Hospices Unveil New Inpatient Centers, Expand Facilities

Hospice of the Chesapeake Unveils New Supportive Care Facility

Maryland-based Hospice of the Chesapeake has revamped its inpatient facility into a comprehensive care and community support center.

The facility recently reopened this month as the Burnett Center for Hope & Healing, formerly known as the Burnett Calvert Hospice House. The center’s services will include support and educational resources for individuals and families coping with serious and terminal illnesses, grief and end-of-life situations in the community of Calvert County, Maryland.

The renovated space signifies a “fresh start” and “sets a new standard” for community-based health care services, according to Hospice of the Chesapeake leaders.

The center will extend “beyond traditional hospice care” to meet the complex needs of serious illness and loss among patients and their loved ones, according to Becky Miller, COO and interim CEO at Hospice of the Chesapeake.

“The reimagined center will be warm, welcoming and open to the needs of those who are not only experiencing [the] end of life, but also [to] those living with progressive, complex serious illness over a period of years and grieving the loss of loved ones,” Miller told local news.

In addition to health care services, the center will serve as a communal space for therapeutic and supportive activities such as art, music, gardening, grief support and specialized programs for children designed to meet mental and emotional health needs.

Hospice of the Chesapeake provides services in four Maryland counties. Its affiliates, Calvert Hospice and Hospice of Charles County, unified under the organization’s main brand in April in a strive towards greater consistency across communities within its service region, according to the hospice provider.

Willow Breeze Hospice Readies Inpatient Facility

Illinois-based Sarah Bush Lincoln (SBL) Hospice is launching a new inpatient center set to open in December.

The Willow Breeze Hospice House is located in Mattoon, Illinois and features eight private rooms with patios for adult and pediatric patients. The center has a kitchen and dining area, library and workspace, chapel, activity room and family quiet rooms for overnight guests. Walking paths and a pond surround the facility, as well as a covered outdoor patio area.

The center is designed for hospice care that addresses the unique needs, personal preferences and cultural beliefs of various community members at the end of life, according to Jenn Roberts, SBL hospice manager.

“We encourage your loved ones to spend quality time by your side, creating cherished memories and ensuring your comfort,” Roberts said in a statement. “Our communal spaces are designed to foster togetherness and provide space for support and reflection. Our staff encourages our patients to share their life stories, hobbies and interests so we can create moments of joy and meaning. We work together to provide a holistic approach to address all aspects of well-being.”

The hospice received the green light last April to renovate the structure on a local hospital campus. Construction began in the spring of 2022. The center has been six years in the making. Bereavement counseling will be available to families at the center for 13 months following the death of a loved one, as well as respite services for caregivers.

The SBL Health Foundation, the hospice’s philanthropic arm, launched a capital campaign to support the center’s construction and help provide ongoing financial support for patients and families with uncovered room and board expenses. Thus far, the foundation has raised a little more than $3 million, including $300,000 in donations from SBL staff, according to local news.

Home Health & Hospice Care Pours $2.5 Million Into Inpatient Center Expansion

Home Health & Hospice Care (HHHC) recently opened its inpatient center in New Hampshire after investing $2.5 million toward an expansion.

The east wing of the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, New Hampshire opened this month with six new patient suites that accommodate upwards of more than 230 additional patients annually, according to HHHC President and CEO Barbara Lafrance.

The hospice anticipates a yearly census of roughly 600 patients at the center with the added space, Lafrance told local news.

The center features a home-like environment with private rooms and bathrooms for adult and pediatric hospice patients in need of inpatient care.

In addition to hospice, HHHC also offers home care, caregiver resources, bereavement support and pediatric and maternal health care services.

Established in 1989, Home Health & Hospice Care provides services across 25 communities in southern New Hampshire. The hospice provider’s overall revenue reached $24.49 million in 2023, according to its annual report, a decline from $27.63 million in 2020, according to its most recent 990 tax return report. HHHC is part of the SolutionHealth system.

Hospice of the Calumet Area’s $1.3 Million Inpatient Facility Renovations

Indiana-based Hospice of the Calumet Area recently reopened its inpatient facility after undergoing renovations that expanded its clinical capacity.

The hospice’s inpatient center has served more than 5,900 patients with 24-hour interdisciplinary care since opening nearly 25 years ago. Last year, Hospice of the Calumet Area began a capital campaign to raise $1 million in funds to update the William J. Riley Memorial Residence facility.

The inpatient facility now features eight patient rooms, with additional updates underway such as a new driveway, windows and bathrooms.

“Just like any home, our facility has operated with the original roof, windows, furnaces and air conditioners and were in dire need of updates,” Adrianne May, CEO at Hospice of the Calumet Area, told local news. “We want the William J. Riley Memorial Residence to continue as a sanctuary for those in need of our unique brand of care. We need a solid foundation to ensure it remains the premier inpatient hospice setting for future generations.”

The hospice has raised $1.3 million thus far in the renovation’s capital campaign. Hospice of the Calumet Area has plans to install a new roof, heating and cooling systems, meditation gardens and a labyrinth in 2024, as well as a veterans memorial area.

Hospice of the Calumet Area has provided care to more than 23,000 patients and families in northwest Indiana and Illinois since its establishment in 1981. The nonprofit was previously known as Hospice of Northwest Indiana before undergoing a name change and expanding care into neighboring Ilinois communities.

The hospice’s services include grief support, transitional care, a veterans program and a volunteer-based pet therapy program, Caring Canines, among others.
Last year Hospice of the Calumet Area provided care to 623 patients and families, including 197 veterans, according to its 2022 annual report.