SCRANTON, Pa. -- A former day care along the Morgan Highway in Scranton is still caring for people but in a different way. The building is now serving those at the end of life's journey as an Allied Hospice Center.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging Teresa Osborne and other health officials toured the recently opened building in Lackawanna County.
“You know, I have the privilege of going across the 67 counties of the Commonwealth and it’s always nice for me to be in northeastern Pennsylvania because this is where I am from, this is where my roots are. But for me, what matters is the community spirit,” Sec. Teresa Osborne said.
President and CEO of Allied Services Bill Conaboy says providing that sense of community for patients and their families was at the forefront of this $3 million inpatient center.
“We did some due diligence and we talked to other providers and that was really important because they told us there was definitely a community need for inpatient hospice beds. So, after determining it fit our mission and seeing there was a community need, we set out to be the best we could be,” said Conaboy.
Inside the Allied Services Hospice Center, there are eight rooms along with spaces for families. Officials wanted to make things comfortable for families in trying times.
The 24-hour care unit comes with a kitchen, private rooms, and a space for reflection.
“You have so many loved ones that want to be present, so for them to have their own private space for them to be together in, and sometimes we’ve found that some of the families support each other with different family members, so it’s nice to have that opportunity,” said Kelly Langan, nurse supervisor.
The Allied Services Hospice Center is open and will continue to care for patients and their families.