Nearly twenty-five years ago, VNA of NWI, a not-for-profit organization, made a commitment to Northwest Indiana to provide an in-patient hospice center. First opened in 1994, the Mary E. Bartz VNA Hospice Center was located in a wing at Whispering Pines Healthcare Center in Valparaiso. VNA inpatient hospice care was relocated to the newly constructed Arthur B. and Ethel Horton VNA Hospice Center in 2002.
Thanks to the generosity of the community who believe in VNA of NW’s mission to provide end of life care to all regardless of their ability to pay, the VNA Hospice Center has been home to nearly 6,000 patients and their families over the years. VNA of NWI has invested more than $150,000 to renovate and refresh the VNA Hospice Center to continue to provide a comfortable, home-like environment for patients and families. VNA of NWI plans to complete the project by November this year and welcomes the community to tour the facility.
“I have always considered the VNA’s Horton Hospice Center to belong to the community. It is the community’s hospice center. The community has long supported it with donations and volunteers. It is the home to countless memories and truly sacred moments that families have experienced. We are privileged to provide this beautiful setting and will always act as the best stewards we can for its upkeep, sustainability and as a place that families can count on for excellent care and compassion,” said Bob Franko, President/CEO of VNA of NWI.
Melanie Marshall, Director of Marketing for VNA of NWI, stated “When patients can no longer receive hospice care at home, our VNA Hospice Center welcomes patients with open arms by providing that comfortable feeling of home, where family and friends are welcome 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So many in the community have been impacted by the VNA Hospice Center; it shines through with the amount of support that we have received from community members who have invested in the renovation project. VNA of NWI’s is excited to continue to provide the highest quality of hospice care at the VNA Hospice Center for decades to come,”
The vision of VNA of NWI to be mission-driven has remained the same for nearly 50 years. As a not for profit organization, VNA of NWI employs a patient-centric model which allows patients and families to always be the highest priority, over profits. VNA of NWI continues to focus on helping people have the highest quality of life and independence for as long as their life lasts regardless of where hospice care is received: in the patient’s home, the VNA Hospice Center, skilled nursing facilities, or hospitals.
About VNA of NWI:
VNA of NWI is the most patient-focused provider of aging, palliative, hospice, and grief support services in Northwest Indiana, providing comfort, peace-of-mind, and superior care to families working through some of life’s greatest challenges. VNA of NWI provides hospice and palliative care services as well as grief support, Lifeline, and Meals on Wheels. The VNA is an accredited, not for profit, United Way agency serving Porter, La Porte, Lake, Jasper, and Starke counties for nearly 50 years. For more information, contact the VNA of NWI at 219.462.5195 or visit www.VNANWI.org.
