New $15.4 Million Hospice Center Breaks Ground in Missoula

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - A good-sized crowd gathered under a tent adjacent to the AMC 12 Theater on Tuesday to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony presented by the Partners Hope Foundation for a center for hospice and end-of-life care.

KGVO News spoke to Dr. Stan Seagraves who is the chair of the Partners Hope Foundation ‘Embrace Campaign’ about the future facility.

A Facility for End of Life Care had a Groundbreaking Ceremony on Tuesday

“The total project cost for property and buildings is $15.4 million,” began Dr. Seagraves. “We have two and a half million dollars left to raise. The facility is 15,000 square feet or a little north of that; it will have 12 patient beds with lots of common areas and beautiful landscaping. We hope to be open in less than two years by early 2025.”

In his prepared remarks, Dr. Seagraves provided more details about the state-of-the-art end-of-life facility.

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Over 3,000 are expected to be served in the Facility's First Year

“This center for hospice and end-of-life care will serve a six-county region of western Montana, an area of 12,000 square miles and a quarter of a million people,” he said. “In our first five years of service, we anticipate providing end-of-life care to nearly 3,000 of these people. These will be our loved ones and neighbors living right here in Missoula as well as people living in the most remote corners of Western Montana.”

Dr. Seagraves continued his description of the facility.

“Each room will offer an individualized environment for patients of all ages including pediatric patients,” he said. “Each will have a private patio and a bed which can readily be rolled out of doors where landscaping is an area of particular attention. These patios will be wonderful gathering and reflective spaces. The care provided will be the highest quality 24-hour care, following evidence-based practices for hospice and end-of-life care and following the principles of patient-centered or Whole Person Care.”

The Facility will also Provide End of Life and Grief Education

Chaplain Dan Dixon provided more particulars of the facility.

“It's designed to be a place where life goes on as much as possible,” said Chaplain Dixon. “It also needs to be emphasized that the facility that is built here is also a center for end-of-life and grief education. Here people will find resources, information, and discussion about the end of life and the grieving process. Here all questions will be valid, and the emotions that accompany those questions will be accepted and addressed.”

Following the prepared remarks several of the officials and volunteers symbolically broke ground with gold-painted shovels.

The operating partner for the facility will be Partners in Home Care, which already provides end-of-life care in Western Montana.