35 YEARS OF HOPE & CARING
Many years of caring for people with advanced illness has taught Diane Stringer, President and CEO of Care Dimensions in Danvers, something that patients and families often cannot imagine; namely that hospice care “can offer a hopeful and peaceful time of life.” Honoring Choices Massachusetts’ newest Community Partner, Care Dimensions was established in 1978 as Hospice of the North Shore, and has recently changed its name to reflect its broad commitment to multi-dimensional care that includes hospice, palliative care, and support services.
With respect to hospice care, Ms. Stringer says that “It’s not uncommon for a patient and family leaving the hospital with a terminal diagnosis and in need of further medical help and support services to be offered hospice.” She adds, “It’s also not uncommon for people to react to the word ‘hospice,’ and to say- ‘No, not yet.’ ” Just mentioning the word can be very scary because for some “hospice feels like they’re giving up, or worse, that there is no hope.”
For Diane Stringer and her colleagues at Care Dimensions, this time of life is about providing compassion and expert care while lessening uncertainly, fear, and worry. In fact, hospice often provides a renewed sense of hope with the opportunity to spend precious time as one would choose, living life with family and friends. By “meeting a person where they are, at home or in a hospital,” we can “provide a seamless and compassionate transition to continuation of care when navigating advanced illness.” The staff meets with patients and families to discuss individual care goals, offers palliative care to treat symptoms and pain, and works to improve everyday quality of life by providing hospice care either at home or at a residence. In addition, Care Dimensions also offers a comprehensive bereavement program. Hospice is so much more than a narrow first fear of giving up. In reality “it’s about providing physical, emotional, social and spiritual care,” and helping adults to “live life as they choose.”
Read more about Care Dimensions at Meet Our Community Partner