History and Timeline

For over 45 years, Hospice of the Western Reserve has provided award winning care for Northern Ohio.

1970-1980

1978

The agency is founded as Cancer Family Service in Lake County, Ohio.

1980-1989

1981

The agency becomes Hospice of Lake County, Inc. with an office in Mentor, Ohio.

1984

Hospice is certified by Medicare.

1985

Hospice of Lake County receives accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations.

1989

The agency opens a new facility in Cleveland’s University Circle to better serve the Cuyahoga County area. Name changed to Hospice of the Western Reserve, Inc.

1990-1999

1990

Hospice of the Western Reserve merges with the Hospice Network of Northern Ohio.

1991

Hospice of the Western Reserve becomes one of the first hospices in the state to receive licensure from the Ohio Department of Health.

1992

The Pediatric Team is formed to focus on special needs of seriously ill children and their families.

1993

A new facility is opened in Westlake, Ohio to better serve patients and families living in western Cuyahoga County.

The Alternative Home Care Team is formed to focus on special needs of patients in nursing homes and other long-term care residential facilities.

1994

A new facility is opened in Solon, Ohio to better serve patients and families in that area.

The AIDS Team is formed to focus on special needs of AIDS patients and families.

1995

Hospice House, the first residential hospice in Greater Cleveland, opens.

1996

An on-going fundraiser for the agency, the first Vista Tribute Walk dedication is held at Hospice House in May. The Vista Walk is a winding pathway along the Lake Erie shoreline made of bricks, granite stones, garden walls and benches that feature honorary and memorial inscriptions.

1997

The Hospice Institute is started in January to provide education and programming for healthcare professionals and the public about hospice and palliative care.

The first professional conference is held in September and attended by more than 300 healthcare professionals from across the country.

1998

The agency celebrates its 20th year of providing care to the terminally ill and their families. Hospice staff continues to travel nationally and abroad, sharing hospice philosophy and information about end-of-life care.

1999

Hospice of the Western Reserve, in collaboration with University Hospitals Ireland Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve University, embarks on a three-year project that integrates hospice workers with Ireland Cancer Center staff. This new team treats lung cancer patients and their families and pioneering a new protocol for care.

The agency starts the Bereavement Center — not a physical structure but a program that provides members of the community with grief support, counseling and education.

2000-2009

2000

The agency cares for more than 550 patients per day (compared to 23 total for the year 1978) and increases its care for those under 25 years of age (from 27 patients/families in 1999) to 59 patients.

2001

The agency opens site to serve Lorain County.

2002

Hospice of the Western Reserve is a recipient of the Circle of Life Award in recognition of 

Project Safe Conduct, Hospice of the Western Reserve’s three-year partnership with Ireland 

Cancer Center that was started in 1999. The National Hospice of Palliative Care 

Organization honors Project Safe Conduct with an award for Excellence in Education, and CEO David Simpson receives the Heart of Hospice Award in the Senior Executive category.

Hospice of the Western Reserve is chosen as one of the best places to work by NorthCoast99, an annual, year-long effort to identify 99 of the best places to work in Northeast Ohio.

An additional Cleveland facility, Villaview, is opened.

2003

Hospice of the Western Reserve celebrates its 25th anniversary.

The agency opens a new facility in Cleveland to house The Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Bereavement Center.

The agency expands service in Ashtabula County and opens 8th satellite office.

CEO David Simpson is selected to receive the Meritorious Service Award from the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.

The “Building the Bridge” program, focusing on chronic heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, wins The Rose and Sam Stein Award.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) recognizes the program as winner of the 2003 Educational Program Designed to Increase Access to Hospice and Palliative Care.

2004

Hospice of the Western Reserve launches a specialized program for people with dementia, based on the growing prevalence of the disease.

Bridget Montana, Chief Operating Officer, receives the Heart of Hospice Award in the category of Senior Executive by the National Council of Hospice & Palliative Professionals.

The Perinatal Palliative Care Program receives the Rose & Sam Stein Award for its work with expectant parents of seriously ill unborn children.

The Baldwin-Wallace College Health Care Executive MBA class of 2004 recognizes CEO David Simpson for his Excellence in Health Care Leadership.

Connie Schultz, columnist and feature writer for The Plain Dealer, receives the Person of the Year Award by the Ohio Hospice and Palliative Care Organization for her continued efforts in raising awareness about hospice care through her articles. 

Hospice of the Western Reserve’s video Path of Life, receives an honorable mention in the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization 2004 Film Contest.

2005

Hospice House celebrates its 10th anniversary of being built.

A new office opens in Lakewood.

The Ashtabula Office relocates to a new facility.

The agency reaches a daily census of more than 1,000 patients and participates in the Shoreline Protection Project and Ames Family Viewing Deck Dedication.

2007

Hospice of the Western Reserve launches the “Peaceful & Proud” initiative to train staff on PTSD, remorse and regret related to military service, substance abuse and how the unique experiences of veterans shape their end-of-life preferences.

2008

Hospice of the Western Reserve establishes the End of Life Library, a specialized, virtual library serving the professional community, not just locally but also nationally.

2009

Hospice of the Western Reserve implements a 13-bed inpatient facility at The Renaissance in Olmsted Township, enhancing our efforts to provide residential hospice care in the west-side communities.

2010-present

2010

Hospice of the Western Reserve opens a Summit County office and increases access to care with the first full year of operation of the Navigator program, a support system for patients who have transitioned off hospice services but can benefit from emotional support and caregiver assistance.

2011

Hospice of the Western Reserve breaks ground on Ames Family Hospice House, our home-like residential facility in Westlake.

William Finn assumes role as CEO.

Hospice House is renamed the David Simpson Hospice House.

Headquarters relocates to St. Clair Avenue.

2012

Ames Family Hospice House, a state-of-the-art 32-bed in-patient facility opens in Westlake.

The Elisabeth Severance Bereavement Center is recognized for leadership and service in responding to a crisis in the community.

2015

The 5,000-sq.-ft. Hershey Play Garden opens at the Ames Family Hospice House.

A merger with HMC Hospice of Medina County is announced and completed.

Western Reserve pilots at home support services.

Helen Kassay Society is created.

2017

West Campus opened in Fairview Park, Ohio.

Agency receives accreditation from the National Institute for Jewish Hospice.

2018

East Campus opens in Willoughby, Ohio.

Western Reserve Care Solutions is formed as the parent company of Hospice of the Western Reserve and its related subsidiaries. It focuses on supporting individuals with advanced chronic disease and terminal illness. The parent company also allows for the creation of joint ventures and supportive businesses that align with the mission.

Hospice of the Western Reserve kicks off the yearlong 40th Anniversary with celebration at David Simpson Hospice House.

True North Hospice Analytics (TNHA) is a created as a tool for hospice agencies to bring together data from EMR, payroll, finance and CRM seamlessly.

2019

Hospice of the Western Reserve's palliative care program, Western Reserve Navigator (WRN), is  recognized as one of the most innovative palliative care programs in the nation by The American Hospital Association as a 2019 Circle of Life Award winner.

The Blue Diamond Celebration Benefit commences on October 4.

2020

HWR becomes the first hospice organization in Northeast Ohio to achieve Level 5 partner status with We Honor Veterans, a program of the NHPCO in conjunction with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Numerous honors awarded to the agency and staff throughout the year for outstanding achievements in health and medicine including the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation's Maurice Saltzman Award, dedicated to all Northeast Ohio frontline workers for their commitment to providing care and support to the most vulnerable in our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021

A merger with Stein Hospice is announced and completed.