Hospice of Jefferson County completes major expansion

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) — Hospice of Jefferson County is making everyday matter.

On May 18, Hospice of Jefferson County cut the ribbon on its residence expansion project. Organization leaders marked the official completion and explained the process to community members who attended a ceremony at the facility.

This project aimed to meet the demand for hospice services in the area as Jefferson County is one of eleven hospice agencies with an on-site residential facility.

“We experienced right away when we opened in 2012 that we had a lot of demand for the facility,” Hospice of Jefferson County CEO Diane Woodhouse explained. “So we decided in about 2014 or 2015 when we were seeing waiting lists for patients to come here.”

Totaling $2.5 million, the expansion was mostly funded through community donations.

“We are deeply appreciative of the community support shown to Hospice of Jefferson County throughout the years and especially in this very important effort to expand our residence and to enable us to take care of more people in the North Country,” Hospice Foundation Board Chair Emily Sprague said at the ceremony.

The completed project added four new patient rooms and a family room. Additionally, Hospice focused on adding natural elements to the property. This was achieved through the addition of an indoor solarium, outdoor gardens, fountains and walking paths.

“As people have a backyard, this is the families and patients’ backyards that live here,” Woodhouse added. “So we truly believe that nature is a part of our healing environment that we provide and so we have provided that space.”

But overall, the project helped Hospice grow to meet the wider needs of Jefferson County, hopeful to expand care to everyone in need.

“The Hospice team is so good right now,” Board Chair Maureen Cean expressed at the ribbon cutting. “I wouldn’t be surprised if two years from now we’re standing here kicking off another expansion.”

“Hospice is really part of the health care continuum,” Woodhouse expressed. “We are here to provide care and service for families when we all face our end-of-life journey.”

Hospice of Jefferson County is located at 1398 Gotham Street in Watertown, New York.

Powered by News Channel 9.