Spirit Mountain recently tapped Barb Farmer, Clinical manager at Willamette Valley Hospice, as its yeʔlan lima (Helping Hand) award winner for the paid management category.
Farmer has been a clinical manager at Willamette Valley Hospice since 2013. Due to her expertise in pediatric hospice care throughout the years. With 30 years of experience, she is a known hospice expert.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Farmer was ready to implement safety measures to protect patients, families and staff. She assists with testing staff for COVID-19 so that Willamette Valley Hospice can safely provide care at facilities. She is passionate about making certain every patient and family, regardless of their ability to pay, receives high-quality care and that every staff member is heard.
During the challenging past year, Farmer saw employee fatigue as the hospice center was taking care of patients dying of COVID-19 and purchased a massage chair for staff use when they come to the office. During the area fires, Farmer personally called all staff who potentially could be impacted. Throughout the evacuations of patients and some staff, she facilitated the coordination of patient care, even in their temporary locations.
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde is committed to honoring the tribal traditions of sharing and giving back to the community. In 1997, in an effort to uphold these traditions, the tribe formed the Spirit Mountain Community Fund, dedicating 6% of all casino revenue to nonprofit organizations in an 11-county area of northwest Oregon. Grants are awarded in the following categories: arts and culture, education, environmental protection, health, historical preservation, problem gaming and public safety. Since inception, the Community Fund awarded $84,968,137 in grants to nonprofit organizations.