Mahaska Health Partnership Serenity House: Home Away From Home

Mahaska Health Partnership

Mahaska Health Partnership

MAHASKA COUNTY – With the holiday season upon us, Mahaska Health Partnership wants to remind the public of the hospice services available at the Serenity House.

“The Serenity House has always been a welcoming environment for families to visit, especially during the holidays,” Mary McCammant, RN at Hospice Serenity House, stated. “We work hard to make families and their loved ones feel comfortable and relaxed. Here at MHP, we value the importance of family and strive to accommodate the needs of our patients.”

Every year, the Serenity House displays a Christmas tree covered in ornaments shared from patients’ families at the yearly Hospice Remembrance Ceremony. These ornaments represent loved ones served by MHP Hospice Services in the last year. “We had one family that donated an ornament made of straw gathered from patients’ farm,” McCammant said. “It’s always interesting hearing the stories that families share on how the ornament represents their loved one.

“We have wonderful amenities at the Serenity House, such as a full residential-style kitchen, to allow families to come and make special memories with their loved ones,” McCammant shared. “One year, a family came in to make an entire Holiday turkey dinner. Their loved one sat close and instructed the rest of the family on the proper way to make her special noodles, which made the experience that much more special.”

In addition to traditional, end-of-life care, the Serenity House also offers temporary respite stays of up to five days for patients that are currently receiving home hospice care. “Sometimes, a family may need a temporary break from caring for their loved ones in the home setting,” McCammant said.

“I think the most important service we offer is our hospice team,” McCammant stressed. “We have hospice nurses and aides available 24/7 to provide care to patients. The Serenity House is a beautiful facility, but the staff and volunteers is what make it a home for our patients and families. Our volunteers work many hours to ensure extra comfort for patients and families served at the Serenity House. They touch many lives including patients and their families. We couldn’t do what we do without our amazing volunteers who help make everyone’s stay extra special.”

Mahaska Health Partnership, located in Oskaloosa, is a non-profit health system accredited by the Joint Commission. It is guided by its mission to provide exceptional customer service and health improvement, linking the science of medicine with the humanity of compassionate care. For more information about how Mahaska Health Partnership is making healthcare personal, visit www.mahaskahealth.org.

Posted by on Dec 17 2013. Filed under Local Businesses. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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