Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
AUGUSTA — MaineGeneral Rehabilitation and Long Term Care-Glenridge received an Innovative Programming Award from the Maine Health Care Association at the association’s Celebrating Excellence event Sept. 21.
The Innovative Programming Award recognizes long-term care facilities that have implemented a program that improves resident quality of life and/or quality of care.
MaineGeneral’s Glenridge facility was recognized for its Comfort Care program, a separate short-stay, five-bed unit. Comfort Care is for patients with a terminal illness who qualify for nursing or skilled nursing care. The program began about a year ago and has served more than 50 patients.
“Our goal with Comfort Care is to provide a safe, homelike environment for patients with terminal illnesses to receive skilled or palliative care,” said Paul Stein, chief operating officer of MaineGeneral and CEO of MaineGeneral Long Term Care. “Residents have care needs that do not require an inpatient hospital stay but are unable to be met at home.”
The program brings together nursing and other disciplines from the community, hospice, long-term care and the hospital, providing continuity of care – a seamless transition of care – for the patient. Nurses across the MaineGeneral system work together to provide the right level of care in the right facility, and in doing so avoid unnecessary hospital readmissions.
Patient, family and visitor comments have expressed appreciation for the level of care that is provided.
Stein said future plans of Comfort Care include expanding this service and the building, but very purposefully so the quiet homelike environment is maintained. “We also would like to add a kitchen and living room area for families. We envision an outside garden, and a quiet reflection or spiritual space for families. Many of the patients that we are serving are at the end of life and having a space for families to come together to share in their loved ones’ last days is so very important.”
PHOTO: Paul Arbour, lfet, and Tarsha Rodrigue, of MaineGeneral Rehabilitation & Long Term Care receive the Innovation Programming Award, presented by Tracy Sabol of WMTW, right, at Maine Health Care Association’s Celebrating Excellence event Sept. 21. (Submitted photo)
