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Hospitality House Chances are that you or a loved one has at some point experienced a hospitalization. If you were lucky, you lived close to the needed services and recovered quickly. But can you imagine traveling more than an hour one way every day for weeks to get medical treatment for an acute condition? Have you ever considered the challenges of parents with children in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit? Would you consider the typical hospital waiting room to be a place of comfort and respite? Despite the time and energy devoted to planning a caring environment and encouraging compassionate care, a hospital is and always will be a hospital. For the families of FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital patients, a newly designed project will bring the comforts of home closer to the hospital. The Hospitality House will offer a residential environment that allows patients or family members to leave the clinical setting and enjoy some peace and respite depending on their needs and personal situation. Plans for the Hospitality House include daytime and overnight accommodations that will be available based on needs and not limited to financial considerations. The Hospitality House will feature amenities such as computer access, kitchen facilities, laundry room and home entertainment options. A reflection room will be available for personal meditation and spiritual comfort. Volunteers from the community will staff the Hospitality House and provide programs and services such as meal preparation, music or other artistic expression. In fact, Rebecca Ainslie, director of Hospitality Services for the Foundation of FirstHealth, anticipates recruiting a staff of 100 or more volunteers. She also expects to engage civic organizations, school and church groups, and talented individuals throughout the region to participate in caring for our families. We are fortunate to have a group of master gardeners who are designing a Healing Garden on the grounds of the house. The Moore Regional Hospital Auxiliary has pledged $1 million to FirstHealth’s Stepping Stones Campaign, which will fund not only the Hospitality House, but also a Heart Hospital and Hospice Residence. Although a target date for the opening of the Hospitality House is not yet available, volunteers have created interim opportunities for patient and family comfort including afternoon teas and art therapy in the Outpatient Cancer Center. |
