(Photo | by Cascade Business News)
Centerpiece of $12 Million Bend Campus Expansion “Oasis of Tranquility”
The finishing touches are being applied to the new 14,600 square foot Hospice House — an “oasis of tranquility” for end-of-life care — on the Bend campus of Central Oregon’s leading home health and hospice provider, Partners In Care.
The centerpiece of a $12 million expansion plan which also includes remodeling of the organization’s existing adjacent building on Wyatt Court, the facility features 12 suites all with abundant natural light and homelike furnishings and amenities, with space for family members to stay overnight.
Each private room, with a lantern tucked into an alcove niche at the entrance welcoming visitors, features tall windows that open to the fresh air and focus on the contained landscape area outside.
Patients and visitors will enjoy the view of natural rock formations, native plants and birds visiting a feeder or bird bath, and patient rooms are a continuation of the full integration of building interiors with the variety of landscape and garden spaces surrounding the building.
Building materials were chosen utilizing a palette of color and texture offered by the Central Oregon region, while sand, sage, volcanic basalt and natural grasses influence the feel of the architecture.
Inspired by Bend’s sun-filled days, the House invites daylight deep within the building creating a smooth interaction with the warmth of wood, and to pay homage to Bend’s timber harvesting roots.
With completion expected in November, the new Hospice House will double the current six-bed capacity and offer inpatient hospice care for patients whose symptoms cannot be adequately managed in the patient’s home, as well as respite care for up to five days while family caregivers take a break.
It was designed by Spokane, Washington-based ALSC Architects in conjunction with the Bend office of Cole Architects (formerly DKA Architecture & Design) with construction overseen by local general contractor SunWest Builders. The overarching guiding principle used in a comprehensive planning process that involved both staff and volunteers was to reinforce and preserve the dignity of people using hospice as they complete their life journey.
Families will be able to comfortably spend the night, gather in beautiful common areas, take meals and rest, or escape to more private nooks to read or visit, amid décor reflecting the natural environment of Oregon, including artwork depicting rivers, mountains and other scenic landscapes.
According to Hospice House Manager Jenni Carver Ross, “Hospice House is a place where family members can just be family and release the caregiving role to our expert and experienced staff who practice patient and family-centered care. Being present with their loved one during this time is all important.
“Every detail is attended to by a staff of physicians and registered nurses, many of whom are certified in palliative and hospice care. They are joined by certified nursing assistants, social workers, chaplains, dieticians, volunteers, massage therapists, musicians and others to embrace the patient and their family members with compassionate care and comfort. Our ultimate goal is to meet their needs and make the final period of life comfortable, dignified and peaceful.”
Additionally, they may reflect in the architecturally-significant chapel complete with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on a serene water feature with an infinity edge and a custom-built “candle wall” where they may hold vigil for their loved one. They can also enjoy the outdoor garden and play spaces, and even spend time in the Pet Park where the family dog can relax off-leash.
Bend’s Hospice House is Oregon’s only in-patient hospice facility east of the Cascades and one of only three in the state; it promises to provide the region’s community a place for solace, comfort and support around the clock.
Each private patient suite prioritizes elements of comfort including private bathrooms, roll-in showers and hidden oxygen delivery and suction systems. Other features include handmade quilts on each extra-large bed, a mini-refrigerator, TVs with full multi-media capability, comfortable recliners and a pull-out sofa bed.
Food is prepared in a commercial kitchen with a pass-through feature for easy serving, while a welcoming great room features comfortable seating around a cozy central double-sided fireplace.
Partners In Care cited increasing demand for the general inpatient, respite and routine levels of care as a primary impetus for the project.
“Nearly 20 years ago, a six-bed inpatient unit was constructed within the clinical administrative building on our four-plus acre campus,” said Partners In Care CEO Eric Alexander.
“While it has served Partners In Care well, it is inadequate to meet the needs of our growing region and limited our ability to provide all three levels of care. The new Hospice House addresses these limitations and allows for a complete continuum of care while setting us on a course of financial sustainability and flexibility to meet the needs of patients.”
In 2017-18, Partners In Care conducted a study to determine the number of inpatient beds it should add which showed that based on population growth and position in the market, it would require 10-12 beds to meet the needs of the region and maintain financial sustainability.
The population of Central Oregon is rapidly increasing with Bend ranking among the top three fastest growing cities in the United States. According to the most recent census data, approximately 17 percent of Deschutes County residents are in the 65 and over age category.
While Partners In Care serves all of Central Oregon with branch offices in Redmond and La Pine, hospice care locally is primarily delivered in Deschutes County, which is also the central medical hub for the region. Statistically, most patients are referred to Partners In Care hospice by physicians in the greater Bend area, solidifying the need for a central inpatient facility to be located within the city.
Commenting on the expansion project, which took input from a dedicated work group including multiple stakeholders, Alexander said, “The connection of the two buildings to the natural elements of the campus evokes a sense of tranquility and respite from the urban environment of Bend.
“Our vision was to create an urban oasis that reinforces the dignity of the patients and their families using the facility.”
The masterplan, initiated with the help of local architect Neal Huston, includes a new surface parking lot to accommodate over 70 vehicles, and the future remodeling of the clinical administration building to provide more space for staff, volunteers and community groups to gather. Architect Jim Barrett has served as project manager for execution of the full master plan.
The combined project budget totaled some $12 million, with half of the funding coming from Partners In Care’s financial reserves, sanctioned by its Board, and the balance through ‘A New Home for Hospice’ capital campaign which has thus far raised over $5 million and is anticipated to reach its full target by the end of the year.
Fundraising efforts were aided by a $1 million matching grant from the Tykeson Family Foundation, a $750,000 grant from The Roundhouse Foundation and other major gifts from individuals. A 20-member Campaign Council meets monthly to oversee the activities and serve as community advocates for the project.
A spokesman for ALSC said, “The new Hospice House is a place celebrating the unique landscape of Central Oregon, passively inviting landscape to engage the building’s interiors.
“By blurring lines between inside and outside, the House offers a comforting familiarity for guests to experience as they process a range of emotions during this tender time.
“Partners In Care is a client you often hope for but rarely receive. They are open, caring and extremely knowledgeable.”
Cole Principal Architect John Kvapil, who worked alongside colleague Project Architect Kimberly Stroup, added, “The new Hospice House is an iconic building that will become a symbol for what Partners In Care stands for in the region.
“The building is surrounded by landscape areas that reflect the diverse aspects of Central Oregon’s natural and urban environment, and interior spaces connect with the surrounding landscape via a series of outdoor decks, courtyards and enclosed outdoor spaces, providing a variety of ‘outdoor rooms’ that invite peace, tranquility, quiet and reflection.
“The interior provides numerous and diverse areas where visitors can gather informally or just be in a peaceful place. These areas range from ‘bay window’ seating outside patient rooms, to gathering spaces at ends of hallways or around the family dining table, to an activity room or to a chapel with its own designated outdoor garden space.
“The new Hospice House embraces the universally comforting elements of earth, air, fire and water. EARTH through the connection of the surrounding natural landscape; AIR represented by the openness of rooms to the outside and views to the sky; FIRE in the warmth of the fireplace and the pinpoints of light on the candle wall of the chapel; and WATER represented in the view of the water feature outside the chapel. These elements help generate feelings of familiarity, serenity and peacefulness.”
Jay Battleson of JBattleson Design who oversaw the landscape architecture, took cues from the local environment including bunch grass-covered volcanic rock outcroppings, areas of low-water use native plant materials, urban lawns and formal garden areas that have a familiar residential ambience. He said, “This is a special place and we did everything possible to create the best environment for end users, including making sure views were maximized.
“It has been described as essentially a building within a garden, and the spaces within the gardens are designed to best serve patients and visitors, offering peaceful, self-reflective opportunities through a mixture of elements and individual spaces adjacent to buildings.
“When you come into a project, it is important to have a collaborative and capable team. In this case, it was complemented by a phenomenal, fully involved client dedicated to seeing the entire project carried out in the highest way possible.”
About Partners In Care:
Partners In Care is a private, independent, nonprofit organization serving the residents of Central Oregon since 1979. Its mission is to provide patient-centered care that honors the dignity and needs of those it serves, and to enrich the lives of its patients, families, team and community. Partners In Care provides a number of services including Hospice care delivered in patients’ homes and at Hospice House in Bend, as well as home health care, transitions, palliative care and grief support for chronically and terminally ill patients and their families. A largely mobile workforce includes nearly 200 registered nurses, physicians, social workers, nursing assistants, therapists, chaplains, administrative staff and over 100 active volunteers.
Partners In Care Hospice House
2075 NE Wyatt Ct.
Property Owner/Developer: Partners In Care
Contractor: SunWest Builders
Project Cost: $12,000,000
Sitework Start: Excavation/paving/parking lot work begun in Feb 2020, broke ground June 2020
Completion: October 2021
Square Footage: 14,715 Sq. Ft.
Amenities: 12 private patient suites, garden and play areas, chapel, meeting room, commercial kitchen, family kitchenette, double-sided fireplace in great room (called The Roundhouse), spa, accommodation for bariatric and pediatric patients as well as one double room for couples, designated smoking “pavilion,” sitting room, off-leash pet park and more.
Financing: None
Project Manager: Jim Barrett, Partners In Care Representative
Project Supervisor: Jon Paige, SunWest Builders
Architect: Cole Architects
Principal Architect: John Kvapil
Project Architect: Kimberly Stroup
Interior Design Architect: ALSC Architects
Structural Engineer: Coffman Engineers
Civil Engineer: PARAMETRIX, INC.
Geotech Engineer: Wallace Group, Inc.
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: Coffman Engineers
Landscape Architect: JBattleson Design
Subcontractors and Suppliers:
Absolute Signs & Apparel, Architectural Millwork Mfg Co., Architectural Specialties Inc., Baptista Tile, Barclay Dean Architectural Products, LLC, Bargreen Ellingson, Bell Hardware – Bend, Bend Concrete Services, Co., Bend Fireside, Inc., Bend Window Treats, Inc., Black Sheep Paper Hanging, Botanical Developments, Inc., Cascade Civil Corp, Cascade Heating & Specialties, Cascade Painting & Design, CCI Bend, Central Oregon Trim & Door, Christensen Plumbing Solutions, Custom Tint, Dave Gerhardt Tile, Dimar Siding Company, Eagle Roofing, Energy Conservation Insulation (ECI), Elite Electric, Engineered Products, EZ Way, Inc., Fabulous Floors, Gary’s Vacuflo, Geraghty Plumbing & Mechanical, H.A. McCoy Engineering & Surveying, J&R Fire, J&C Sanders Construction Supply, K&R Sheetmetal, Inc., Lakeside Lumber, LDC, Inc., Manciu Construction, Maxwell Construction, Mike’s Fence Center, North Country Building Specialties, Northwest Framing Systems, Overhead Door of Central Oregon, Precision Glass Service, Pro Shop Millwork, Quality Truss, Redbuilt Engineered Wood Products, Roger Langeliers Construction, Sealtech, LLC, Sierra Pacific Windows, Solid Rock Masonry, Superior Interiors, Inc., Tri County Paving, Trio Furniture & Design, True Line Steel, Vic Russell Construction, Western Protective Coatings, Won-Door Corporation
