By the fall residents of Caroline County will once again have a residential hospice center. The Caroline Hospice Home located at 613 S. 5th Ave in Denton is scheduled to open for patient care following months of renovations.
The facility, which is owned by Caroline Hospice Foundation, will accommodate three residential patients in three private rooms. The center also has a chapel and comfortable seating and dining areas for visitors. The facility, including a new state-of-the art kitchen, has been updated to comply with state regulations that govern hospice centers.
“We are excited to be able to expand the service we have been providing in Caroline County since the state approved us to be the sole provider of hospice services last fall,” says Heather Guerieri, RN, BSN, CHPN, executive director, Compass Regional Hospice. “Now, in addition to providing hospice care in private residences, nursing homes and assisted living facilities we will have a three-bed residential hospice center for people who choose this level of care.”
Betty Balles, president of the Caroline Hospice Foundation and a long-time hospice champion in Caroline County, adds, “The Caroline Hospice Foundation is committed to its mission of raising money needed to ensure that the people of our community have access to the hospice care they need. We are pleased to have formed this partnership with Compass Regional Hospice, whose staff and volunteers share our passion for helping people through some of the most difficult days of their lives.”
Laura Harris, vice president and incoming president for Caroline Hospice Foundation, says, “This collaboration with Compass Regional Hospice also adds services that are now available in Caroline County through the Hope & Healing Center. Skilled counselors provide grief support not only to hospice families but also to people of all ages who have experienced a significant loss. The Hope & Healing Center programs include individual and group counseling, support groups, and workshops for adults, teens and children.”
Like all non-profit hospice providers, Compass Regional Hospice depends on donations from the community to close the gap between the actual cost of providing patient care and payments received from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance. Guerieri says, “Fundraising is the heart of hospice and we are most grateful to our Caroline Hospice Foundation colleagues for the enthusiasm they bring to funding this facility and many of the expenses we incur in providing hospice care.”
A community grand opening celebration is planned for August 11 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at the Caroline Hospice Home.
For more information about Compass Regional Hospice call 443-262-4100 or visit www.compassregionalhospice.org. To become a hospice supporter in Caroline County contact the Caroline Hospice Foundation, 410-479-3500, carolinehospice.com.
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