Buckhannon recognizes National Hospice and Palliative Care Month

Buckhannon recognized November as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month at the November 5 City Council meeting, acknowledging hospice’s support for terminally ill patients and their families.

Mayor Robbie Skinner read the proclamation alongside employees from Adoration Hospice of Buckhannon. Later in the meeting, council members spoke about their families’ experiences with hospice and the importance of discussing care wishes before a family faces those decisions.

The proclamation describes hospice care as providing pain control and medical, social, emotional and spiritual support. It also recognizes the importance of familiar surroundings and physical and emotional peace during the last stage of life.

Council member Pam Bucklew thanked Adoration Hospice for attending and recognized those who provide hospice care.

“Nobody knows until they’re in that position what hospice can do in palliative care,” Bucklew said.

Council member Jack Reger recalled the help his own family received.

“We had to utilize hospice for my father-in-law several years ago, and as Pam said, they are truly a genuine blessing, and I’m thankful we can recognize them,” Reger said.

Council member Shawn Young described his family’s experience with hospice work.

“I know my wife’s career has been mostly hospice, and that’s her passion. You really have no idea how much they can do until you’re in that situation,” Young said.

He said families can struggle to think about what is best for a loved one while facing the situation themselves.

“Make a plan for your loved ones and yourself one day, and let your loved ones know what that plan is,” he said.

The proclamation’s full text follows.

National Hospice and Palliative Care Month proclamation

WHEREAS, hospice care provides humane and comforting support for terminally ill patients and their families, including pain control, palliative medical care, and social, emotional and spiritual services; and

WHEREAS, hospice fulfills basic human needs of feeling comfortable in familiar surroundings and of attaining physical and emotional peace during the last stage of life; and

WHEREAS, over 150,000 professionals and hundreds of thousands of volunteers (the equivalent of 56,000 full time employees) provide comforting and supportive hospice services to over 1.9 million patients and their families in an estimated 6,691 hospice programs throughout the United States; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to increase public discussion about advances in pain control and the care options available to individuals of all ages, races, and backgrounds who are at the end of life; and

WHEREAS, Adoration Hospice has joined the Hospice Association of America and an estimated 6,691 hospice providers in declaring November 2026 as National Hospice Month and are calling on all Americans to observe this occasion with appropriate ceremonies and activities;

NOW, THEREFORE I, Robert Neal Skinner, III, Mayor of the City of Buckhannon, do hereby proclaim November 2026 as NATIONAL HOSPICE MONTH in the City of Buckhannon and encourage the support and participation of all citizens in learning more about the hospice concept of care for the elderly, disabled, and infirm.

Given under my hand & the official seal of The City of Buckhannon, this 5th day of November, 2026,
Robert Neal Skinner, III, Mayor, City of Buckhannon