Care Dimensions cited for end-of-life care

SAN FRANCISCO – Care Dimensions, formerly Hospice of the North Shore & Greater Boston, has won the 2015 Circle of Life Award.The recognition is for the facility’s palliative and end-of life care. It was presented Friday to Care Dimensions CEO & President Diane Stringer Friday.Care Dimensions was recognized for integrating palliative care throughout the health-care industry, for providing a broad range of services, for its outreach to traditionally underserved communities and for training current future health-care professionals, so that people living with advanced illnesses receive compassionate and expert end-of-life care.”We are honored to be recognized as one of the nation’s premier hospice and palliative care organizations,” said Stringer. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and volunteers who for more than 35 years have provided the highest quality care to terminally ill patients and patients their families as they face one of life’s greatest challenges.”Some of the noted innovative elements of Care Dimensions’ program include:? specialized clinical programs for patients with advanced cardiac and pulmonary diseases and dementia.? unique support programs designed to assist particular populations including children, veterans, developmentally disabled adults, Jewish patients, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients;? early access that allows patients to have curative and hospice care at the same time;? a comprehensive palliative care service to provide pain and symptom management and goals of care conversations to patients in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and at home;? an extensive education program offering more than 45 continuing education courses for nurses, social workers, case managers and aides;? training for the next generation of clinicians, including medical students and fellows, and interns in nursing, social work, and chaplaincy;? and a comprehensive grief support program for anyone in the community who has experienced a loss.This is the 16th year for the Circle of Life Award. Major sponsors are the American Hospital Association, the Catholic Health Association and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization/National Hospice Foundation.The awards are cosponsored by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association; the Hospice & Palliative Care Credentialing Center and the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Foundation; and the National Association of Social Workers.The Circle of Life Award is a program administered by the Health Research & Educational Trust. The 2015 awards are supported, in part, by the California HealthCare Foundation and the Cambia Health Foundation.Circle of Life nominations were received and reviewed by a selection committee that included leaders from medicine, nursing, social work and health administration.