both.

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August 02, 2018
Fake pets give real love to dementia patients

“A lot of times dementia patients will be very stoic and quiet and kind of lost in their own little world, but you bring one of these mechanical pets and put it in front of them, put it in their lap and it starts moving, maybe it’s meowing or purring, and they just come alive,” explained Lin Sue Cooney, director of community engagement at Hospice of the Valley. “Their faces light up. Their hands start to stroke the fur. They cuddle. They hug. It makes all the difference in their life and there is nothing like that beautiful joy.”

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July 21, 2018
The pets may be fake, but the joy they bring to dementia patients is real

To experience the love of a pet is to know unconditional love. They don’t judge, play mind games or hold a grudge. Your dog is as happy to see you today, as he was yesterday. Your cat purrs contentedly every time she commandeers your lap.

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February 07, 2018
Hospice of the Valley Plans Dementia Care Campus

Hospice of the Valley plans to establish a Dementia Care and Education Campus in east Phoenix at the former site of the Scottsdale Unified School District Office. The campus will provide care for people at all stages of dementia and feature an intergenerational adult and child-care center and an education venue that will bring people together to share best practices in dementia care.

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January 14, 2018
Hospice of the Valley To Build New Dementia Care and Education Campus

Dementia is one of the leading causes of death in Arizona, and Hospice of the Valley is planning a new Dementia Care and Education Campus.

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October 20, 2017
Program brings youthful energy to the field of dementia care

One of the most wonderful experiences of my career happened this fall, as I was brainstorming with two colleagues. It was a passionate discussion about inspiring the next generation of young people to care about people with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias.

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August 26, 2017
Lin Sue Cooney: Soothing the heartbreak of dementia

For the past year, I've witnessed two dear friends struggle with the same heavy burden.

One spends hours each day coaxing her 91-year-old aunt to wake up and have a bite to eat. Showers have become a battle of wills. My friend smiles, makes cheerful conversation, doles out morsels of chocolate, gets a friendly dog (mine) to visit — anything to bring a little joy into Darlynne's life.

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March 30, 2017
Hospice of the Valley and ASU team up to offer new class

In an effort to get more students involved with caretaking for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, ASU and Hospice of the Valley have partnered to form a new class through the College of Health Solutions.

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