Community Hospice & Palliative Care opens for business in 11 new counties

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Community Hospice & Palliative Care is open for business and accepting patients in 11 new counties, including Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Putnam, Suwannee, and Union, effective Jan. 1, 2018.

These counties are part of the area defined as 3A, or North-Central Florida. In 2017, Community Hospice & Palliative Care was selected by the Florida Agency of Health Care Administration (AHCA) to provide service to these 11 additional counties, while still providing services to the five Northeast Florida counties it has served since its founding in 1979. The five founding counties of 4A include Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns and are supported by more than 900 employees and 1,000 volunteers, assisting 1,600 patients each day to live better with advanced illness – at home, in long-term care and assisted living facilities, in hospitals and at the organization’s eight inpatient care centers.

“I’m thrilled to be leading our expansion into 3A because my neighbors now have a choice when it comes to advanced illness and end-of-life care” said Belena “Billie” Adkins, RN, BSN, CHPN, 3A regional director and native of Baker County. “Our compassionate and innovative care will be provided to the community-at-large by fellow residents. Our new launch into 3A is neighbor helping neighbor, and we’ll be there 24/7 when they need us.”  

In addition to the four levels of adult hospice care as defined by Medicare, Community Hospice & Palliative Care will also provide:

·         Advanced care planning

·         Caregiver education and support

·         Grief and bereavement support for up to 13 months

·         Integrative and complementary therapies such as music therapy, pet therapy, etc.

·         Palliative care (advanced illness symptom management)

·         Pediatric palliative care, hospice care and bereavement camp

·         Veterans programs

·         Volunteer involvement

“We look forward to bringing these and many more programs and services to the residents of 3A,” said Community Hospice & Palliative Care President and CEO Susan Ponder-Stansel. “We are here to get to know them, to listen to them and ensure we provide our neighboring patients and families with the best care possible. We want to be the choice for compassionate care at the time in life when they need us the most.”

Visit communityhospice.com or call (800) 274-6614 to learn more.