NEW PHILADELPHIA, WOOSTER & DAYTON – Community Hospice announces plans to join Ohio’s Hospice, a strategic partnership committed to sustaining not-for-profit, community-based hospice care in Ohio.

Community Hospice, based in New Philadelphia, is a legacy not-for-profit hospice that has been in the community for more than 35 years. They have announced plans to join Ohio’s Hospice.

Ohio’s Hospice, established in 2013 as a collaboration of not-for-profit hospices, was founded to ensure the long-term success of the shared mission of serving more patients and their families with even higher levels of hospice care. Since then, the affiliation has grown and now provides hospice supportive care services in more than 65 Ohio counties.

Beginning in January 2024, as part of becoming affiliated with Ohio’s Hospice, the community-based teams at Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare, located in Wooster, Ohio, and Community Hospice will serve the northeastern part of the state as Ohio’s Hospice. The organization will serve patients and families with the same local care teams.

“Our board and staff feel a deep sense of honor in joining forces with Ohio’s Hospice. With the robust support of this not-for-profit alliance, we hold a strong belief that our local community-based hospice, now a part of Ohio’s Hospice, will continue to thrive in our commitment to provide exceptional care for the patients we are privileged to serve,” said Community Hospice CEO Norm Mast. “We take pride in our legacy and now as a valued member of this dedicated, mission-driven organization. We are confident that the legacy will continue long into the future.”

Now, along with the other affiliates of Ohio’s Hospice, including Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare, Community Hospice will deliver:

• More visits and direct care to patients than any other regional hospice provider;
• More resources to provide care to patients and their families, like spiritual care, respiratory therapy, massage, occupational therapies, and bereavement therapies; and,
• More support by serving patients wherever they call home, in every care setting, including extended care facilities, assisted living facilities, hospice houses and hospital in-patient settings.

Community Hospice Board of Trustees said, “We are honored to be affiliating with Ohio’s Hospice. With the strength of this not-for-profit affiliation behind us, we are confident that our ‘hometown hospice,’ now Ohio’s Hospice, will grow and continue the legacy of caring for patients in our community. We are pleased to be a part of this strong and caring mission-driven organization.”

Kurt Holmes of Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare will lead this newly aligned mission. Together, as Ohio’s Hospice, the two organizations have nearly 80 years of expertise in hospice care. Community Hospice has been serving patients and families since 1986. The staff and care team at Community Hospice will remain the same. As part of the Ohio’s Hospice family, the organization will expand its access to resources and evidence-based care to serve more patients and families.

“The affiliates of Ohio’s Hospice together set the standard for end-of-life care in the state,” said Kurt Holmes, Ohio’s Hospice executive director. “Our shared expertise and commitment to quality are evident in the sheer number of resources devoted to patient care, not to making a profit where many competitors focus. Working, sharing, and planning together creates stronger community hospices and enhances the quality of care and services of our legacy hospice programs in the communities we serve.”

Combined, Ohio’s Hospice will have local offices in Wooster, New Philadelphia, Millersburg, Ashland, Coshocton, Salem, and Carrollton. Its new office in Middleburg Heights serves the greater Cleveland and Cuyahoga County area. In addition to these locations, they will have two 12-bed hospice care centers located in Wooster and New Philadelphia. The not-for-profit organization also has two Browse & Buy resale shops in Dover and Carrollton, where proceeds benefit Ohio’s Hospice patient care and services.

“Together, the affiliates of Ohio’s Hospice will set the highest standard of care to ensure Ohioans have access to world-class end-of-life and palliative care. Supportive care in each and every community is strengthened by sharing resources. Together, we are in a position to navigate better and to respond to the increasing regulatory challenges and a declining reimbursement environment,” said Kent Anderson, CEO of Ohio’s Hospice. “By expanding our strategic partnership, we continue to grow, protect jobs, and maintain strong partnerships with local partners.”