Hometown Halo Award

Hometown Halo Award

recognizing and celebrating the dedicated leaders who make a difference in our senior community

Dr. Sam Downing

July 2023 Award Recipient

Dr. Sam W. Downing

Dignity Health – Yavapai Regional Medical Group

Palliative Care

Dr. Downing has deep roots in Prescott and has touched so many medical organizations in our community. He has served as a family practice doctor, medical director for Northland Cares HIV Clinic, staff physician at Embry-Riddle’s student wellness center, the first hospice medical director for YRMC and Good Samaritan Society, stints at Arizona Pioneers Home and the VA, and now at his current role at Dignity Health’s Palliative Care department, spearheading the Cognitive Assessment and Support Clinic, which uses a team approach to diagnose and develop a care plan for neurocognitive conditions such as dementia, depression, strokes and Parkinson’s disease, for example.

Dr. Downing’s passion is caring for seniors, with the goal of giving them the best quality of life they can have, for as long as they can have it. He’s been helping folks in our community navigate the aging process for over three decades now, through his work as a physician and an educator. Whether he’s giving talks in the community about brain health and dementia or working with families and patients on the “what happens next” questions of palliative care, or helping families with a loved one on hospice focus on making the most of the time they have left, Dr. Downing’s kind heart always shines through.

What is the Hometown Halo Award?

The “Hometown Halo” award recognizes and celebrates the dedicated leaders who make a difference in our senior community. 

The award is granted to one recipient every other month, selected from members of the SRN community who demonstrate outstanding leadership in the senior community

Hometown Halo Criteria

  1. Candidate must have been working in Northern Arizona for over 1 year.
  2. They work with their heart for the benefit of others.
  3. They show in their work and personal lives:  "Kindness in Action".
  4. They are out in our communities promoting taking care of others.
  5. They don't search for the limelight, but SNR wants to acknowledge their hard work. 

Award Recipients