Walker Foundation Donates $2 Million For Hospice Care

By Christie Swanson

Posted: December 19, 2009 at 3:35 a.m.

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Washington Regional Medical Center wants to build a 12-bed inpatient hospice facility.

The Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation donated $2 million to help that dream become reality.

The new “Hospice Home” will add to the care they now provide, said Paula Hartz, director of Washington Regional Hospice. Most hospice patients remain at home, with some in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, she said.

“This is going to allow us to bring patients to a facility where the focus is hospice and palliative care,” Hartz said.

Hospice is a health care program to meet the needs of patients who are faced with a life-limiting illness, and for their families. Palliative care is a collection of techniques to relieve the symptoms, pain and stress of serious illnesses.

Having patients in a hospice setting to provide that care “is so much better than just putting them in the hospital,” Hartz said.

“This is one of those topics that’s not fun to talk about, not really comfortable, but it has to be dealt with,” said Debbie Walker, executive director of the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation. “When the time comes and you are faced with these decisions, you are so thankful for this type of facility.”

The foundation is an advocate of hospice care, including local donations to Circle of Life Hospice and other facilities across the state.

Willard Walker used at-home hospice care with Washington Regional Hospice for a year and a half before his death in February 2003, she said.

This situation brought the foundation closer to Washington Regional Hospice.

“Since that time, we have heard great stories from people who have been under in-home hospice care and other inpatient facilities,” Walker said.

The Arkansas Health Service Permit Agency must approve 12 beds at Washington Regional before the hospice project proceeds.

The application deadline is Feb. 1, according to Eric Tedford, management project analyst with the state agency.

There are 25 hospice beds available for application in Washington County, Tedford said. Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale has 24 in-house beds.

Tedford sees no problem with this project’s approval.

The facility will cost $4.5 million so another $2.5 million is needed, according to Bill Bradley, president and chief executive officer of the hospital.

Walker said other donors will want to contribute.

“For us to initiate this and encourage others to give is a trademark of the Walker Foundation,” she said.

The proposed Hospice Home site is along Longview Drive next to BrookStone Assisted Living Residence, on land owned by Washington Regional. The site is about a half-mile from the main hospital, which will allow the hospice and BrookStone to share staff and resources like security and foodservice, Hartz said.

“BrookStone is known for its incredibly good food,” she said. “We will be purchasing our meals from them. That is good efficiency.”

Additional staff will be hired, but Hartz couldn’t provide an exact number.

She said some new employees will include registered nurses, social workers, a chaplain, a dietitian and physical, occupational and speech therapists. The hospice also will need volunteers.

The project has been in the planning stages for about 18 months.

Miller Boskus Lack Architects is the project’s architectural firm.

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