Delaware Hospice At Saint Francis Hospital

Presented By Nicole Fullmer, Delaware Hospice

Patients and families have compared the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford with a fine hotel. Every effort has been made to give Delaware’s only free-standing inpatient hospice unit a comfortable home-like feel—from the furniture, finishings, and plants to the homemade cookies, children’s play area, and mirrors that hide medical equipment. The state-of-the-art facility offers patients and families a welcoming atmosphere for focusing on their time together.

But Milford is a significant drive for families from New Castle County in need of a higher level of care and symptom management for their loved ones. Now, people living in northern DE and southeastern PA have another choice – a brand-new inpatient hospice unit located in Wilmington, on the 6th floor of Saint Francis Hospital, a member of Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic.

“As end-of-life care needs evolve at an unprecedented pace, Delaware Hospice is pleased to partner with Saint Francis Hospital,” said Vice President of Clinical Services at Delaware Hospice, Debra Kent, RN, BSN, MA, CCRN, NEA-BC. “Our Missions are very much aligned, and we are both dedicated to meeting the needs of the community.”

Currently, Delaware Hospice provides palliative consultative services to Saint Francis’ eligible patients. The addition of the hospice unit is helping to meet the growing need for hospice and palliative care services in Delaware as its population ages.

Located in Saint Francis Hospital in Wilmington, the Delaware Hospice unit will meet the needs of patients and families in Northern DE and Southeastern PA.

“The community-centered philosophy at Saint Francis Hospital is a natural fit for Delaware Hospice’s new inpatient unit,” explains the unit’s new Associate Director Charlotte (Cee Cee) Scott-Coleman, MSN, MBA, BSN, RN. “Saint Francis has served as a beacon of light for the surrounding community for decades. Generations of children have been born there. Now, families will have a place for their loved ones to experience a peaceful death to complete the circle of life.”

Dr. Cheryl Denick, MD, the unit’s dedicated physician, is a hospice and palliative medicine specialist with a down-to-earth demeanor and a holistic patient-centered approach. The expertly skilled staff have been trained in both inpatient and home-based care, giving them the flexibility to move between the different modes of care. 

Closely modeled after the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford, the welcoming unit has 16 beds (8 at opening), a reflection room, a gathering space with a special area for children, and a kitchen where families can share a meal and partake of delicious treats baked by volunteers. 

“This unit is very much needed by the community, and we’re here to stay. I’m thrilled that more people can come to know and appreciate the comfort and peace that Delaware Hospice delivers,” Scott-Coleman smiles. “We’ve made sure everything is perfect for all of the patients and families who will arrive on our floor.”

Learn how Delaware Hospice can help you and your loved ones live comfortably. Visit us at www.delawarehospice.org or contact us at 302-478-5707.