Community Hospice House

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Most people with a terminal illness want to be cared for in the comfort and familiarity of their own home. With the help of a primary caregiver and visiting hospice nurses, many people are able to do so. But for some people, staying at home just isn't possible.

Perhaps you know someone like:

• A widower who lives alone and has no primary caregiver
• An elderly couple too frail to care for each other
• A grandmother whose adult children are scattered across the country
• A husband who simply isn't able to leave his job to be his wife's caregiver
• A single mother with young children

These are the people for whom the Community Hospice House was built. Our residents have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and have been referred to us by their physicians. Because they cannot be cared for in their own homes, they became eligible to be cared for at the House, which provides an environment where people feel at home.

What is the Community Hospice House?

The ten suite, one-story House is located at 210 Naticook Road, Merrimack, NH, easily accessible to people throughout the region. Patients have private rooms with bathrooms, a deck to the outside, and a sitting area, including a pullout couch for family members.

The Hospice House has one large living room, two common areas, a family kitchen, a dining room, and a chapel/meditation room. A separate family room is available for privacy and to allow families to spend the night. There are also beautiful gardens where residents and their families can enjoy the outdoors.

Since it opened in December 2000, the Hospice House has served approximately 200 patients a year. It is one of two hospice houses in the State of New Hampshire.

Hospice Services

Prior to the opening of the Community Hospice House, many residents would have received care in hospitals or nursing homes. The House is not a substitute for hospitals or nursing homes, but the care provided is focused more on the individual's needs, is more comprehensive, and is less expensive.

Hospice programs provide families with a team of professionals who join in a common effort with the patient and loved ones by controlling pain, managing symptoms, and creating an atmosphere of emotional and physical comfort.

An interdisciplinary hospice team consisting of the medical director, Hospice House manager, patient care coordinator, nurses, licensed nursing assistants, social workers, a chaplain, and volunteers cares for our residents. The patient is both the focus and the most important member of the hospice team.

The volunteers who work at the House have completed 30 hours of in-depth training that is required of all hospice volunteers.

Payment Options

Medicare and many private insurance policies cover hospice and palliative care services. Room and board costs are either privately paid, or, depending upon the patient's level of care, Medicare and some insurance companies may cover room and board. Each person's financial situation is handled on an individual basis.

Because our mission includes caring for people who have few or no financial resources, the Community Hospice House Foundation was created to build an endowment fund.

Additional information can be obtained by clicking this icon:

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