Mora County Notebook - Agency completes 22nd year of service

On Nov. 27, Esperanza Home Health Care and Hospice in Buena Vista completed their 22nd year in serving the area. At present, they are serving Mora, San Miguel, Colfax, and Harding counties. The staff covers more than 100 miles in their duties.
Esperanza Home Health Care/Hospice is designed to improve the quality of life for consumers who are disabled, elderly or in need of hospice care. This program is designed to permit people to live in their own homes while receiving the needed care. Many services are included in the program of this facility. They help the patients in everything from non-medical personal care, to medication assistance, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and skilled nursing care. They also have hospice care and provide the VA Program.
Under hospice, the nurses are dedicated to providing quality and compassionate care to those who cannot benefit from curative treatment and whoever is in the final stages of terminal illness. They make sure that the patient is comfortable and provide medical care and support the patient and family. Betsy Sivyer, a hospice nurse, was recently honored for her outstanding work and received the Laverne Fincher Hospice Nurse of the Year Award.
Owner and administrator, Josephine Garcia, began this program in November 1990. They first opened their doors in Mora in a rented building. At that time, Garcia and two nurses did the work. Two years later they moved to Buena Vista. The business grew and more staff was added as the need arose.
Now 20 years later the building is well equipped with offices for the nurses, social worker, administrator, financial office, meeting room, break room and storage for equipment and supplies.
There are from six to eight nurses employed as well as a finance administrator and assistant accountant, social worker and the receptionist, Loretta Gurule, who has been with the business from the beginning. She is an efficient helper to all who call on her skill as a receptionist.
Josephine has worked hard for many years to build up this facility and serve people in need. She not only thinks of her staff and the patients but also of the families. Each year she has a memorial service to honor the deceased of that year and presents the families with a memento in memory of their loved ones.
Garcia has been awarded the “Catherine Edgar Award for Humanity.” She has been recognized as dedicated to exceptional professionalism, kindness and generosity. She is a model of openhearted and selflessness to those in the community in which she serves.
She and her staff continue to give compassionate care to those in need and thank everyone who has entrusted Esperanza to care for their loved ones while remaining in their homes.

Ruth Fort is a Mora County correspondent. She may be reached at (575) 387-6523 or ruthfortchacon@yahoo.com.