Heartlinks is opening a de novo located in Sunnyside, Washington, with an aim of providing a range of services to seniors in the area.

Hospice and palliative care will be a “strong focus” of services provided at the new senior living facility, Heartlinks Adult Family Home, said Shelby Moore, the organization’s executive director. Other services available include 24/7 access to personal care, assistance with activities of daily living, medication management and respite care.

The new location is designed to create a peaceful and comforting space for individuals with advanced and life-limiting illnesses in an area that lacks resources for patients and their families, Moore stated.

“There are very limited respite care options in our region. Both hospice and palliative care services will be central to what we offer at Heartlinks Adult Family Home,” Moore told Hospice News in an email. “The goal is to provide a home-like environment that feels comfortable and personalized while also offering the medical care needed for those with complex health conditions.”

Heartlinks provides hospice and senior living services across two counties in southern Washington. The nonprofit also offers adult and pediatric palliative care and grief support services in eastern Washington and surrounding regions.

Many of its hospice patients are those who receive denials for skilled nursing facilities or inpatient care and respite stays, Moore said. This leaves families with few alternatives for end-of-life and serious illness care, which was among the factors fueling the launch of Heartlinks’ new senior living location.

“It became clear to us that we needed to offer an option for our patients and their families, a place where they can access respite care,” she said. “Additionally, many families struggle to find appropriate end-of-life care in a setting that feels like home. Launching this adult family home gives us a way to fill those gaps. We aim to make end-of-life care more accessible in our region, especially for those who have been unable to find placement in other care facilities.”

Heartlinks is in part philanthropically supported by its two thrift stores, dubbed as Hospice Benefit Shops (HOBS). Its overall revenue reached more than $6.22 million in 2023, a rise from $5.33 million that the organization reported in 2022.

The organization provided hospice to 457 patients and served 121 palliative care patients last, according to its annual report. The prior year Heartlinks saw an 11% climb in its annual hospice patient census, partly driven by improved access to care across rural communities and minority populations, the organization reported.

Last year the hospice provider expanded its grief support services across five cities in Washington. Heartlinks’ growth plans for this year included expanding partnerships and its community education and outreach efforts, Moore indicated.

Demographics are fueling demand for care in Washington state. Seniors 65 and older represent 17.1% of the Evergreen State’s overall population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Hospice utilization rates in the state reached 40.96% in 2022, which fell below the national average of 49.1% that year, reported the National Alliance for Care at Home.

Having access to hospice, respite services and palliative care is an important part alleviating caregiver burden, Moore said. The new senior living center will be staffed with a team of nurses, a medical director and an interdisciplinary care team. Individuals with terminal and advancing illnesses are eligible to receive more intense, round-the-clock palliative and hospice support, she stated.

“The availability of respite care will allow family caregivers some relief, knowing their loved one is in capable hands,” Moore told Hospice News. “By creating a space where families can access care that’s personalized, compassionate and medically sound, we hope to ease the emotional and physical burden on both patients and caregivers.”