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more like home, informal and small. It would provide care that would make you more <br /> comfortable. One person wondered why a nursing home couldn't fill that role, but others said a <br /> nursing home is not the right place to die. Hospice would be a comfortable place. The family <br /> already knows this is a terminal situation. <br /> A long list of attributes for the ideal facility was generated. It should not be institutional, but <br /> more like the Ronald McDonald House. It should be small and homey with a sun room, places <br /> for family to visit and an activity area for children. It should be a warm feeling place where <br /> people could stay overnight, where family can be close. It should be in a neighborhood, built on <br /> a site of it's own, rather than next to a nursing home or hospital. <br /> Most described the ideal facility as similar to the birthing suites at hospitals today. The common <br /> feeling was that if babies can be born in comfortable surroundings, patients should be able to die <br /> in comfortable surroundings. <br /> They felt access to the facility was very important. There should be parking and transportation <br /> available. Most did not feel there was one particular location that would work best. The most <br /> important thing was to make it easy for people to get there. <br /> Reaction to Facility Plan Papers <br /> The moderator gave participants several minutes to review some general plan statements about <br /> the purpose of an in-patient facility. After review, most said those papers reflected what had <br /> already been said in the group. <br /> The participants felt that a two step process is needed to build awareness in the community. <br /> First, a general education program about Hospice itself is needed, followed by a campaign to <br /> raise the funds to develop the facility. <br /> In this group, most agreed that the education piece needed wasn't that Hospice exists, but that <br /> Hospice can be much more helpful when brought in early in the process. Several felt that <br /> currently patients think they are giving in when they call Hospice. The real idea should be to use <br /> Hospice when the staff can help make the most of the remaining time for the patient and the <br /> family members. <br /> All but two agreed strongly that the facility is much needed and would be a positive element in <br /> the community. <br /> Chamberlain Research Consultants Page 11 <br />