McClure Miller UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice Respite House to Open in Colchester
The UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties (VNA) will cut the ceremonial ribbon and open the doors to the new McClure Miller UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice Respite House on Monday, September 12, 2016. The ribbon cutting celebrates completion of the 21-room Respite House which will replace the current 13-room McClure Miller Respite House located in Williston.
We invite the community to join us for an open house on Monday, September 12, from 4:30 to 7:30 pm, to experience the enhanced features of the new house.
Construction of the state-of-the-art building, named in honor of local benefactors and long-time hospice advocates Holly and Bob Miller and Lois McClure, began in the fall of 2015. All costs associated with the project are being funded through an $8.6 million capital campaign which is ongoing. Through the generous support of the community, $5.5 million has been raised to date.
Increasing demand for quality end-of-life care, growth in community acceptance of hospice and Vermont’s aging population have all led to a greater demand on the state’s only Medicare-certified residential hospice home. Over the past 10 years, the number of individuals seeking hospice services in the community increased by over 50%, with McClure Miller Respite House experiencing a 46% increase. The UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice is poised to meet the increased demand in the larger Colchester location.
“As people are sicker at the end of their lives and their care needs increase, families are not always able to care for their loved ones at home. More and more, they turn to Respite House to provide a home-like environment and the loving care Vermonters have come to rely on. The new Respite House builds on a 25 year legacy of providing residential hospice care to our friends and neighbors facing life-limiting illness,” said UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice President Judy Peterson.
In addition to increasing capacity from 13 to 21 rooms, the new UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice Respite House will include larger, thoughtfully-designed resident rooms including private in-room bathrooms with accessible showers and comfortable space for family to stay overnight. The house also features improved kitchen facilities, multiple family gathering spaces including a light-filled living room with fireplace, reflection room, children’s play area and the ability to expand should additional resident rooms be needed in the future.
Staff and volunteers will have much-needed space for care planning and coordination, additional private spaces to meet with families and the latest communications technology.
To learn more about our ongoing capital campaign, visit here.