Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association

Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association The Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association (NHPCA) is a collaborative effort of more than

Professional Education, Community Engagement, Advocacy, Research and Quality Improvement.

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06/25/2026

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Congratulations to Care Initiatives Hospice of Omaha on an incredible milestone! 🎉 We are thrilled to celebrate your Ope...
06/25/2026

Congratulations to Care Initiatives Hospice of Omaha on an incredible milestone! 🎉 We are thrilled to celebrate your Open House and Ribbon Cutting, marking an exciting new chapter in your commitment to providing compassionate, high-quality hospice care to the Omaha community.

We also extend our heartfelt congratulations on being recognized as a Hospice Survey Champion—a well-deserved honor that reflects your unwavering dedication to excellence, quality, and compassionate patient care. This achievement is a testament to the outstanding work of your entire team.

The Nebraska Hospice & Palliative Care Association is deeply grateful for Care Initiatives Hospice’s continued membership and partnership. Organizations like yours strengthen hospice and palliative care across Nebraska, helping ensure patients and families receive the exceptional care they deserve.

A special thank you to Amanda Mathews for her willingness to serve on the NHPCA Education Committee for 2027. Your leadership, expertise, and commitment to advancing education for hospice and palliative care professionals are greatly appreciated, and we look forward to working with you.

Congratulations once again to everyone at Care Initiatives Hospice of Omaha! We are proud to celebrate your accomplishments and are honored to have you as part of the NHPCA family. Wishing you continued success as you make a lasting difference in the lives of the patients and families you serve.
Care Initiatives Hospice - Omaha

We are grateful to Dr. Caren McHenry Martin for sharing her outstanding expertise at the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative...
05/03/2026

We are grateful to Dr. Caren McHenry Martin for sharing her outstanding expertise at the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association Annual Conference.

Her presentation, Following the Symptom Management Cues in CAHPS and HOPE, offered attendees practical, evidence-based strategies for managing some of hospice care’s most challenging symptoms with both clinical confidence and compassion. From pain and dyspnea to anxiety, nausea, bowel concerns, and sadness, Dr. Martin provided meaningful guidance on assessment, medication monitoring, communication with families, and quality implications tied to the HOPE tool and CAHPS survey.

Dr. Martin has a gift for turning complex symptom management principles into clear bedside practice—reminding us that excellence in hospice care is found in both what we treat and how we respond.

Thank you, Dr. Martin, for helping our members strengthen the care they provide to patients and families every day.

⭐ Congratulations to Danielle Sillman of St. Croix Hospice, recipient of the 2026 Shining Star Award presented by the Ne...
05/02/2026

⭐ Congratulations to Danielle Sillman of St. Croix Hospice, recipient of the 2026 Shining Star Award presented by the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association! ⭐ Danielle was nominated by a teammate who shared that from the very beginning, she was a trusted trainer, mentor, and compassionate caregiver. As a bath aide, Danielle goes far beyond her role, providing exceptional comfort, dependable care, and genuine love to every patient she serves. Her nominator said it best: “She is someone you would choose to care for your own family member.” That kind of trust says everything. Danielle’s kindness, reliability, and servant heart make her a true shining star in hospice care, and we are proud to honor her 💙.

Congratulations, Danielle, on this well-deserved recognition! 👏

We were honored to recognize Robert Slagle of St. Croix Hospice as the recipient of the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative ...
05/02/2026

We were honored to recognize Robert Slagle of St. Croix Hospice as the recipient of the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association 2026 Spirit of Hospice Award.

Nominated by his teammate, Tabitha Reimers, Robert was described as someone who consistently embodies the compassion, dedication, and heart that define hospice care. Through his kindness, empathy, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to patients and families, Robert creates an atmosphere of comfort, dignity, and trust everywhere he serves.

Whether he is taking extra time to explain the dying process, reaching out to families after the loss of a loved one, supporting his colleagues with knowledge and encouragement, or simply ending a visit with his “joke of the day,” Robert brings warmth, humanity, and connection to every interaction.

His genuine passion for hospice care, his servant heart, and his ability to make others feel valued and supported are what truly set him apart.

Robert’s compassionate spirit not only blesses the patients and families he serves, but strengthens his entire team at St.Croix Hospice.

Congratulations, Robert, on this well-deserved honor. NHPCA is proud to recognize you as a 2026 Spirit of Hospice Award recipient!

We were deeply honored to recognize Tammy Hempstead as the recipient of the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Associa...
05/02/2026

We were deeply honored to recognize Tammy Hempstead as the recipient of the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association 2026 Shining Star Award.

Tammy was nominated by the wonderful team at Hospice of Columbus Community Hospital for her extraordinary generosity, compassion, and quiet commitment to bringing beauty into the lives of hospice patients and families.

Through her business, Accent Floral, Tammy began providing fresh floral bouquets for hospice volunteers to deliver during patient visits. What was originally intended to be a contractual arrangement in which Tammy would simply bill the hospice each week soon became something far more meaningful. Tammy instead chose to donate the bouquets week after week as her personal way of bringing something bright, beautiful, and hope-filled into the homes and rooms of patients facing the end of life.

For several years now, these flowers have become more than an arrangement — they have become a gesture of tenderness, dignity, remembrance, and human kindness for patients and families during deeply sacred moments.

Tammy has remained committed to continuing this ministry of generosity for as long as she owns Accent Floral, and that kind of hospice heart is exactly what the Shining Star Award is meant to recognize.

Thank you, Tammy Hempstead, for your compassion, your selfless giving, and the light you continue to bring to Nebraska hospice patients and families.

And thank you to Jody and the team and volunteers of Hospice of Columbus Community Hospital for nominating Tammy for this well-deserved honor.

NHPCA is proud to recognize and celebrate you, Tammy, with the 2026 Shining Star Award!

Chavonn Mailahn was awarded the “Spirit of Hospice” award at the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association Confer...
05/02/2026

Chavonn Mailahn was awarded the “Spirit of Hospice” award at the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association Conference.

NIkki Landon nominated Chavonn with the following accolades:
“Under her leadership, Cottonwood Hospice has repeatedly earned 5-star ratings on Medicare family surveys, reflecting the exceptional care provided to patients and families.

Chavonn continually educates herself on Medicare regulations, best practice guidelines, and management strategies to ensure her team delivers the highest level of hospice care.

She has a deep passion for serving her team, patients, families, and local community. Chavonn is always willing to fill another’s cup, even when her own may be running low.

She is consistently thoughtful and remains deeply compassionate about advocating for the needs of patients, families, and employees alike. Her wealth of knowledge is truly remarkable and a significant asset to our efforts. We are very fortunate to have her on our team.

Chavonn gives from her heart whether she is at the office or at home. She gives unconditionally and supports her staff 100%. God blessed Cottonwood Hospice with a great leader and role model who truly cares about others.”

Congratulations, Chavonn! We are proud to honor you and delighted to meet your beautiful family!

We were honored to recognize Marcia Cederdahl as the recipient of the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association ...
05/02/2026

We were honored to recognize Marcia Cederdahl as the recipient of the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Association State Impact Award, the highest honor awarded by this association. It is awarded by the Board of Directors to an individual who has had a significant impact on our industry throughout their career. Marcia has met this criteria in so many ways.

For many years, Marcia has been a strong and unwavering voice for palliative care across Nebraska, working diligently to ensure that palliative care is better understood, better supported, and more clearly recognized within our state’s healthcare landscape. She has served on the Nebraska Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council and a liaison to NHPCA.

Her advocacy has extended beyond conversation into legislative effort, including her involvement in the campaign surrounding LB345 to establish a formal statutory definition of palliative care in Nebraska law. While that language was ultimately rolled into another bill and the work to fully move this initiative forward continues, Marcia’s commitment to laying that groundwork has been significant and deeply meaningful.

True systemic change often happens one determined voice, one conversation, and one legislative step at a time — and Marcia has been willing to do that work.

Her efforts on behalf of patients, providers, and the future of serious illness care in Nebraska have not gone unnoticed. Through persistence, education, and advocacy, she has helped elevate the conversation around palliative care in ways that will continue to influence progress for years to come.

Congratulations, Marcia, on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for the lasting impact you continue to make across our state.

A heartfelt thank you to Jacob Dahlke for his informative presentation on POLST and for sharing exciting updates on Nebr...
05/01/2026

A heartfelt thank you to Jacob Dahlke for his informative presentation on POLST and for sharing exciting updates on Nebraska’s statewide electronic advance care plan registry, MyDirectives/Nebraska at the NHPCA conference this week!

We are so close to seeing this incredible initiative move into live action, and it will truly be a game changer for EMS, healthcare providers, and vulnerable Nebraskans — helping ensure that an individual’s healthcare wishes are known and respected no matter where they are.

This important advancement represents greater accessibility, clearer communication, and stronger protection of patient choice when it matters most.

Thank you, Jacob, for serving as faculty for this wonderful conference and for helping spread the word about MyDirectives/Nebraska. We are fortunate to have professionals like you willing to share your expertise and help move end-of-life care forward in Nebraska!


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Cozad, NE
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