Hospice of the Western Reserve Named Among the Most Compassionate Palliative Care Providers in 2019

Hospice of the Western Reserve is proud to be recently named among the Most Compassionate Palliative Care Providers by Global Health and Pharma Magazine.

Article originally featured in Global Health and Pharma Magazine

Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Hospice of the Western Reserve (HWR) provides hospice services, palliative care and bereavement support to patients and families throughout Northern Ohio. As one of the original legacy providers of hospice in the U.S., HWR is celebrating 40 years of compassionate care. We profile the firm to learn more about the vital work it undertakes.
Hospice and palliative care have been Hospice of the Western Reserve’s (HWR) specialties since 1978. Over the past 40 years, the hospice has worked to enhance its service and meet the diverse needs of its patients. As partof this, it has created a range of initiatives, all of which are designed to improve the quality and scope of care.
For example, the Western Reserve Navigator palliative care program complements curative care provided by the patient’s own doctor. When offered concurrently, it provides extra support to manage symptoms, reduce hospital readmissions and enable individuals to be more independent.
Alongside this, HWR has also designed a special model of care to integrate palliative care at the point of service within dialysis centers. Community partnerships have been formed with the dialysis centers and the Kidney Foundation of Ohio.

Specialty care for patients with chronic conditions can help alleviate symptoms, improve quality of life and decrease hospitalizations. With the help of medications, clinical support and other interventions offered by a trained staff, patients can benefit much earlier in their illness, beginning with palliative care through hospice care, if that is their choice
The organization’s Moments to Remember Program focuses on enhancing the quality of life for hospice patients and their families by fulfilling wishes. Specialized care for Veterans is provided through the Peaceful & Proud program.
Since its inception, the non-profit agency has cared for more than 120,000 Northern Ohioans. Today, specialized care is provided for cancer, renal disease, COPD, HIV/AIDS, neurodegenerative diseases, heart failure and more. Additionally, a Pediatric Palliative Care team supports children with life-threatening illness.

Seeking to provide patients with the highest possible standard of care, the organization advocates for dignity, quality and choice at the end of life nationally and globally. Together with its sister hospice, Helderberg Hospice in Somerset West, South Africa, Hospice of the Western Reserve recently received the  2018 Global Partnership Award from Global Partners in Care. The award recognizes the exceptional impact the international partnership has played in the delivery of palliative care.
It is the organization’s staff that have driven it to the success it enjoys today. HWR offers the region’s largest team of certified hospice and palliative care professionals. Care is provided in private residences,nursing facilities, assisted living communities and hospitals. Three In-Patient Care Units (hospice houses) offer intensive symptom management in a homelike setting as well as care for the final days. Many nurses have earned the distinctive credential as a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse (CHPN). All physicians are Board Certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and as such, they are able to offer patients the expert care they need at this vital time in their lives.
As part of its drive to support staff and ensure that they are able to provide the exceptional standard of care that patients deserve, HWR’s internal cultureencourages honest dialogue, respect for the feelings, values and cultures of others, teamwork and commitment to mission. A harmonious work environment is fostered by following covenants established by the founders. This culture ensures that the hospice attracts and retains the region’s best skilled hospice professionals.
Currently, a comprehensive dementia initiative is underway to reach individuals earlier in the disease process to communicate their long-range healthcare choices. Through collaboration with other dementia experts and community organizations, HWR is working to explore innovative new ways to provide family caregivers with the education, support and tools they need to provide loved ones with a better quality of life.
This development is one of many that will ensure that the hospice remains able to address the ever-growing need for hospice and palliative care over the years to come. By 2030, it is estimated that the number of seniors in Northern Ohio will be almost equal to the number of people underthe age of 20. Longer lifespans also mean more seniors are living with chronic disease, creating a growing need for hospice and palliative care services, and as such, HWR will remain committed to providing cutting-edge hospice services and care as it looks towards a bright future.