Russell and Fern de Greeff Hospice House
Encyclopedia
Russell and Fern de Greeff Hospice House in St. Louis, Mo., provides traditional hospice care to terminally ill individuals who do not have a caregiver available to care for them at home. Patients requiring de Greeff Hospice Houses services may have a caregiver who is unable to care for them any longer, symptoms that cannot be managed at home or no caregiver or resources to hire outside help.
house to care for terminally ill individuals who had no one to care for them in their homes. Russell de Greeff died in June 1998, one year before the hospice house opened in 1999.
In 2006, the Hospice House expanded to care for 20 patients from the original 10 patients. Fern de Greeff died at age 100 in January 2010. Her name is now synonymous with generousity and hospice care in St. Louis, Mo.
History
In 1998, Russell de Greeff was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He was admitted to St. Anthony%27s Medical Center, St. Louis, Mo. He and his wife, Fern, saw a need and established an endowment for a freestanding hospiceHospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
house to care for terminally ill individuals who had no one to care for them in their homes. Russell de Greeff died in June 1998, one year before the hospice house opened in 1999.
In 2006, the Hospice House expanded to care for 20 patients from the original 10 patients. Fern de Greeff died at age 100 in January 2010. Her name is now synonymous with generousity and hospice care in St. Louis, Mo.
Hospice Services
A coordinated, interdisciplinary team provides medical and support services from one plan of care. The program includes:- Physician services
- Nursing services
- Home health aide services
- Social services
- Pastoral care
- Bereavement care
- Volunteer services
- Inpatient care
- Respite careRespite careRespite care is the provision of short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for family members who might otherwise require permanent placement in a facility outside the home....
- Nutritional counseling
- Medications related to the terminal illness
- Medical supplies
- Medical equipment
Facilities
St. Anthony’s de Greeff Hospice House is located on 3-1/2 acres of wooded property on the campus of St. Anthony's Medical Center. It provides a secure, home-like setting for patients at the end of life.- 20 private bedrooms
- A kitchen and two dining rooms
- Sitting and family rooms
- A chapel
- Beautifully landscaped grounds, outdoor trail and patio with BBQ facilities
Awards and Recognition
Hospice House has been the recipient of numerous awards and a best practice study of scores of national and international delegations of health care professionals.- Co-founder Fern de Greeff has been recognized by numerous organizations throughout the community for improving the lives of others.
- In 2004, Fern de Greeff received the St. Louis County Chamber of Commerce Humanitarian Award.
- In 2005, St. Louis County proclaimed Feb. 23 as Fern de Greeff Day.
- In 2006, Fern de Greeff received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Missouri Hospice and Palliative Care Association.
- In 2007, Fern de Greeff received the prestigious Medal of Honor from the Daughters of the American Revolution, along with the DAR Missouri state award for Outstanding Women in American History, honoring women who have mad America a better place to live.