Niagara Hospice House expansion opens to patients

Residential wing now has 16 patient suites for 24-7 comfort care

Niagara Hospice announced the Hospice House expanded residential wing is now open to admit patients at 4675 Sunset Drive, Lockport. After a year of construction, the six new residential patient suites bring the total at the facility to 16, the maximum allowed by New York.

“We are very pleased to open the new residential wing and admit our first patients this week, eliminating any additional waiting for placement for these individuals and their families,” said John Lomeo, president and CEO of Niagara Hospice. “The added suites are furnished for optimal comfort and convenience like the original wing built 15 years ago, and our staff is ready to care for more patients. Thanks to the incredible community support we received over the last year, we are grateful to have completed this important project to enhance access to community care before the start of 2023.”

A press release said, “With the large residential wing now having 60% more capacity, Niagara County hospice patients who need increased services or have an insufficient caregiver system at home will not have to wait any longer than necessary to be admitted to receive around-the-clock comfort care at Hospice House.”

Janet Ligammari, R.N., director of hospice facility services at Hospice House, said, “This is a special time for our long-time staff and new employees as we embrace the opportunities to provide specialized care and personalized support for many more families. We have always wanted the ability to admit more families and, now that this new wing is open, our staff stands ready to ensure each and every new family that enters the facility will receive the best care and attention throughout their most challenging times.”

Since opening in June 2007, the facility has cared for more than 6,000 Niagara County residents and their families. The residential wing originally consisted of eight suites, and then it was expanded to 10 in 2010. The general inpatient wing continues to operate with 10 suites designed for patients needing short-term medical monitoring and symptom management.

Each suite receives 24-7 care from staff and features a sitting area and easy-chair sleeper. The facility also has gathering rooms, a kitchen, a chapel and a children’s game room.

Hospice House is the only general inpatient and residential facility for hospice patients in Niagara County, and the general inpatient wing is one of just 12 facilities of its kind in New York.

For more information or to view an aerial video of the expanded Hospice House, visit NiagaraHospice.org/HospiceHouse.

Since 1988, Niagara Hospice has provided end-of-life care and caregiver relief to more than 30,000 Niagara County families facing a terminal illness. Anyone can make a referral to Niagara Hospice or Pathways at NiagaraHospice.org or by calling 716-439-4417 or 716-HOSPICE.

Founded in 2001, Liberty Home Care is a leading New York state-licensed home care agency specializing in supporting managed health care organizations throughout Western New York. To learn more, visit LibertyHomeCare.org or call 716-274-5000.

Established in 2014, Kalos Health is a regional nonprofit health insurance organization with a managed long-term care (MLTC) plan for Medicaid recipients. The plan provides care coordination for enrollees 18 and older with a chronic illness and/or disability in Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Chautauqua and Monroe counties. For more information, visit KalosHealth.org or call 1-800-894-2464.