Sir/Madam,
Recently, while speaking with a close friend, I was struck by a deeply troubling story concerning the St. John Hospice and the care her now-deceased relative received there. Over the years, I have heard scattered accounts of poor standards at the facility, but I often dismissed them as hearsay. However, when someone I know personally and trust recounted her family’s painful experience, it became clear that this is an issue demanding serious attention.
I must also add that I myself had a somewhat unpleasant encounter at the hospice when visiting someone. Upon entering, I was firmly told that I needed to wear a mask, which I was informed was the hospice’s policy. I want to be clear: I respect protocols and had no objection to complying. However, what troubled me was observing that staff members, who also come from external environments, were not themselves wearing masks or following the same procedures enforced on visitors. This inconsistency raises questions about whether such measures are being applied fairly or meaningfully, and whether they are serving the intended purpose of safeguarding patients.
Hospices are meant to be sanctuaries of dignity, compassion, and professional care – places where individuals in the final stages of life are comforted, and where families can feel assured that their loved ones are receiving attentive, respectful, and humane support. Instead, what I am hearing and experiencing points to a disturbing departure from this mission: patient neglect, disregard for basic medical protocols, insufficient nurse supervision, limited doctor coverage and input, discourteous interactions from staff, poorly train CNAs who seem to operate above their scope, and an alarming lack of empathy and oversight. Families have described an atmosphere where patients who require attentive and specialized care are left vulnerable, while administrative leadership seems detached from the daily realities of the hospice.
This is not simply a matter of operational shortcomings – it is a matter of human dignity. At a time when patients and families are most in need of compassion, professionalism, and reassurance, it appears that many are instead experiencing frustration, disappointment, and emotional distress. The role of a hospice is not only clinical but profoundly moral: to uphold the dignity of the dying and to support families through an emotionally demanding journey.
If these reports are accurate, then urgent corrective measures must be taken. Greater accountability, improved staffing and supervision, and a renewed commitment to patient-centered care are essential. The community deserves confidence that the St. John Hospice is a place of comfort, not concern.
Concerned
It’s painful to read, but it sheds light on something too often ignored in public discussions.
“The community deserves confidence that the St. John Hospice is a place of comfort, not concern” I totally agree with you on that. We never know where we or our loved ones will end up. lets have more compassion and concern
I thought since it is privately owned that it would be in a better condition.
I personally commend the hospice for the care my brother received whilst at the hospice recently. I commend the caretakers for what we the family members recognized and appreciated as the genuine care offered to our brother. The facility was ALWAYS meticulously clean and the surrounding environment conducive to wellness at that stage of life. That being said, St. John’s Hospice, on behalf of the entire Henry family, I thank you all for the care you provided to our brother/uncle/cousin. May God’s richest blessings continue to rest on you all and may you continue to grow and excel in the services you provide to your patients.
It’s hard to think that people at their most vulnerable aren’t getting the comfort they need.
My mother was in Hospice tell you no lie that place was clean patient clean sheets white and they stayed in contact with family the administrator retired so I don’t know about this year but it was cleaner that hospital, so please look it to this matter.
Isn’t hospice for end of life care when there is nothing else the doctors can do for you but make you comfortable and manage your pain?
Seems like the relative was the one who wanted more comfort than the sick person
This is a private institution so the best thing to do is if you are not satisfied with the service take her elsewhere… plenty hospice available all over the world.
It’s the little things masks, proper supervision, empathy that show whether a hospice truly cares. Inconsistencies like this signal bigger problems that can’t be ignored.