A commitment to caring

Mayor Rich Sykes is joined by Brandie Garlitz and Stacy Swan from Treasure Valley Hospice and Pastor Cheryl Stull as he signs a proclamation declaring National Hospice and Palliative Care Month in Mountain Home. The recent observance sought to help people in he local area understand the importance of planning for the care they would want if they were facing a serious or life-limiting illness. "One of the things that hospice and palliative care professionals hear from families again and again is 'why didn't we learn about hospice care earlier,' " said Garlitz, who serves as the community relations representative for Treasure Valley Hospice. "The best time to learn about hospice or palliative care is before you are facing a medical crisis." Together, palliative care and hospice can help people live each moment of life to the fullest, she added.