Carson Convalescent offers new wing for hospice care

Because people facing the loss of their lives have special needs, operators of the Carson Convalescent Center has done a little reorganizing.

They took one wing of their building and made it into a hospice area, comfortable and homey enough for families and patients to feel more comfortable.

"We've had hospice care for a long time, but now we have a dedicated wing. There seems to be a need for that in the Carson area," said Donna Nelson, admissions coordinator.

There are 15 beds in nine private and semi-private rooms, painted green, blue and lavender, to get away from the white and beige of the hospital setting.

"We already had an existing wing and just changed the interior," she said. "We made a family room and put it in an area where people could spend a night with a loved one.

The area for overnight visitors has a microwave and coffeemaker. There is a dining room so patients and families can eat together, just to make things easier and more homelike, Nelson said.

Hospice is end-of-life care, where professional caregivers focus on making patients comfortable and helping them and their families deal with facing the reality of death and loss of a loved one.

Ellen Perkins, a social worker for St. Mary's Hospice of Northern Nevada, which supplies care to Carson Convalescent patients along with the center's staff, said her organization was very pleased with the way the remodel turned out.

"We've been working at Carson Convalescent for years and years, and by being able to dedicate one area of the building, what we're able to do is provide that extra level of care," she said.

Perkins said the two groups work together, with Carson Convalescent staff providing ongoing care and St. Mary's providing additional support for patients and families of patients at the end of their lives.

She said nurses and certified nurse assistants for both are specially trained to work with people at the end of their lives, with St. Mary's staff providing social workers, chaplain and volunteers to aid patients.

"We can provide that extra level of support not only to the patient but the whole family," she said. "It's a stressful time when someone is toward the end of their life and this really goes beyond what we had."

The 69-bed center offers other types of care, including rehabilitative care along with physical, speech and occupational therapy for those with knee or hip replacements, stroke survivors and others with recoverable disabilities.

Nelson said there are also long-term patients whose families can no longer care for them.

She hopes the separate wing for hospice care patients will help families spend more time with their loved ones, making the end-of-life process easier for all.

"Sometimes it's tough, but sometimes it's very rewarding because it gives people peace of mind," she said. "We make it a little easier for everyone."

- Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or call 881-7351.