UPMC: Inpatient hospice won't end locally; In-Touch advocates start petition

Jul. 13—SOMERSET, Pa. — UPMC officials said they plan to expand their umbrella of hospice services when In-Touch Hospice House closes in August.

And that will include introducing a 24-hours-per-day "continuous care" service where nurses and other support staff in homes and skilled care facilities can address specialized end-of-life issues, said Jennifer Vennare, UPMC's vice president of clinical operations.

The move hasn't dissuaded Hospice House advocates from urging the health system to reconsider the planned closure, with volunteers protesting the move Tuesday on West Patriot Street and collecting signatures on a petition asking UPMC to keep In-Touch open with fewer beds.

In-Touch Hospice House debuted as a end-of-life "home away from home" in 2009.

UPMC officials said their decision to end inpatient services within the 10-bed facility was made in response to a nearly seven- year overall decline in the number of people choosing the facility for hospice care.

The trend — locally and nationwide — has shifted to home care, UPMC CEO Andy Rush said.

'Not going away'

At-home care is just one of several options patients could be offered, including hospice services in the hospital or through UPMC hospice staff visiting them within contracted nursing homes, Rush said.

The biggest difference, Vennare said, is that UPMC will be introducing a continuous-care service that would offer 24/7 care from staff in addition to those in more specialized support services.

"Inpatient care is not going away in Somerset County just because Hospice House is closing," she said, referencing a handful of skilled nursing homes across the county and UPMC Somerset as ongoing options.

"And if somebody has a goal to stay in their home ... our continuous care model will enable our nurses to go into their home for as long as it takes to get their symptoms managed."

That includes long-term support and brief respites, she said.

Depending on an individual's level of need, that could involve support from a nurse or an aid, as well as a social worker or some other specialized support team member, Vennare said.

"Until now, we've had some nurses going into the home, but it's never been that 24-hour-a-day model," she said. "And we think it's important that the people in the Somerset community understand that."

Through the dedicated care that its staff has provided, Hospice House has been "a great service," Rush said. "But it's not about a building. It's about the care.

"And that same quality of care can be provided anywhere — whether it's in a living room or a skilled nursing center."

'Not the same'

To the dozens of Hospice House supporters who carried signs and collected signatures across the road from UPMC Somerset hospital on Tuesday, that service comes from a combination of the dedicated staff and warm and "welcoming" atmosphere the 10-bed facility offers that makes the option so special, said Becky Scott, of Meyersdale.

Advocates cited nationwide nursing home staff shortages, saying the care residents receive "won't be the same."

Scott was one of a handful of people in the group who shared personal stories about loved ones' final days inside Hospice House.

She mentioned using the center's communal kitchen to boil shrimp for her father's final family meal and the precious memories the day brought.

"You could never do that in a hospital or a nursing home," she said.

Susan Stepko recalled turning to Hospice House for "respite" breaks after wearing herself out over eight months of trying to provide the same level of care herself.

"Not everyone can do it all alone. Not everyone has the option of staying at home," said Stepko, a retiree who relocated from Alabama to care for her 100-year-old father in Somerset.

"At Hospice House, I didn't have to worry about visiting hours or whether someone was going to be there with him," Stepko said.

Connie Wilkins, a former 13-year employee who now volunteers at Hospice House, did not dispute the lower number of residents the center has seen in recent years.

But she noted that COVID-19 has compelled many people to keep their family members at home, whenever possible, because of fears that quarantines could separate them for extended periods.

"When they broke the news to us, it stuck us like a knife," she said. "I pray that they'll make the right decision. The people there are like family to one another."

The group plans to ask UPMC to enable the facility to continue operating as a hospice facility with six beds instead of 10.

Members said they had more than 2,500 signatures and planned to deliver the petition to UPMC officials as soon as this week.

Several supporters noted that UPMC continues to have hospice center affiliates in other regions, including Williamsport.

Vennare acknowledged two locations remain in operation across Pennsylvania. But in those communities, the demand for the service has remained high — unlike Somerset, which has averaged just three patients per day this year.

Rush said plans are in place to offer work to the Hospice House's staff of 30 and increase the number of UPMC Hospice workers who can travel to homes and other facilities to care for residents.