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Hood River 541-387-6449 866-680-6449 The Dalles 541-296-3228 866-680-4684 Hablamos Español |
History The first hospice in the United States opened in 1974 in Branford, Connecticut. Over the next 12 years (until the Medicare hospice benefit was enacted by Congress), hospices spread as a grassroots effort; a model of patient- and family-centered care that was considered a kind of "reverse-midwifery"—gently ushering a person back into the unknown. Those serving as hospice workers were neighbors; people of the community who willingly stepped forward to help others. Hospice of The Gorge is one of these venerable nonprofit organizations. Community members, exploring the possibility of providing hospice services in the late 1970s, assembled three all-volunteer groups: The Dalles Hospice, Hood River Hospice and North Shore Hospice in White Salmon. In 1981, these groups combined to form the board of Mid-Columbia Hospice. Ina Holman was hired as its first executive director—and the first part-time employee—in 1986. In 1994, Hospice of The Gorge received a new name, a larger service area and Medicare certification. Because we have such a large service area, we base our staff from two locations, in Hood River and The Dalles. During the first few years, we might have one or two patients at a time. Occasionally, there were no patients. Today, we serve hundreds of families every year. Until 2004, Hospice of The Gorge rented space in various locations. The generosity of local benefactors in Hood River and The Dalles has made it possible to seek permanent homes for both offices.  |