For more than 30 years, Lourdes Hospice has provided comfort, compassion and dignity to the terminally ill. On Tuesday, Lourdes broke ground on the 10,000 square foot inpatient hospice unit that will connect to the hospital, with all of the comforts of home yet designed entirely for hospice care.

“We are thrilled that Lourdes will offer the first inpatient hospice care center to our region,” said Steven Grinnell, Lourdes President and CEO. “The Lourdes Hospice Care Center will allow us to provide our hospice patients and their families the holistic comfort and hospitality of home when being at home is not the right choice.”

Every detail of the center is designed so the patient and family can focus on their time together, turning final days into precious memories. “Our loved ones deserve to have dignity and comfort during their final days. We are committed to ensuring, through this successful campaign, that every hospice patient has the opportunity for such comfort and compassion when the time comes, and in the desired location—at home or in the Lourdes Hospice Care Center,” said Rex Smith, Capital Campaign Co-chair.

Features of the center include:
– 10 large private suites with spacious patios
– A team of dedicated, specialty-trained hospice staff including nurses, physicians, chaplain counselors, social workers, personal care aides and volunteers
– Comfortable family lounges with a well-equipped kitchen
-Covered portico with convenient ground-level entryway and dedicated parking
– Children’s play area
– Serenity garden and chapel for quiet reflection
– Unrestricted visiting hours
– Pet visits welcome

“Lourdes is to be commended for taking the lead on building the new Hospice Care Center,” said Dr. James Long, internist and one of two medical directors for the hospice program. “As an internist, it will allow me to have that hard conversation with a patient when I have to say, “There is nothing else we can do to cure you. We need to move into a phase to keep you comfortable. We have a unit where that is all we do, and your family can be there, too.”

“We are humbled by the many donors who have stepped forward to support our Hospice center, and pray that others will similarly feel led to make a gift to this project,” said Tara Miller, Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer.  “It is only through generous partnership with our community that Lourdes can offer this special ministry for every patient and family in their time of greatest need.”