Five-star health care has arrived in Niagara County

by Jessica Haidon
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, September 29, 2007

Families and patients facing a future where hospice care may be an option will find solace in knowing that the answer is right in their own backyard.

Niagara Hospice offers a welcoming and comforting atmosphere to families the second they walk in the door to their new Five Star Hospice House facility, located at 4675 Sunset Drive, in Lockport. Surely a relief to many who may find themselves fearful of a clinical environment, the hospice is truly a place of peace. Nestled away from the busy city, Niagara Hospice sits calmly on a beautiful rural property, bordered by woods, and several acres of fields.

Recognizing that for those who find themselves in need of a hospice service, this truly is a sensitive time. The staff at Niagara Hospice is fully prepared to offer a host of clinical services for those who require both long and short-term care, as well as their families. Easing the transition into hospice is done with such dignity, Director of Marketing Patricia Degan stresses that a lot of the clinical work is done behind the scenes, so that this can truly be a comforting time for both the patient and the family.

Various pieces of medical equipment are stored safely in clever alcoves that are hidden from view by paintings so there can be more of a focus on people. And a focus on people is what hospice has always been about, but the key to Niagara Hospices’ success is that there should be a touch of elegance and class added into the equation.

Niagara County’s only “at home” hospice care facility, Hospice House offers a residential wing of eight suites specifically designed for longer stays when traditional home care-giving becomes compromised. Another wing features 10 suites designed for in-patient care for those in need of short-term medical monitoring and symptom management.

No detail goes overlooked; staff tries to create and capture an individualized experience and will even go so far as to feature paintings of local Niagara county landmarks to create a homey feel.

However this elegance does not stop at the patients suites. There are several visitor lounges and family rooms, which feature a fully operational kitchen, so families can find normalcy during this stressful time. Say, a Sunday night dinner was your particular routine with your loved one; it can be once again, in these rooms, the hospice strives to capture these memories for you and provides the perfect setting to do so.

A vision of John Lomeo, the current CEO with 25 years in the long-term care field, the new Niagara Hospice House is a health care facility that turns the focus away from the disease and back to togetherness and family. Hospice House offers an extremely caring and compassionate medical staff, as well as opportunities for counsel for up to 13 months should the need arrive.

Finally Niagara County has a health care facility that truly sees the bigger picture.