Purple ribbons appear around downtown Washington

WASHINGTON — Purple ribbons and flyers have appeared on light posts around Washington County for the month of November, posted by Hospice of Washington County to honor National Hospice and Palliative Care Month.

“We believe that everybody deserves quality care at the end of life,” Hospice Office Administrator Tiffany Crawford said. “Hospice enables a person with life-limiting illness to maintain personal dignity.”

Some of the flyers — appearing in downtown and Main Street areas of Washington, Kalona and Wayland — have fun facts, others contain info on hospice in general, or Hospice of Washington County specifically. Crawford said raising awareness of the field was a consistent priority.

“Hopefully people can learn some stuff from them and bring out awareness,” Crawford said. “A lot of people don’t understand aspects of hospice.”

Some of that info is specific to Washington County. Crawford said she wanted to spread the word that the center’s model was nonprofit.

“Spreading awareness about that is important, so families know they will never see a bill from us,” she said. “Hospice of Washington County, we are locally owned, we are not-for-profit … they can support local.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com