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Hospice Breaks Ground on Inpatient Facility
BEAVER TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A summer 2005 completion date is expected for a new inpatient hospice facility to be operated by Hospice of the Valley, which broke ground today on the project. The 35,000-square-foot building will be located at 9501 Sharrott Road on a 14.5-acre wooded lot. It will feature 16 patient rooms on a lower level with window-view gardens and as well as a children's play room, non-denominational chapel, family kitchen, lounges and public gardens. There will also be a resource and community bereavement center that will be open to the public, as well as family counseling. The facility was designed by Matirx Architects of Dayton.Hospice of the Valley, a division of Humility of Mary Health Partners, has been serving the terminally ill in their final months and their families for 25 years. While remaining at home is the goal of hospice care, Hospice officials said many times it is not possible because patients may not have a capable or willing caregiver available. Families may live out of town, for instance, or otherwise staying safely in one's own home may not be an option.Once completed, the facility will be the first of its kind in the Mahoning Valley, Hospice officials said, adding that feasibility studies, marketing research and financial projections have demonstrated the need for such a facility in the Mahoning Valley. Currently, families must travel to Cleveland or Akron for the nearest inpatient hospice facility. The facility is intended to provide a more cost-effective level of care and an alternative to those at the end of life. It will serve residents of Columbiana, Mahoning, and Trumbull counties in Ohio, as well as parts of Lawrence, Mercer and Beaver counties in Pennsylvania.A community support campaign is continuing to raise funds for construction of the facility, which is expected to cost $6 million. To date, $4 million has been raised for the project, which received $400,000 from the federal government in the fiscal year 2004 Omnibus Appropriations Bill approved earlier this year. The capital campaign for the facility was led by Connie Knecht. Diane Keller and attorney Leonard Schiavone.Hospice of the Valley is a non-profit organization that will see patients and provide them with 24-hour support, regardless of their financial situation. The cost of care, medical equipment and prescription drugs is underwritten through the support of community organizations, individuals and foundations. Since 1979, Hospice has been caring for individuals with terminal illness such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's, Alzheimer's, AIDS, heart, kidney and lung diseases, regardless of their ability to pay, with patients ranging from newborn infants to the elderly. Emphasis is on pain management and symptom controlVisit Hospice of the Valley at www.hospiceofthevalley.com "