Orleans County Hospice Cuts Ribbon On New Residence
It's a sign of the times: the demographic in Western New York is getting older. One business in Orleans County has recognized that fact, and is adapting to these times.
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Hundreds turned out to see the ribbon cut here.
"The official opening of the Martin-Linsin Residence at Hospice of Orleans,” said Cora Goyette, Director of Development.
Many of them, aging. In fact, more and more, the people of Orleans County are getting older.
In the year 2000, the biggest 30-year age group in Orleans County was aged 25-55. Youth, ages newborn to 19 were nearly 30-percent of the population, and the median age was 36.
Now, the biggest age group has aged exactly ten years. But there are far fewer replacements: youth newborn to 19 are down four-percent, and the median age has ballooned to 41.
"I think the biggest challenge that we have in hospice in general, whether it's this community or not, is because of the fact that: as a society, we don't recognize our own mortality, or we don't want to,” said Mary Anne Fischer, Orleans Hospice Executive Director.
So Orleans Hospice will try to help aging clients deal with mortality, by giving them as pleasant a life as possible in the new facility. From the functional:
"That shower chair over there, or the 'stretcher shower,' folds out. If a person is bed-bound and can't sit up, we're still able to provide them with a shower,” Fischer said.
To the frivolous.
"It's very important for people to feel good about themselves. And being able to have your hair done, your nails done, pedicure... any of those things, just like the rest of us, it makes us feel good about ourselves,” Fischer said.
Since 1988, Orleans Hospice has existed as a 24-hour in-home service.
"We are a 24/7 available program, but we don't provide care 24/7, and some patients need that kind of care, they need someone with them at all times,” said Fischer.
And so, the $2.3 million Martin-Linsin Residence was born.
"It's been a great, great project. We've been blessed in many ways."