Out-of-county management should honor sacrifices made in Orleans and reopen Hospice residence

Editor:

Going back to its opening the Martin-Linsin Hospice Residence in Albion has been the “Shining Star” of Orleans County’s health care system. Following its grand opening ceremony in November 2012, The Daily News proclaimed, it’s the “Birth of a Miracle!”

We can be proud of the fact that it opened following an incredible community-based fundraising campaign which raised $2.3 million; a good share of it was local funding provided by those in our community who were from the beginning very proud of what their efforts and contributions brought to Orleans County.

I was privileged to be on the Board of Directors from 2014 until July 2021. I was part of a team that had a true passion for the mission of Hospice. My motivation in taking on this responsibility was very personal. In 2003 my little sister Melody Lape passed away from cancer and had been a Hospice patient. Her husband Craig would eventually become the President of the Hospice Board which led The Martin-Linsin Hospice Residence construction project. Both he and I helped to fund one of the eight rooms in her honor.

The Martin-Linsin Hospice Residence was born of a vision into the future as a health care facility which the Orleans County community could be proud of. It was funded essentially by a localized fundraising effort, and until recently it has been locally staffed and led by members of our community and under the guidance of a Board of Directors that are your friends, neighbors, or fellow employees.

And now according to the Hospice of Orleans website, the current Board of Directors is now led by Mr. John Lomeo. He has served as the President and CEO of Niagara Hospice for 24 years until his retirement in July 2024.

The remaining members of the Hospice of Orleans Board are now also Niagara Hospice Board members, except for one local representative. With a “Board” and “Team” of five members combined, all except one are from Niagara County and they have no apparent link whatsoever to our community.

I am dismayed to think that what began as a community founded, community based and community supported hospice residence now may have an uncertain future?

If you have been following this calamity the Hospice of Orleans authorities have denied closing the Martin-Linsin Residence, but states that it is on “pause.” I have stopped in several times recently. The Residence is not staffed, there is no maintenance going on, there is no housekeeping underway, the employees are otherwise reassigned or laid off, and the doors are locked; trust me, it’s closed! If it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck … it’s a duck!

When I was on the Board, we worked diligently to promote all of our services to the public. We worked very closely with the social workers in the neighboring hospitals to let them know we were available to help if needed.

We personally contacted key medical professionals in the area to remind them of what we could offer their patients who were facing an end-of-life diagnosis. We maintained a very close contact with the hospice agencies of every neighboring county to let them know when we had a room available per chance they needed our help.

And now all of a sudden there are no patients in Orleans County or in the seven counties of Western New York in need of residential hospice care? Are the good citizens of Orleans County all of a sudden healthier; I would suggest likely not!

However, very sadly we must accept this “pause” dictated to us by a group of people that ostensibly have absolutely no personal or professional interest in providing a respectful and honorable end-of-life experience for members of our community; the residents of Orleans County.

Apparently, The Miracle is over.

Doug Miller

Albion