1978
Carolyn Jaffe, Alice Demi, Barbara Milburn and Dr. Peter Van Arsdale – each with a passion for providing quality end-of-life care – create Hospice of Metro Denver. The non-profit caring for Denver’s terminally-ill patients and their families began with a $37,000 grant from the American Cancer Society and was housed in vacant nursing offices at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Hospital.
Louann Miller, who continues to volunteer today, becomes Hospice of Metro Denver’s first volunteer. Our first patient was admitted in March.
1979
As the need for hospice care increases, Hospice of Metro Denver admits its first non-cancer patient.
1980
Friends of Hospice is formed to provide grief support for family members and support the hospice mission.
1982
HMD begins offering pediatric hospice care and establishes Footprints grief support for children.
1983
HMD admits its first AIDS patient and becomes the leading hospice agency caring for AIDS patients throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
1985
HMD receives designation as a Medicare-certified hospice, allowing HMD to provide a wider range of services to those with Medicare.
1989
The National Hospice Organization presents HMD with its President’s Award of Excellence for outstanding achievement in education programs.
1990
HMD and Kaiser-Permanente form a partnership to reach more patients and families in need of specialized end-of-life care.
Founder Carolyn Jaffe receives the prestigious Florence Nightingale Award for Excellence in Human Caring.
1991
HMD admits its 5,000th patient and establishes a Special Services Program providing care in homes.
1992
Angels Befriending Children (ABC) is established as HMD’s auxiliary to raise funds for the Footprints children’s grief program and pediatric hospice care.
1993
HMD opens its Inpatient Care Center in Aurora, becoming the first hospice in Colorado to provide care in a variety of settings.
1995
HMD cares for 1,476 patients – a 19 percent increase over 1994 and bringing the total number of patients served since its founding to 10,000. HMD employs 175 full- and part-time staff and has 200 volunteers.
The National Hospice Organization awards HMD its President’s Award for its Columbia/HealthONE programs.
1996
HMD and six other hospices form the Hospice Alliance of Colorado.
1997
The Inpatient Care Center in Aurora is certified as a skilled nursing facility, opening the doors to Medicaid admissions.
1998
Precedent Health Partners donates space for a second inpatient care center – the Wayne and Jane Nielsen City Park Care Center – a 25-bed facility in the heart of Denver.
The biennial Mask Project, founded by Mickey Ackerman, debuts in the Cherry Creek Shopping Center as a premier fundraising event.
Richard Baer, RN, receives the prestigious national Florence Nightingale Award for Excellence in Human Caring.
1999
The Colorado Association of Homes and Services for the Aging awards HMD its CNA Employer of the Year Award.
Footprints Children’s Grief Center opens in HMD’s administrative offices.
Bev Sloan joins HMD as CEO.
2000
City Park Care Center becomes certified as a skilled nursing facility and is moved to Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Hospital with the closure of Precedent Hospital.
A bilingual interdisciplinary team is formed to better serve Denver’s Hispanic community.
2001
The Carolyn Jaffe Society, named in honor of our founder, is established to honor donors. Carolyn dies
2002
HMD’s 250 volunteers give more than 20,500 hours of service to patients as HMD’s daily census reaches an all-time high of 300.
Colorado Department of Health awards both care centers its Resquip Award for the development of our sensory garden program.
2003
HMD marks its 25th anniversary and becomes the state’s 12th largest non-profit organization.
HMD receives a $500,000 federal grant to establish The Life Quality Institute to provide education in palliative and end-of-life care to health-care and medical students, medical professionals, and communities throughout Colorado.
2005
Team Green, an environmental stewardship program, is formed to ensure the safe and environmentally-safe disposal of medications.
Renowned Colorado photographer John Fielder donates photographs for The Denver Hospice’s new branding campaign.
2006
HMD adds a West Nursing Home Team to cover patient care in the metro-area’s expanding suburbs.
The Foundation for Hospices in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2006 cites The Denver Hospice’s partnership with Selian Lutheran Hospice in Tanzania as a model in “Best Practices Partnering.”
The Mask Project broke a record when Steve Chotin’s mask titled, Helpful = A Joyful Heart, sold during a festive round of bidding for $141,000.
The Denver Hospice adds a West Nursing Home Team to serve a growing population.
2007
Hospice of Metro Denver (HMD) changes its name to The Denver Hospice to establish itself as The place where metro-area residents turn for end-of-life care. Along with the new brand and brochures, The Denver Hospice refined its mission -- to encircle those facing advanced illness with unprecedented levels of comfort, compassion and expertise.
The Denver Hospice Values Ladder – respect, safety, choice, compassion and efficiency – is implemented.
Susan Langley, patient benefit adviser for The Denver Hospice, receives the Spirit of Hospice Award from the Colorado Hospice Organization.
Colorado ranks second in the nation in the percentage of people who turn to hospice for end-of-life care, according to a study sponsored by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
The Daniels Fund and The Colorado Health Foundation awarded grants totaling $500,000 to pave the way for Pathways Palliative Care to grow.
The Life Quality Institute receives the 2007 Denver Medical Society Community Education Award for its ongoing efforts to promote access to and awareness of palliative care.
2008
The Denver Hospice buys land in the heart of Denver’s Lowry neighborhood for a a new 21-bed inpatient care center.
Footprints Children’s Grief Center and Judi’s House form a partnership to provide a full range of grief support services for children and their parents.
2009
Donna “Cookie Lady” Portman, a volunteer at the Care Center receives the 9 Who Care Award from 9News.
Erin Beauprez, volunteer services director, earns Denver Business Journal honor as “Forty Under 40.”
The Denver Hospice realizes a long-held dream by breaking ground on an Inpatient Care Center at Lowry – the first inpatient hospice care center in the City of Denver.
Louann Miller, The Denver Hospice’s longest-serving volunteer, receives the inaugural “Heart of Hospice Award.”
The Denver Hospice spends $1.6 million on indigent care and supporting services to help those who need it most in time of crisis.
2010
The Denver Hospice receives the 2010 Martin Luther King Jr. Business Social Responsibility Award honoring the legacy of the slain Civil Rights leader.
The Mask Project raises more than $400,000 from the sale of 500 masks, generous sponsorships and its 12th Mask Project Gala in Cherry Creek Shopping Center.
Rocky Mountain PBS airs hour-long documentary, Living with Dying, featuring patient stories and expertise of The Denver Hospice.