Archbold Memorial Hospital will be expanding its services and adding an inpatient hospice center to meet the unique needs of patients battling life-limiting, terminal illnesses.
The six-bed inpatient hospice center will be housed on the fourth floor in the west wing of the hospital.
Inpatient hospice provides around-the-clock service for patients with a terminal illness requiring an advanced level of care that cannot be provided at home or in an assisted living facility. The goal of this often short-term care is to control severe pain and provide a comfortable environment for patients outside of the home.
“An inpatient hospice facility allows family members and friends to focus their love and energy on their loved one as care is being provided in a peaceful place that looks and feels like home,” said Alston Watt, member of the Archbold Medical Center Board of Trustees.
The center will be named The John B. and Elizabeth V. Wight Inpatient Hospice Center. Johnny Wight was a very successful businessman in Cairo who served as an Archbold Trustee for 36 years and was a co-founder of the Archbold Classic Pro-Am Golf Tournament. Mr. Wight passed away after a lengthy illness in June 2017.
Sensing a need for inpatient hospice care, the Wight family felt compelled to give the lead gift for the Center that will be named after Mr. Wight and his wife, Beth.
“I realized, when my husband was ill, how nice it was to have help and support from Hospice of Southwest Georgia,” said Beth Wight. “Having an inpatient unit will give patients and their loved ones an additional choice, and much needed support for end-of-life care.”
The new unit will help people whose circumstances make it difficult to keep a loved one at home.
“The John B. and Elizabeth V. Wight Inpatient Hospice Center will complete the circle of compassionate care that is the mission of Archbold and at the heart of our wonderful, giving community,” said Gina Shumake, former chair of the Archbold Foundation Board of Trustees. “Hospice is a service you are never really aware of until you or loved one needs it. Then, it is invaluable.”
The proposed inpatient hospice center is designed to be a home away from home for patients and their families. The space will feature wood style flooring and upholstered furniture to provide a comfortable and warm environment. The well-appointed lobby will include a volunteer-staffed resource center for patients and families. A large reception area with floor-to-ceiling windows will overlook the oak trees above Gordon Avenue and feature a glass-enclosed playroom where children and grandchildren can watch TV and play games. Patient rooms will include comfortable furniture for both patients and loved ones. A family living room, located between two patient-care suites, will provide comfortable seating and a semi-private area for family members to gather outside the patient suites. A bright and airy sunroom will offer another common area for families to gather and view the oak trees outside. Families will also have access to a private chapel, just off the sunroom, for quiet reflection and prayer. A family kitchen area will provide a dedicated space for dining and light cooking, with a refrigerator, microwave and cooktop for family and friends to use.
“The John B. and Elizabeth V. Wight Inpatient Hospice Center will be a true blessing for Thomasville and the surrounding communities we serve,” said Vann Middleton, President of the Archbold Foundation. “The center will offer a warm and inviting environment for patients with serious or terminal illnesses who can no longer receive care at home.”
Though building a new inpatient hospice center at Archbold comes with a large price tag, the Archbold Foundation has already secured more than 80 percent of the funding needed for the project.
“The total cost of the project is $6 million,” said Middleton. “To date, the Foundation has secured $4.5 million in cash and pledges, with many additional appeals pending. We are grateful for the gifts we have already received, and we believe that our community will continue to embrace the need for this service. With the support from our community, we’re confident we will be able to reach our fundraising goal for the John B. and Elizabeth V. Wight Inpatient Hospice Center.”
“As we enter the public phase of this campaign, we want to offer the entire community the opportunity to participate” Middleton said. “So many families have been touched by the amazing work that hospice care provides at such a fragile time in the life of their loved ones”
There are many ways that you can participate as a donor to the campaign. From named gift opportunities to tribute donations in memory or in honor of a loved one. All gifts and pledges of $1,000 or more will be permanently recognized with a plaque on the Donor Wall that will be located in the main lobby of the center.
Construction on the Center is schedule to begin in 2019, with a goal of completion set for 2019-2020.
For more information about how you can participate, please contact the Archbold Foundation (229) 228-2924 or foundation@archbold.org