Setting the Table for Life’s Most Important Conversations

On April 24th, something remarkable happened in TRU’s Louisville conference room. The ordinary meeting space was transformed into an intimate dining area where strangers became community through the simple act of sharing a meal and discussing one of life’s most avoided topics: death.

This special evening was the centerpiece of our recent **Get Around TRUit (GATI)** initiative, a month-long campaign hosted by The Conversation Project of Boulder County (TCPBC) that encouraged TRU employees and volunteers to engage with advance care planning.

More Than Just a Dinner

The Death Over Dinner event brought together a diverse group of TRU staff and volunteers from various roles and age groups. What united us was a shared willingness to explore the nuanced topics of death and dying within a supportive environment. The atmosphere struck a beautiful balance between depth and lightness—there were tears, plenty of laughter, and genuine moments of human connection.

TRU Palliative Care Social Worker Rebecca Cohen shared her reflection on the experience:

 “Death Over Dinner was such a wonderful experience for so many reasons. The people were amazing; there was so much wisdom from multiple generations in the room. It was a gift to learn from others about death and dying in such a supportive, respectful, intimate setting. I appreciated the opportunity and sacred space for my own personal reflection and growth. I left with some real shifts in my ideas and beliefs. I also loved connecting in such a human, heart-centered way. There was a beautiful balance of laughter and tears. You and your team helped create a comfortable space for honesty and curiosity. What an incredible group. Thank you for offering this, and I hope many more people get to benefit from the experience in the future.”

The Power of Shared Stories

The evening reinforced what we at TCPBC have always believed: time spent at the table truly matters—especially when shared with people who are willing to show up, speak openly, and listen with care. Death Over Dinner was a beautiful reminder of the gift of hearing one another’s stories. It was time well spent.

Looking Forward

While the April Death Over Dinner event filled quickly, we’re excited to announce that TCPBC plans to host at least three of these gatherings each year. If you’re interested in participating in a future event, please reach out to Becki Parr, TCPBC Project Coordinator, at beckiparr@trucare.org.

More Than a One-Time Event

The Death Over Dinner event was part of our broader GATI initiative that ran from April 1st to May 1st, coinciding with National Healthcare Decisions Day on April 16th. Though the formal GATI initiative has concluded, the valuable advance care planning materials and free coaching options remain available year-round. To access these resources, visit theconversationprojectinboulder.org and click “Schedule a Free Appointment”

As Ellen Goodman, founder of The Conversation Project, reminds us, “It’s always too soon to start the conversation… until it’s too late.”

Death Over Dinner participants, pictured above

Standing (L-R): Ana Lamarque (volunteer), Laura Rhea (volunteer), Ashley Huck (PACE Home Care Coordinator), Janet Denny (volunteer), Abby Howard (volunteer), Connie Clancy (volunteer), Annyce Mayer (volunteer), Taryn Archer (Admissions Coordinator)

Seated (L-R): Rebecca Cohen (Palliative Care LCSW), Geoff Galbraith (volunteer), Cindy Forsblad (volunteer), Becki Parr (TCPBC Project Coordinator)

Libby has dedicated 21 years to hospice care, with the last 4½ years as a charge nurse at TRU’s Inpatient Unit (IPU). Her days revolve around ensuring comfort for patients and visitors while supporting her team. From managing symptoms to providing emotional support and end-of-life education, Libby approaches each responsibility with deep dedication.

“The power and beauty that exist at the IPU made me feel as if I had found my way home. After 21 years of hospice work, I still feel the same way. Even on the most challenging of days, I can’t see working anywhere else.”

What makes the work special for Libby is the unique environment at the IPU, which she describes as “magical.” She values the family-like bond with her colleagues and appreciates how their diverse skills allow everyone to grow professionally. “I feel supported and heard by all levels of management,” she notes, highlighting TRU’s responsive and approachable leadership.

When asked what she wishes people understood about hospice nursing, Libby offers a profound perspective. While people often call hospice nurses “angels” or “special people,” she sees her role differently: “I am here because I was called and because I was invited.” For Libby, the privilege of being present in life’s most intimate final moments is “beautiful, life-changing, sacred, exhausting, and often mind-blowing soul work.”

Outside of her nursing role, Libby leads a richly creative life as a professional dog photographer at www.furdogruffur.com. She also volunteers at the Colorado Kitty Coalition, enjoys road biking, writes as both a novelist and playwright, reads “endlessly,” and creates “ooooodles of origami.” As she puts it, “This is one beautiful life we are livin’, my friends, and I feel so very blessed.”

For Mike Samuels, a retired chemical engineer with decades of experience in university teaching and industrial research, the path to hospice care began with a simple but troubling symptom: severe shortness of breath while walking. As his condition worsened over several months in 2024, Mike found himself shuttling between specialists, searching for answers.

“By the start of October 2024, I had spent three months running back and forth between a cardiologist and a pulmonologist, trying to find a solution for the severe shortness of breath I experienced every time I tried to walk at more than a very slow pace,” Mike shares.

After multiple consultations, tests, and hospital visits, Mike received difficult news. His doctors confirmed he was experiencing problems in both his cardiac and pulmonary systems, with no further treatments available to improve his condition.

The Decision to Choose Hospice

Having already witnessed the professionalism and compassion of TRU Community Care through his and his wife Sue’s years as TRU volunteers, Mike decided to pursue palliative care, which later transitioned to hospice care.

“My wife and I agreed that I should seek palliative care with TRU,” Mike writes. “Following that, it became clear to me that hospice care would meet my needs as nothing else would.”

Mike’s transition into hospice was smooth, beginning with palliative care in mid-October 2024 and moving to full hospice services by mid-November.

What Hospice Provides

One aspect of hospice care that surprised Mike was the comprehensive support he received:

“TRU’s program includes a weekly visit with my hospice nurse, all medicines required to combat the diseases that give me a short life span expectation at this time, and all durable medical equipment I need, including a home oxygen concentrator.”

The medication management particularly impressed him: “I have found this service nothing short of amazing. When I first entered palliative care, I was having a hard time sleeping and spent most of the daytime with a dry hacking cough. Now, I get wonderful relief from the coughing, and sleeping is no longer a problem for me.”

Beyond Physical Care

Mike emphasizes that hospice provides emotional and spiritual support as well. He and his wife also receive biweekly visits from a TRU chaplain, which has been especially meaningful to Sue as she comes to terms with the prospect of losing her husband of nearly 60 years.

“My wife has found the chaplain’s visits very comforting as she walks through the fact that her husband of nearly 60 years, and the vast majority of her life, will not be here to help her navigate her remaining years.”

Why Sharing Matters

Mike’s motivation for sharing his story stems from encounters with others who could have benefited from hospice but hesitated. He recounts meeting a fellow community member with pulmonary fibrosis who seemed uncomfortable discussing hospice options and tragically passed away shortly after their conversation.

Mike also reflects on earlier medical experiences, noting how much anxiety could be relieved if healthcare providers were more forthcoming about what patients should expect. This philosophy drives his desire to demystify hospice for others who might benefit from it.

Finding Peace in the Journey

Despite facing a life-limiting illness, Mike approaches his situation with remarkable clarity and acceptance. When asked if there were things he would do differently if given the chance, or experiences he wished he’d had, his answer was simple: “not really.”

Having lived a fulfilling life professionally and personally, with a loving family including three children and four grandchildren, Mike has found peace in this final chapter. His focus now is on sharing what he’s learned to help others make informed choices about their own end-of-life care.

“I hope you have found this information helpful to you in your decision whether or not to enroll in a hospice,” Mike concludes in his letter.

Through Mike’s generosity in sharing his journey, countless others may find the courage to explore hospice care sooner, potentially transforming what could be a difficult time into one of comfort, dignity, and peace.

During National Nurses Week, TRU clinical staff, leadership, and team members gathered at the Tele-Care Center to honor our extraordinary nurses who embody compassion, dedication, and skilled care every day.

Our nurses are the backbone of TRU’s mission—bringing comfort to patients facing life’s most challenging transitions while supporting families through their grief journey. With gentle hands and resilient spirits, they navigate complex medical needs while nurturing the emotional and spiritual well-being of those in their care. Their work transforms difficult moments into experiences of dignity, meaning, and even unexpected joy.

The celebration featured the prestigious DAISY Award presentation for extraordinary patient care to Nurse Case Manager Tammy Irwin. Her nomination highlighted her exceptional patient advocacy and personal connection with those in her care. In one remarkable instance, Tammy initiated continuous care for a patient experiencing severe terminal agitation, remaining present throughout the day to ensure both patient and family received comprehensive support during an extremely difficult time. Thanks to her intervention, the patient passed peacefully and comfortably.

TRU Chaplains Lloyd “Lew” White and Vanessa Owen conducted a moving “Blessing of the Hands” ceremony. Lew honored the nurses’ connection to Florence Nightingale’s legacy of providing care with comfort and compassion. “Patients and families rely heavily on you during journeys filled with anguish, tears, and fear,” he noted. “You provide joy and meaning of finality. You truly are a blessing to so many.”

The ceremony also included a touching poetry reading by Intake Coordinator Reiley Robinson, who shared his poem “Threadbare” about the profound nature of touch and “all the things a hand can hold,” dedicated to TRU patients and families.

As the celebration concluded, Clinical Educator Chloe Brown invited nurses to enjoy refreshments, fellowship, and collect their special Nurses Week gifts—a small token of appreciation for the immeasurable impact they make every day.

 

For nearly three years, Darcie has been a compassionate voice on the other end of the line as a telehealth RN at TRU Community Care, but her journey in healthcare started much earlier.

Darcie began her nursing career in 2008 working primarily in rehabilitation at nursing homes where she discovered her natural ability to connect with seniors. “I absolutely adore seniors and have a knack for connecting with them,” she shares. Her path led her to roles as Director of Care for ComforCare of Lakewood and Nurse Manager at a facility for the developmentally disabled before finding her calling in hospice care at Suncrest, where she found it “incredibly rewarding to be with patients and families at that life stage.”

An unexpected chapter took her away from nursing temporarily—building and operating a 9.5-acre organic farm from a gutted, flooded house. Though health challenges eventually led her back to town and to TRU, this experience speaks to her resilience and versatility.

“My main focus is making everyone feel truly cared about,” says Darcie of her current role. “I want anyone who contacts us to feel listened to, respected, and taken care of.”

Her day involves much more than answering calls—she offers advice, connects patients with services, coordinates with pharmacies and medical offices, and provided a lifeline to one caller when it was needed most.

“Empathy costs nothing. Apply it generously, and don’t forget to laugh with people. Making someone laugh is good medicine,” Darcie shares when asked what she wishes people understood about nursing.

Her compassion extends beyond her professional life—Darcie runs a small charity operation preparing 10-15 gallons of soups, stews, and casseroles monthly to feed 100-200 local homeless people in Fort Collins and Loveland. Though she handles planning, purchasing, and cooking the main dishes herself, she’s grateful for volunteers who now contribute fruits, vegetables, bread, and desserts to create complete meals.

When she’s not helping others, Darcie enjoys playing “nerdy complicated board games” with her husband, as well as cooking and gardening together.

Thank you, Darcie, for bringing your compassion and dedication to our TRU family!

Roberta’s journey with TRU began as an LPN in the inpatient unit at LUH before moving to her current role as Afterhours/Weekend Supervisor. She says that she’s “looking forward to the continued growth in the After Hours Triage line of service,” she shares with enthusiasm.

Weekends at TRU are “a multi-tasker’s dream” for Roberta. She manages all lines of business while supervising the hospice visit nurse team and phone triage operators, even extending support to partner hospices in Colorado and North Carolina.

Nursing is actually Roberta’s second career, following 25 years in healthcare non-profit administration. The COVID-19 pandemic became her turning point: “I found myself working alongside my nurses, and my desire to advocate for them grew. To truly advocate for my nurses, I needed to become one.” This dedication led her to complete her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in February 2025.

When discussing hospice nursing, Roberta notes the common misconceptions: “When I tell others I’m a Hospice nurse, I receive one of two responses: ‘Oh, wow, you’re an angel’ or ‘I don’t agree with helping people die.’ There is SO much more to the end-of-life journey. I wish there was more focus on normalizing death in America, as it is in other countries/cultures.”

Her commitment to honoring the nursing profession extends beyond TRU—Roberta founded the Northern Colorado Nursing Honor Guard, which stands in vigil at funerals or celebrations of life for nurses who have passed.

Outside of work, Roberta finds joy in baking, a passion she once turned into a business. “I just finished prepping six dozen cinnamon rolls to share with my fellow nurses for Friday’s nurse day celebration!”

Thank you, Roberta, for your dedication to nursing and compassionate leadership at TRU!

For Nurses Week, The Iowa Online Nurse Residency Program (IONRP) aired a special episode of their Beyond Nurse Residency podcast featuring three program coordinators and their residents who utilize IONRP’s all-online option, sharing their experiences and insights into the residency program.

While the entire episode is informative and powerful, of particular interest is the last 20 minutes of the program (beginning at 31:50) which features Hospice Nurse Resident Katrina Hess and TRU Clinical Education Supervisor and On-Site Coordinator for the IONRP Rachel Stackhouse.

During the interview, Katrina and Rachel discuss how TRU Community Care has pioneered something remarkable – a new graduate nurse residency program in hospice care. Rachel explains how TRU didn’t even hire new graduate nurses until partnering with IONRP in 2022, and how they’ve built a comprehensive year-long program that combines the Iowa curriculum with specialized hospice training, including ELNEC (End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium) and NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthcare Elders) certifications.

Katrina shares her journey as a new nurse in hospice, including how the program normalized the challenges of transitioning from nursing school to professional practice. She highlights the invaluable support from Rachel, describing how their monthly meetings and regular check-ins help connect theoretical concepts to the unique hospice setting while providing emotional support through the intense experiences of working with end-of-life care.

Perhaps most compelling is Rachel’s insight about the “Grow or Go” phase that occurs around months 6-9 for new hospice nurses – a critical decision point when nurses must process their experiences with death, suffering, and the emotional weight of hospice care, choosing whether to develop resilience or change paths. As the podcast reveals, TRU’s thoughtful implementation of the IONRP has created a supportive environment where new graduates can thrive in this specialized field, ultimately benefiting not just the organization but the nursing profession as a whole.

Listen to the Beyond Nurse Residency podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.