The Residence at Alive Hospice Murfreesboro Admits First Patient to Receive Compassionate Care and Support at the End of Life
The Residence at Alive Hospice Murfreesboro is now fully operational, having admitted its first patient this weekon Tuesday evening. The new facility celebrated a ceremonial grand opening and dedication in May and successfully completed its state licensing survey last week, allowing care to be provided within its walls.
Now, the doors have opened and compassionate, specialized care for the end of life is now being provided by Alive’s Murfreesboro Residence team of hospice specialists which includes a physician, RN case managers, hospice aides, social workers, chaplains and volunteers. The facility is located in the Medical Gateway near Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital and between Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and Dialysis Clinic Inc.
“Hospice care is often described as ‘end-of-life care,’ and while it is true that it occurs at the end of life, we think of it as ‘people and family care’ first and foremost,” said Alive Hospice President and CEO Anna-Gene O’Neal. “What our team does for patients and families is extraordinary. We relieve suffering. We restore a sense of peace. We even talk about healing in hospice care — not in the physiological sense, but in the emotional and spiritual sense. That kind of healing is at the heart of The Residence at Alive Hospice – Murfreesboro.”
Hospice care picks up where curative treatments leave off when a patient is found to be terminally ill under Medicare eligibility guidelines: diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and life expectancy of six months or less. The Residence at Alive Hospice – Murfreesboro is specially designed for terminally ill patients and their families with care focusing on pain and symptom relief, emotional support and spiritual care. The 10-bed Residence includes a meditation room for tranquility, a commercial-grade kitchen and dining room, a living room with a saltwater aquarium, a central courtyard with a bubbling boulder, and even an art gallery.
With this facility, Alive Hospice patients who are no longer able to remain in their own homes have a home away from home. Additionally, it is a dedicated care environment for those who require a level of hospice care equivalent to intensive care with caregivers only footsteps away. It is also available for Alive Hospice patients who require respite care, a short-term stay for patients that allows family caregivers to rest for a few days while the hospice team steps in to give them relief.
Families and health care providers who wish to arrange a tour may do so by calling 615-250-1348.
Volunteers needed to offer hospitality and companionship
Non-medical volunteers are part of the care experience at The Residence At Alive Hospice – Murfreesboro with special services to include volunteer companionship visits, music at patients’ bedsides, pet therapy, art therapy and more.
Current volunteer needs and service opportunities include:
- Volunteer ambassadors, who manage the facility’s reception area by greeting visitors, directing them to patients’ rooms and answering phones
- Social and hospitality volunteers, who visit patients, provide companionship, and offer snacks and other complimentary items from the facility’s hospitality cart
Alive Hospice volunteers receive training and must successfully complete background checks. Those interested in volunteering with Alive Hospice are invited to call 615-346-8676 or apply online at AliveHospice.org/volunteer.
