2016 has been an extraordinary year for Collabria Care- Collabria Hospice, a year in which we updated our brand, expanded our services, recruited more volunteers, and cared for more of the most seriously ill in our community than ever before. there follows some of the highlights of the year.
Brand and Name Change
We will all remember 2016 as the year we became Collabria Care, leaving Napa Valley Hospice & Adult Day Services behind. The change was received with mostly positive reviews initially and when we had the opportunity to describe why the change was necessary and how the research informed our decisions, many of those who initially didn’t care for the change were persuaded that it was best for our organization.
Awards Received:
NuStep presented the Pinnacle Award to the Collabria Day Program in January. This award was given in recognition of our commitment to whole person wellness throughout the program. A Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition was presented to Collabria Care on December 9th. This award was given in recognition and appreciation of our leadership in organizing the Napa Valley Education Conference for Family Caregivers and Professionals, entitled “Understanding Memory Loss: Strategies for Success.”
Organizational Changes:
2016 brought significant changes in our leadership team. Celine Regalia accepted a newly formed position, Director of Operations, in 2016. Niti Malhotra has accepted the task of leading the Collabria Day Program under Celine’s mentorship. Additionally, Drew Culwell accepted the position of RN Case Manager within our Hospice program. Our organization benefitted from the addition of Rene Norris, our CFO, and Sandra Parumal, our Director of Quality Improvement – a position which has expanded to include a greater focus on compliance.
Developing Partnerships:
Collaborations with Partnership HealthPlan of California and the California Healthcare Foundation continue to increase Collabria Care’s influence in statewide and federal healthcare issues, including SB1004.
Parkinson’s disease workshops began in 2016, and the new ALS support group will begin in January 2017. Each series is the result of new and exciting partnerships with the Parkinson’s Association and the ALS Association, respectively. Additionally, 2016 marked the first time Collabria Care participated in the Alzheimer’s Association’s event The Longest Day; the awareness-building event was a resounding success.
5th Annual Palliative Care Conference Captivated Audience:
Continuing our success from previous years, the fifth annual Advances in Palliative Care Conference at the DoubleTree, American Canyon enthralled a full house. Evaluations indicated exceptional reviews for the topics, speakers, as well as for the program in its entirety.
Additions to the Board of Directors:
Collabria Care’s Board of Directors acquired three new members in 2016: Mary Stephens, Andrew Nicks, MD, and Antonia Lendaris joined the team, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise.