STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO (September 29, 2025) – On October 1, Northwest Colorado Health will celebrate the first anniversary of the community-led effort to save Casey’s Pond. Since transitioning to local nonprofit ownership on October 1, 2024, Casey’s Pond has not only survived but is thriving.
“We are so grateful for the support our community provided in helping save Casey’s Pond,” said Stephanie Einfeld, CEO of Northwest Colorado Health, a nonprofit 501(c)(3). “Casey’s Pond is not just surviving—it is thriving thanks to our staff, residents, and the generosity of this community.”
Over the past year, Casey’s Pond has grown steadily and now maintains a waitlist for assisted and independent living units. This strong demand demonstrates the long-term sustainability of the senior living community, which provides essential housing and healthcare for Yampa Valley residents who face medical challenges or wish to age in place. Northwest Colorado Health’s other senior living community, The Haven Assisted Living, is also full with a waitlist.
Building on this success, Northwest Colorado Health is launching a three-year campaign to raise $3 million in support of services for the region’s rapidly growing aging population. The campaign will sustain vital programs that allow older adults to remain in the Yampa Valley—whether at Casey’s Pond, The Haven, or at home through Home Health and Hospice services.
Community partners are already stepping up to support the campaign. Memorial Regional Health (MRH) in Craig and UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center (YVMC) in Steamboat Springs have both pledged their support. Since 2020, YVMC has contributed more than $1 million ($1,080,500 to date, including 19% dedicated to behavioral health) to Northwest Colorado Health—reflecting their long-standing commitment to ensuring vulnerable residents have access to care close to home. MRH CEO Jenneifer Riley expressed her support at last week’s Craig City Council meeting by stating, “I want to share my strong support for Northwest Colorado Health’s Home Health and Hospice programs. These services are critically important in our community. They allow people to stay in their homes longer, help patients leave the hospital sooner and reduce medical expenses, and provide compassionate, dignified care for those at the end of life. Despite their importance, Home Health and Hospice services are poorly reimbursed. They depend on philanthropy and community partnerships to remain financially viable. That is why Memorial Regional Health has committed $100,000 this year to support Northwest Colorado Health’s Home Health and Hospice programs, and we have included this support again in our 2026 budget.”
“We know there is more work to be done,” Einfeld said. “Home Health and Hospice are critical services in the Yampa Valley. When Casey’s Pond and The Haven are full, these programs allow residents to remain here at home. Without them, many would be forced to seek care in Denver or Grand Junction.”
Northwest Colorado Health is the only provider of Home Health and Hospice services in Moffat and Routt counties. Each year, staff travel more than 100,000 miles to deliver care through 10,355 visits to more than 300 patients of all ages—all regardless of ability to pay. This commitment comes at a cost of nearly $1 million annually in unreimbursed care, due not only to the high number of uninsured and underinsured patients, but also to reimbursement models that fail to cover the true cost of care. Ongoing community support is essential to ensure that the region’s most vulnerable residents can continue to age in place.
For more information, or to donate to Northwest Colorado Health’s Home Services Campaign, please visit: http://northwestcoloradohealth.org/homeservicescampaign.