In the News

Hospice Makes Difficult Work Easier

Hospice care by its nature is difficult.

It takes a special person with a special commitment—a true calling—to care for people with advanced illnesses and support grieving families, says Diane Stringer, the president and CEO of Care Dimensions.

What makes Care Dimensions a special place for its 381 employees is the togetherness the organization supports and the togetherness the employees feel.

“Teamwork makes it a great place to work,” the CEO said.

Care Dimensions, formerly Hospice of the Norths Shore & Greater Boston, is made up, mostly, of physicians, nurses, social workers, hospice aides and chaplains.

They provide direct care to patients who are in pain and seriously or terminally ill, and provide support to their families—and do so as part of designated teams.

These teams meet regularly to plan care, and to talk about any complicating situations they have experienced.

Care Dimensions provides education for its employees from the start with a comprehensive orientation. The teaching continues in the months and years that follow, including technology and specialized care training, as well as ways employees can care for and sustain themselves, Stringer said.

Employees learn about dementia by experiencing some of its symptoms, wearing a virtual device, allowing them to see the disorienting disease through the eyes of those who experience it.

Specialized care sessions are now given each month, and have included veteran service agents coming in to train employees on how to care for veterans.

Care Dimensions also offers its workers massages, biometric screenings, health assessments and raffle Fitbits, devices that measure the activity and exercise the wearer is getting.

In a field where burnout is a fact, Care Dimensions' turnover rate is 19%, Stringer said. It teamwork is a hallmark at Care Dimensions, dedication and passion for the work is a big reason why.