At Ohio’s Hospice, we understand that end-of-life care isn’t just about medical needs. 

Erin Serdy, an RN care manager in our Central Care Region, showed exactly what that means recently when she was serving our patient at Willow Haven Care Center, a community partner in Zanesville. 

Our nurse found out the patient, also named Erin, had an affection for horses, having been around them all her life. They also shared a love of 4-H. A friend of Erin’s, who was in the enhanced presence protocol, commented that it would be nice if she could pet a horse one last time. 

Our nurse reached out to fellow 4-H friends and made arrangements to have a horse taken to the facility. Our nurse put Erin into her wheelchair and she and her family went outside where the horse and it’s owner were waiting with treats in hand.  

“I helped the patient hold these treats in her hand,” our nurse said. “Whiskey was all up in her business. So close. And she actually smiled. And that was the first facial expression she had had in weeks.” 

Erin had Whiskey eating the treats out of her hand. She died the next day, our nurse said, adding that people still talk about that months later. 

It was a meaningful moment for Erin, her family and other patients and family members at Willow Haven as they were Celebrating Life’s Stories^®.