Hospice Bed Subsidy
This program offers much-needed, compassionate support for those in our community seeking end-of-life care in a home-like setting and cannot afford the costs associated with residential hospice care.
Providing Subsidized, Compassionate Hospice Care for Those in Need
Since 2015, The Parmenter Foundation has provided more than $500,000 in funding to subsidize the cost of room and board at the Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence in Wayland. This program offers much-needed, compassionate support for those in our community seeking end-of-life care in a home-like setting and cannot afford the costs associated with residential hospice care.
In 2023, the subsidized hospice bed program supported 16 residents, equivalent to 15% of all residents at the Good Shepherd Community Care’s Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence. The average length of stay for the residents supported by the Parmenter grant was 17 days.
The hospice residents often are patients who live alone with no family members nearby to help care for them, or patients whose family members felt their loved ones would receive more personalized care and attention at the Parlin Residence. The staff at Parlin essentially becomes a new family for its patients.
Families are humbled and overwhelmed with gratitude when they learn about the subsidized bed program during an extremely difficult time, when they are losing their loved one. As a professional, it is so rewarding to be a part of this important resource.
Nancy McEwan, Hospice Residence Director, Good Shepherd Community Care’s Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence
The 16 patients supported by the Parmenter 2023 grant included:
A 77-year-old woman with Parkinson’s disease which she had been managing for many years, depleting her finances. She was in a skilled nursing facility for several months, but they were having difficulty managing her pain, so she transitioned to the Parlin hospice residence where the caretakers were able to ease her pain and keep her comfortable until her passing.
A 67-year-old man with metastatic pancreatic cancer experiencing housing insecurity who was estranged from his family. Without the subsidized hospice bed, he would have died alone, without any care.
A 77-year-old woman with metastatic colon cancer who lived in senior housing and had no family members to care for her. Without the subsidized bed program, she would have passed away alone and uncomfortable. Instead, she passed away peacefully, surrounded by a family of caretakers at the Parlin residence.
From the moment Glenny entered your facility, it was evident that the staff was not only highly skilled bu also genuinely dedicated to providing personalized and compassionate care. Their commitment to ensuring Glenny’s comfort and well-being was consistently demonstrated through their actions and words, creating an environment that felt like a true extension of our family.
Stephen, regarding the care of his sister at the Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence
Going Forward
Parmenter remains committed to continuing its funding for this important program at the Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence, increasing accessibility to a comforting place for our neighbors to receive quality, compassionate end-of-life care.