Joining Our Board

Joe O’Connor has been selected by Community Hospice’s Board of Directors to fill a vacant position on our board. Currently the Senior Vice President of International Sales for Mohawk Fine Papers in Cohoes, Joe is a member of the family that’s owned and operated Mohawk since 1931. Joe firmly believes in giving back to the community, and has served on the boards of The Ronald McDonald House, The Wildwood School, The YMCA’s Camp Chingachgook and The Addictions Care Center of Albany.

He and his wife Joan live in Loudonville, and are the proud parents of five children. Thanks, Joe, for bringing your knowledge, leadership and passion to The Community Hospice!

Hospice CEO Retiring

Ron Watson, The Community Hospice’s President and CEO, has announced he’ll retire later this spring. Ron’s led Community Hospice for five years, during which time the organization’s grown to where we’re caring for more than 600 hospice patients a day in the greater Capital Region.

Also during his tenure, Community Hospice started providing palliative care consultations to patients at two area hospitals and launched Camp Erin for grieving kids, which was featured on NBC’s Today Show and Nightly News with Brian Williams. A passionate champion of Hospice care, Ron has dedicated much of his career to improving hospice services, long term care, senior living communities and health care in general. His retirement means Ron will get to spend more time with his wife Cathy (his high school sweetheart!) and his five grandkids. Good luck Ron!

New Hospice Physician

A warm welcome to Dr. John Pezzulo, who joined Community Hospice this week to help lead our home care team in Schenectady. Dr. Pezzulo, who's also marking his 20th year with Scotia-Glenville Family Medicine, is Board Certified in Family Medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

A Busy January

We admitted more patients in January than we did in any single month last year or the year before. A total of 345 new patients came on our program…some living at home, some living in nursing homes, some who are currently hospital patients. We appreciate the faith and trust they and their families place in our hospice teams. It’s an honor serve them.

Walk Co-Chairs Announced

We’ve got two great new co-chairs for our 2011 Walk for Hospice, and both happen to be graduates of Albany Law School Jodi McGrath is currently general counsel at Digital X-Press Solutions in Albany, and Tara Moffett is an associate with Girvin and Ferlazzo in Albany. They’re bringing fresh ideas and renewed enthusiasm to our 11th Annual Walk, which will be held this year on Saturday, June 16 at UAlbany. >>>Register here!

Helping More People

2011 was a record year for us in terms of being able to help more patients than ever before. We were privileged to have provided Hospice services to 4,354 people in Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Saratoga, Columbia, Greene and Montgomery Counties. To all the families who counted on us for expertise, guidance and support...thank you!