Pen Bay Healthcare Breaks Ground On New Hospice Facility September 15th

Rockport, Maine - Pen Bay Medical Center will hold a groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday, September 15th, 2013 at 2 p.m. for Hospice House, a new 10,000 square foot facility on the Pen Bay  route 1 campus that will provide care and state of the art pain and symptom management to people in the final weeks or days of their lives.

The third free-standing house of its kind in the state, Hospice House will serve the communities of Central and Midcoast Maine and will expand the end-of-life care services already provided by the Kno-Wal-Lin Hospice Program in Knox, Waldo, and Lincoln Counties. First conceived of in 2003, the Hospice House project has developed through a collaboration between Pen Bay Healthcare, Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice, and numerous community supporters and donors. The project was approved by a unanimous vote through the Rockport Planning Board on August 14. The planned opening date is targeted for July 2014.

"Kno-Wal-Lin's Hospice program is thrilled to be adding additional options to the continuum of care offered by Pen Bay Healthcare," said Donna DeBlois, RN, BSW, MSB, AHCA, executive director of Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care & Hospice in a news release. "The groundbreaking signifies the beginning of a new chapter
in end of life care for our community members."

Hospice House, single story, will be located on a 2.3 acre site on Pen Bay Healthcare Rockport campus adjacent to Route 1 in Rockport. The design is based on a New England Farmstead with a "Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn" configuration. The "Big House" will be home to the community living room, great room, family room, dining area, kitchen and pantry. The living and dining areas are separated by a double sided fireplace surrounded in stone. The "Little House" will consist of the administrative offices, conference room and workspace for staff. The "Back House" will hold seven patient suites, each with a private bath and living area to accommodate family. The suites have individual patios and private gardens separated by privacy screens. A library and sanctuary are also part of the "Back House." The "Barn" will house storage, clean rooms and electrical/mechanical rooms.

Kno-Wal-Lin website states the "Houses" will be connected by glass-enclosed passageways and a large, central courtyard with four-season gardens.

"The atmosphere of the Hospice House will be one of peace and tranquility and the interior design and furnishings will look like, act like, and feel like home," a press release from Pen Bay Healthcare stated. "The Hospice House will also be a certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) project, which means we will be implementing practical and measurable high performance green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. The building will utilize a geothermal system for heating and cooling which will optimize energy performance."

The construction project team consists of Pen Bay representatives, WBRC Architects Engineers, Wright-Ryan Construction acting as the general contractor, and Cordjia Capital Project's Group serving as Pen Bay's owner's representative.

The site and Hospice House have been designed for the future possibility of expanding to add seven more patient suites and additional parking. In addition to the Rockport Planning Board, the project has also been approved through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Maine Department of Transportation has granted a driveway/entrance permit. Additionally, an amendment through the Maine Department of Environmental Protection is required. Approval for this amendment is anticipated by mid-September.

The public is being invited to join Pen Bay for the groundbreaking of the Hospice House on September 15th, 2013. Those that arrive early will be able to walk to the site. Shuttle service will also be available from the Physicians Building parking lot on the Pen Bay Medical Center campus, 6 Glen Cove Drive, in Rockport.

For more information about the groundbreaking ceremony, contact the Pen Bay Healthcare Foundation at 594-6705. More information on the Pen Bay Healthcare system and its family of services is available on the Pen Bay Healthcare Affiliate page.