The Matthews House Residential Hospice opened its doors on August 6th, providing the community with care from 70 volunteers, 2 palliative-certified registered nurses, 4 registered practical nurses, 2 palliative physicians and a hospitalist from Stevenson Memorial Hospital. Registered nurse Ludi Cole explains that they’ve designed the hospice to feel “as much like home as possible.” While the Hospice is fully furnished, residents are free to bring in personal items like photos or painting to create a more home-like setting.
On July 27th, the Hospice held an event to tour the new facility and thank all those who helped make the opening possible. Executive Director Kelly Borg explains that the residential hospice is the “realization of a dream, the piece of the puzzle that was missing.”
By January 2014 the Hospice hopes to expand to 4 beds, which would make Matthews House Residential Hospice the largest residential hospice in the Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). Studies have demonstrated that there is a need for 123 hospice beds throughout the Central LHIN. In response, Marv Chantler, Hospice President, explains that “Currently they have 3” and therefore, “it’s time to step up.”
The original Matthews House will be renamed the Community Hospice and continue to offer day programs.
For the original post click here.
Leave a Reply