Change in hospice affiliation will ensure local nonprofit caring
When Central Homecare & Hospice stopped serving hospice patients in November, essentially becoming Central Homecare, they asked Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice in Wichita to take on the needs of hospice patients in Marion, McPherson, and Harvey counties.
The decision was not easy because Central had served in the area since 1993, taking the baton from the original Marion County Hospice, which locally introduced the concept of hospice, a team approach to caring for the terminally ill.
The board of directors of Central Homecare & Hospice, a nonprofit organization, saw a choice: either continue as things are, letting competitive for-profit hospices come into the area, or take steps to ensure that a nonprofit hospice will continue to have a strong presence in their communities.
One of those dedicated board members who made the tough decision is Lu Janzen of Hillsboro, administrator of Parkside Homes, Inc., and Park Village. She has been active in hospice for many years.
"Hospice first began in Marion County because of Dr. Ivan Mattern," she said. "He had worked with hospice in Wichita, and when he moved to Marion County he felt his community could benefit from hospice, so he organized its beginnings here."
As a board member for Marion County Hospice, Janzen was around in 1993 when the decision was made to join with Harvey County Hospice and McPherson County Hospice.
The three organizations came together to form Central Homecare & Hospice, serving the tri-county area.
Janzen remembers numerous decisions that were made and the many good things that came of that merger.
"At that time, Marion County was struggling in its ability to provide more services to more patients. We were able to learn from the experience and knowledge of Harvey County Hospice, which had been serving their area for several years.
"For us, it made sense to align with other small agencies to create a single agency that could provide increased services to a larger number of patients.
"I really don't think that Marion County Hospice would have been able to continue on its own. We had our hearts in the right place but it was hard for us to support our billing and administrative services on our own."
So are there similarities between the merger in 1993 and what has happened this year?
"There are many similarities," Janzen said with a smile. "The thing I find the most similar is the reason. In 1993, we merged so we could continue providing a service to Marion County. Today, we are aligning ourselves with a larger organization in order to preserve our presence in this community. The underlying theme is our passion for providing high-quality end of life care in the nonprofit tradition."
Janzen is a strong believer in nonprofit hospice.
"I really believe in the nonprofit, mission-minded philosophy of care in hospice. Hospice provides care that extends beyond the patient's needs to encompass family members, friends, and others in the care-giving system.
"It allows for spiritual and bereavement support which I feel is very important. People who have experienced it just really appreciate the ongoing support and care for their needs.
"We felt that being a nonprofit home health and hospice was very important to us and if we did want to create a working relationship with another agency, we wanted them to also be nonprofit.
"This change has brought many advantages to the community, to hospice patients, and to the former staff of Central, many who now work for Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice."
According to Janzen, one benefit to former Central employees is the additional support they will receive. She said this support will allow them to focus more attention on their patients.
Janzen has accepted a position on the board of Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice as a representative of Marion County.
Central Homecare remains a strong presence in home health, serving the needs of the tri-county area.
For Janzen, the future of hospice in Marion County is bright. She is excited about the possibilities that are available to the public.
"I think hospice in Marion County will grow in the next several years," she said. "Joining a larger organization will help us bring more awareness to our services in this area. We will be able to offer more training and educational outreach materials to help our community better understand hospice. I see us becoming more visible in each of the communities we serve."
Janzen says she will use her experience with hospice in Marion County to help her make effective decisions in the future.
"I look forward to the changes that will be taking place," she said. "By taking this step now while we are a viable and healthy agency, I feel that we are securing our future in this area. I'm afraid that too many small, nonprofit hospices will wait until it's too late to secure their futures."
For more information regarding Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, contact the Newton office at 1-877-883-1103.
