History and Milestones

1976: Founded as Boulder Hospice, Colorado’s first hospice and among the first in the U.S.
1977: Provided compassionate care to 15 patients in the inaugural year.
1982: Became a demonstration site for the groundbreaking Medicare Hospice benefit.
1982: Held the first PIZZAZ! fundraiser, establishing a tradition of community support.
1983: Launched hospice training programs with the National Hospice Organization (now NHPCO).
1983: Irene Rothgerber’s generous donation of a home on Marine Street created a new headquarters.
1991: Opened a satellite office at James House in Longmont to expand regional access.
1995: Rebranded as Hospice of Boulder County, reflecting a growing community presence.
1999: Opened an in-patient care center on the Balfour campus in Louisville.
2003: Rebranded as HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties while celebrating 30 years of service.
2005: Established the Hospice Care & Share Thrift Shop as well as a Grief & Education Center to enhance services and community engagement.
2006: Formed meaningful partnership with Bumbuli Lutheran Hospital Hospice and Palliative Care in Tanzania for mutual learning and support.
2007: Opened a new Longmont office and introduced Palliative Home Health, broadening care options for patients at various stages of illness.
2010: Launched Camp Erin, a grief camp serving 43 children and teens in its first year, fostering healing and resilience.
2011: Earned Partner Level 4 Certification from NHPCO’s We Honor Veterans Program, recognizing our dedication to veteran care.
2011: Launched the 11th Hour Program to provide compassionate companionship for patients in their final moments who preferred not to be alone.
2013: Evolved into TRU Community Care to signify expanded programs and a broader service area.
2017: Introduced TRU PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) to serve a broader population by addressing health and social needs earlier in the care journey.
2018: Relocated the TRU Hospice Inpatient Hospice Care Center to Longmont United Hospital where it remains today.
2019: Earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Home Care Certification.
2019: Partnered with The Conversation Project in Boulder County to empower individuals to share their end-of-life preferences with loved ones.
2019: Enhanced community-based palliative care to better support more individuals with complex medical needs.
2020: Implemented an innovative Tele-Care model in partnership with Vivify Health to adapt to changing healthcare needs.
2020: Acquired Landmark Memory Care to extend specialized services for individuals with memory-related conditions.
2020: Achieved Partner Level 5 Certification from NHPCO’s We Honor Veterans Program.
2021: Created the TRU Nursing Residency Program to nurture future hospice and palliative care professionals.
2022: Relocated the TRU Tele-Care Center to a state-of-the-art call center in Louisville.
2022: Surpassed $1 million in annual sales at TRU Thrift Shop, supporting community services.
2022: Reached a milestone of serving more than 1,000 patients/participants per day, reflecting significant growth.
2023: Expanded TRU PACE into Denver, building on six successful years in Boulder County and Southwest Weld County.
2024: Developed TRU Triage Services and began offering them to external organizations.
2024: Became a training site for CU’s Master’s in Palliative Care, advancing education in the field.

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