Photos Courtesy of OSF Health Care 

by Douglas Edwin

After recently celebrating its’ one year anniversary, the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home continues to serve the community.

In March of 2013 the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home opened its’ doors and became the first hospice home in Central Illinois.

Being the first hospice home in Central Illinois has caused patients to come from not only Peoria, but from areas such as a Bloomington, Normal, Galesburg, Pontiac, Ottawa, and Rockford.

Since it began operations the hospice home has served nearly 375 patients, ranging from ages as young as 17 to as old as 100, and helped more than 6,000 family members.

The home is for patients with a prognosis of six months or less to live that have decided not to pursue life prolonging treatment and instead chose to focus on palliative (comfort) care.

One of the most unique aspects of the home is the amount of effort that goes into making sure every one of their patients receives the best care and most comfort during their stay. When hiring staff for the hospice, Donna Medina, Director of OSF Hospice, made sure that they were the right people for the job.

“There are some people in health care who are afraid of dying, and don’t understand it,” Medina explained. “It’s truly a sacred journey we are on with the patient and their family. We have to provide them with care, comfort, and support, which that takes a special kind of heart.”

In the hospices first year it had over 60 volunteers log over 8,198 volunteer hours. Volunteers do everything from gardening to baking, but some of the favorite hospice volunteers are the four expertly-trained canine companions that are there almost every day.

“They’re often walking through the halls like they own the place,” Jon McKee, Director of Public Relations and Communications for OSF Home Care Services, said. “They are very gentle, and are trained to peak into the rooms and know the signs a patient might make that signal for them to come in and visit with them.”

In addition to making sure the patients are well cared for and supported, the hospice makes sure to care for their families as well.

“We don’t treat a patient, we treat a family unit,” Medina said. “It’s a very stressful time when someone you love is dying, and so the families need as much support as the patients, and sometimes even more.”

The hospice offers family members bereavement for up to 13 months afterwards, and even longer if they are still having grief issues.

“When you think about it, hospice is the only kind of medical care that continues after the patient dies,” Medina said. “Everything else in healthcare stops when you die, but in a hospice we truly understand the importance of continuing to offer those services to families.”

Like all services offered by Catholic-based OSF HealthCare, all religious faiths are welcome at the home.

“We have had people of all faiths that have used the hospice home, and we try to make every arrangement possible to make sure they are comfortable,” McKee said. “There is a catholic mass offered every Sunday, but we’ve had services for other religions as well.”

Though many people may be afraid of the word hospice, Medina wants people to know they shouldn’t be.

“I want people to understand that hospice is not about dying, hospice is about living the very best that you can each and every day, and every hour that you are given,” Medina explained. “That is the way all of us should live.”

Though the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Home in Peoria is not far from the McLean County area, there are hopes to one day expand and possibly open a second hospice home in the Bloomington-Normal area.