STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - Judith Aitken, 89, has her blood pressure checked at her Durango home on Tuesday afternoon by a nurse from Hospice of Mercy.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - Judith Aitken, 89, right, said her doctor recommended hospice care after Aitken began visiting the emergency room every two weeks because of a heart condition. Sean Kelly, a registered nurse with Hospice of Mercy, and other nurses with the service, have been visiting weekly since April.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - Judith Aitken, 89, left, receives a visit from Sean Kelly, a registered nurse with Hospice of Mercy, at her Durango home on Tuesday afternoon.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - In addition to other services provided by Hospice of Mercy, Judith Aitken, 89, also receives medication for her heart condition.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - Weekly visits from Sean Kelly, a registered nurse with Hospice of Mercy, helps Judith Aitken, 89, who has a heart condition, keep her healthcare costs down.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - "It's comforting...it lifts a burden off your shoulders to some degree," said Judith Aitken, 89, who receives weekly visits in her home from Hospice of Mercy.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - Judith Aitken, 89, said she feels fortunate she still has lots of family and friends in her life. Aitken said one of her two daughters lives only blocks away.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - Sean Kelly, a registered nurse with Hospice of Mercy, pays a visit to Judith Aitken, 89, at her Durango home on Tuesday afternoon.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - Sean Kelly, a registered nurse with Hospice of Mercy, visits Judith Aitken, 89, once a week at her Durango home.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - Sean Kelly, a registered nurse with Hospice of Mercy, gets a hug from Judith Aitken, 89, after visiting her in her Durango home on Tuesday afternoon.