Seasons of Life Hospice paves path for the future
with Memorial Walkway Project
After Louise Keith’s husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given three months to live, she was drawn to Seasons of Life Residential Hospice. Located just minutes down Pleasant Valley Road from their Parma home, the Keiths found comfort in hospice’s tranquil setting and welcoming staff.
“Without hospice, I honestly don’t think I would have survived,” says Mrs. Keith, who husband was diagnosed in May 2006 and who died three months later. John Keith was in hospice less than one month. “They made it comfortable for him. He loved it. He made friends with absolutely everybody – the nurses’ aides, the nurses, the cook, the director.”
Mr. Keith also enjoyed the grounds with his wife, two children and four grandchildren during the early part of his stay at hospice. She expects he would have appreciated – and been an early donor to – the Memorial Walkway now being created at hospice in memory of the thousands of patients cared for their and in their homes throughout Cuyahoga County and beyond. Hospice is already breaking ground on the new project, which gives family members and friends of patients a chance to memorialize their loved ones by creating a functional pathway for the future.
The winding Memorial Walkway will pass through a shady area on the grounds of Seasons of Life Hospice overlooking Pleasant Valley Lake. The smooth pathway will make it easier for patients to navigate the sloping terrain with wheelchairs or walkers. By purchasing a brick for the walkway project, families of former patients can honor their loved ones by helping to enhance hospice’s serene environment for current and future patients.
“This has been a dream of ours for several years,” says Hospice Director Lisa Birklund. “So many of our patients’ families have inquired about ways in which they could have some memorial memento of their loved ones at hospice. We are so fortunate to have this tranquil setting and this is a special way to honor our patients, who touch our lives.”
Memorial bricks come in two sizes:
• Premium brick – 8 x 8 inches - $250 including engraving and an additional graphic
• Standard brick – 4 x 8 inches - $125 including engraving
When Parma Hospital opened its Residential Hospice on Pleasant Valley Lake in 2001, it was the first of its kind in western Cuyahoga County. Seasons of Life Hospice continues to operate with family
satisfaction scores of 98 percent and exceeds all financial goals. In 2006, Parma Hospital’s Hospice experienced an all-time high in days of patient care and the average number of patients cared for each day. Patients have benefited from longer stays at hospice as more physicians and referral sources become educated about the value of this service.
“The walkway is a good example of how the Parma Hospital Health Care Foundation works with Hospital departments to build and enhance services for people in our community,” says Marcia Ferguson, executive director of the Parma Hospital Health Care Foundation. “Projects such as the memorial walkway would not be possible without the support of generous donors who work with the Foundation in order to enhance the comfort, support and holistic environment that is so important to the Hospital’s mission of providing personalized care for patients and their families.”
For more information on ordering bricks for the Memorial Walkway Project or other ways to you can help support the Foundation’s work in advancing community health, please call 440-743-4280.
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