Paul Teague

pteague@newstopic.net

A bold, expanded vision for Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care is well under way. And once completed by late spring or early summer, the organization devoted to end-of-life management for patients and families will look to continue to be a model for others.

With operations currently housed in Lenoir and Granite Falls, Caldwell Hospice has embarked on a $9 million expansion off Pine Mountain Road in Hudson. Exterior work on the two new buildings largely has been completed and includes an generous parking area. Nestled within the pine trees adjacent to the Deer Creek subdivision, the development rests within 64 acres and should offer a serene, comforting environment for patients and family members.

According to Paige Richardson, Caldwell Hospice’s public relations and marketing coordinator, private contributions and public grants have raised $7 million toward the overall project. This past October, the organization received $240,000 from the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center for the effort, which is expected initially to create 20 jobs. Caldwell Hospice currently has approximately 75 individuals on its staff, Richardson said.

One of the homes – an 11,845-square-foot Professional Center – will feature offices for senior staff, along with space to house nurses, clergy, home care specialists and a large conference area. In addition, the organization plans to hire a full-time dietician, while a professional kitchen will allow meals – currently provided by Caldwell Memorial Hospital – to be prepared at the site.

Meanwhile, the 15,135-square-foot Patient Care Unit includes 12 new inpatient beds, which will be in addition to the six beds currently available at Caldwell Hospice’s downtown Lenoir location on Kirkwood Street. Richardson said the plan calls for seven residential and five acute care beds at the Hudson site, giving Caldwell Hospice nine of each between the two locations.

Along with a family and children’s play area, the care center will have a nurse’s station and patient rooms 1.5 times larger than those at the Lenoir facility. Each room includes a private bath and ample views to the outside. As an added feature, all rooms will have twin doors that exit to a patio area, while a sun room and exterior courtyard also are being developed.

“Having built the state’s first patient care units, we learned a lot,” Richardson said. “Our staff has been very involved in the details that hopefully will make this place more home-like. We want people to be comfortable here.”

With plentiful land around the two facilities, Richardson said the professional and care centers have been designed for future expansions.

Richardson noted that only 5 percent of Caldwell Hospice’s overall care involves inpatient care. To meet the needs of those outside the care centers, Richardson said the organization is planning to expand its off-site outreach, including the addition of residential care staff who will assist patients who have no other source of outside support 24 hours per day.

As for the construction, which is being managed by Raleigh-based GMK Associates, Richardson said 92 percent of the work has gone to local businesses. With construction ahead of schedule, Richardson said professional staff might be able to move into the facility in early spring, with inpatient care ready by late spring or early summer.

And based on recently released data for the past fiscal year, along with an aging population, Caldwell Hospice likely will continue to have a strong need for its services. The report shows all six inpatient care beds were occupied throughout the year, services were provided to more than 115 patients daily, and Caldwell Hospice assisted with 4,653 families.