Pepper Family Hospice Home opens in Barrington
The Pepper Family Hospice Home grand opening was celebrated at the June 26 gala. And there was definitely reason to celebrate.
This 16-bed, free-standing facility - the first "green" hospice home in the state - provides specialized care to patients experiencing acute pain and symptom management issues. It also houses the Center for Care and Palliative Care Clinic.
At the gala on the hospice grounds, hundreds of supporters celebrated the new facility on a memorable night in the 28-year history of Hospice and Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois.
Joining the festivities were HPNI CEO Cindy Musikantow; Woodstock resident Hal Stinespring, new president of the Hospice Foundation of Northeastern Illinois Board of Trustees; and Algonquin resident Anne Miller, chairman of the board of directors of Hospice and Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois.
The Pepper Family Hospice Home, 405 Lake Zurich Road in Barrington, is nestled on a landscaped 6.7-acre site and features 16 private patient rooms, each with its own patio or walled garden area.
"We are so pleased to be able to begin providing our services to people who need this very specialized care," Musikantow said.
"Being able to offer this extended level of care to our patients has been a dream of many of our supporters for years," she added. "It further affirms our mission of enhancing life by providing dignified and compassionate care and guidance to those facing serious illness, end of life and loss."
The 42,000-square-foot building also offers an extensive array of programs through its Center of Care, where patients can receive the most advanced palliative care to manage pain and symptoms associated with serious illness.
Healing gardens surround the center's site. Patients have views of the gardens, mature trees and plants through French doors and large windows with lower than typical frames that enable unobstructed views while lying in bed.
The mission of HPNI is to focus on managing patients' symptoms and get them under control so that they may return home for continued support.
With the opening of this new facility, the organization will provide an extended level of specialized care for its estimated 1,400 patients each year over a six-county region.
In the end, the gala netted $411,500, which will benefit Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois. Proceeds came from ticket sales, sponsorships, raffle sales and a reverse auction.
"The hard work is over," said Daneen Gorski-Adams, RN, CHPN, director of hospice home clinical care. "Now we can do the work that we all came here to do - to take care of patients."
To view a virtual tour of the hospice home, visit hospiceanswers.org. The center is currently open and accepting new patients. For details, call (800) 425-4444.
Hospice and Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois is a nonprofit organization serving families throughout McHenry, Lake, Northwest Cook, Kane, Boone and DuPage counties. The agency provides comprehensive end-of-life care to nearly 1,400 patient families each year. HPNI is Medicare certified and accredited by the Joint Commission.