Care Dimensions Receives Grant from People’s United Community Foundation of Eastern MA

Special to the journal

Care Dimensions, the largest hospice and palliative care provider in Massachusetts, has received a $25,000 grant from The People’s United Community Foundation of Eastern Massachusetts (“Foundation”), the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, N.A, to support the expansion of the agency’s telemedicine care capabilities.

Telemedicine became a lifeline of care continuity and support during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person patient visits were often limited or not possible due to safety precautions. In non-pandemic times, the technology also will help Care Dimensions supplement in-person visitation and provide immediate video visits during crises or for continuity of care for future patients, which will improve the patient and family experience

“While in-person visits are and will always be the hallmark of our care plans, we are eager to incorporate telemedicine care to ensure patients and caregivers can always access real-time nursing support and care whenever it is needed,” said President & CEO Patricia Ahern, RN, MBA, FACHE.

Keeping seriously ill patients secure in their homes also helps community hospitals and health organizations preserve resources for acute and emergency cases and helps them guard against becoming overwhelmed with chronic cases, a function that became paramount during the increased cases and surges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have been proud to partner with Care Dimensions since 1991, supporting them in carrying out their important work,” said Patrick Sullivan, Foundation Board Member, People’s United Bank president-Massachusetts and EVP of Commercial Banking. “The COVID-19 pandemic has only further highlighted the important role they are playing in communities – and now in homes – throughout Massachusetts.”

Care Dimensions is the largest hospice and palliative care provider to adults and children in Massachusetts. As a nonprofit, community-based leader in advanced illness care, Care Dimensions provides comprehensive hospice, palliative care and grief support in more than 100 communities in Massachusetts. Founded in 1978 as Hospice of the North Shore, Care Dimensions cares for patients wherever they live: in their homes, in skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities, in hospitals, or at our two inpatient hospice facilities, the Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln and the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. Additionally, Care Dimensions HomeMD program provides in-home primary care to patients over age 65 in select communities on the North Shore and Greater Boston who have difficulty leaving home. The Care Dimensions Learning Institute educates more than 7,000 health care professionals and community members each year on advanced illness and end-of-life topics. Please visit www.CareDimensions.org to learn more about Care Dimensions.

People’s United Community Foundation of Eastern Massachusetts, operating independently from People’s United Bank, provides grants for programs and services that improve the quality of life for residents in the neighborhoods served by People’s United Bank. People’s United Bank, N.A. is a subsidiary of People’s United Financial, Inc., a diversified, community-focused financial services company headquartered in the Northeast with approximately $61 billion in assets. Founded in 1842, People’s United Bank offers commercial and retail banking through a network of more than 400 retail locations in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well as wealth management solutions.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.