Hospice and Palliative Care Come to Collingswood
When the clock struck midnight on December 31, 2014 during the course of the year, 71,316 people had passed away in New Jersey – yet, roughly 19,250 of them had no plan for this scenario. A Pew Foundation national survey indicates “27 percent of adults have not given very much thought or have given no thought at all to how they would like doctors and other medical professionals to handle their treatment at the end of their lives.”
As a leading assisted living and nursing community in Camden County, United Methodist Communities at Collingswood, now offers another supportive option in that conversation. The newly-established Bridges at Collingswood focuses on people who are unable or prefer not to receive hospice at home, live out their last days with dignity and comfort.
Bridges’ new hospice-dedicated, one-bedroom apartments feature kitchenettes and bathrooms. Located in a private assisted living neighborhood, each has been designed for individuals facing terminal illness that no longer responds to curative treatment. Welcoming gathering spaces for families and friends and meaningful amenities such as customized dining, WiFi, salon, gym, bistro, outdoor courtyards, and elegant furnishings enhance comfort.
A skilled, compassionate multi-disciplinary team of health professionals focus on bringing much-needed care and support to those facing a life-limiting illness as well as to their loved ones. The expertise of the hospice team includes advanced, traditional and alternative therapies; expert 24-hour nursing oversight; medication management; certified caregivers; emotional and spiritual support; personal services; and palliative care for symptom management and pain control.
Collingswood Executive Director, James Clancy, reflects, “Bridges is the embodiment of the United Methodist Communities’ mission: compassionately serving in community so that all are free to choose abundant life. It is our desire to bring our mission to adults where ever they are on life’s journey.”
United Methodist Communities at Collingswood is the second campus to establish Bridges and follows sister community, United Methodist Communities at The Shores in Ocean City, NJ.
Ursula K. Le Guin, stated, “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” With a longstanding faith-based approach to senior care, United Methodist Communities at Collingswood is now part of that journey.
