Caring for Our Community: Vanilla Stritenberger

Ohio’s Hospice of Fayette County has been honored and privileged to serve Vanilla Stritenberger, a community member who has benefited from superior care and superior services with the not-for-profit hospice. Working with Vanilla’s physician, the care team at Ohio’s Hospice of Fayette County created an individualized plan of care to help her remain at home, manage her symptoms, and remain out of the hospital. 

“My mother, Vanilla Stritenberger, has struggled with COPD. Through Ohio’s Hospice of Fayette County, Mother has had so much needed wonderful nursing care,” said Lisa West, Vanilla’s daughter. “Smiling, loving faces greet her with uplifting conversation, ready to attend and help in any way. Her care team also has been there for me, answering questions and telling me not to hesitate to call any time of the day or night. Knowing they will walk beside us as this disease progresses is a comfort to our family.” 

Ohio’s Hospice of Fayette County is providing superior care and superior services with visits to Vanilla from our certified nurse practitioner, nurses and personal care specialists. In addition, we have been able to serve Vanilla and her family in the following ways:

• Ohio’s Hospice of Fayette County is providing Vanilla with 24/7 RN on-call assistance. The care team has made more than 600 visits to provide care to Vanilla in her home. 
  
• The care team is providing caregiver support to Vanilla’s family and has educated her caregivers about the disease and its progression. The team also has provided the family with training on how to care for her.
  
• Vanilla also desired to have a spiritual connection. To help her meet her goal, the care team connected her with one of its hospice chaplains.
  
• The care team also provided respite care to her daughter, Lisa, when she had surgery.
  

Vanilla’s family is grateful for the help that the not-for-profit hospice provides with her breathing medications, management of her care, and monitoring of her breathing needs. 

“It was a relief that I could have the time to take care of myself and not have to worry about my mother’s care,” she said. “I love the care that we receive from Ohio’s Hospice of Fayette County and the people who provide my mom’s care!” 

For more information about our services, click here.

Meet Vanilla Stritenberger 

Vanilla Stritenberger was born in Pippa Passes, Kentucky, a small town in Appalachia. Family legend says that her father named her Vanilla after the bottle of vanilla in the kitchen. When she was 8, her family moved to Clinton County, Ohio. She moved to Fayette County when she married her husband, Ralph. 

They have three children, Brian Stritenberger, Teresa Seyfang, and Lisa West. They also have seven grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. When her children were young, the family performed concerts at several local churches. They traveled and sang in Michigan, Kentucky and Indiana. They recorded and produced a record, “The Stritenberger Family.”