In the News

Patricia Ahern retired as Care Dimensions CEO in June 2022.

Care Dimensions Names Employee Emergency Assistance Fund in Honor of Recently Retired CEO Patricia Ahern

Care Dimensions, the largest hospice and palliative care provider in Massachusetts, is pleased to announce it has named its employee emergency assistance fund in honor of Patricia Ahern, who retired as CEO in June 2022.

The Patricia Ahern Helping Hands Fund was created in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to provide additional financial support to Care Dimensions’ employees experiencing a financial hardship. Given the challenges our employees continue to face, Care Dimensions has decided that the fund should continue in perpetuity. Care Dimensions’ mission has always been to provide the very best care to patients and families while also caring for its own employees who are the heart and soul of the organization. Each year, Care Dimensions allocates up to $15,000 to support undue hardships up to $1000 per employee. The fund has allowed us to support our employees and their families at a time of unexpected financial stress. In 2021, the company received 41 requests and in 2022 there have been 30 thus far.

“We created this fund at the start of the pandemic to support our staff whose families were experiencing job losses because of the shutdowns,” explained Care Dimensions CEO Stephanie Patel, MD. “Part of our mission is to support each other so that our staff can concentrate on providing excellent care for patients and families at end of life.”

“I’m so proud that the Board of Directors and Executive Team have chosen to name this fund in my honor,” said Patricia Ahern. “Servant leadership has always been at the core of my management beliefs, and this is a fantastic expression of those values.”

Care Dimensions will now accept community donations to support the Patricia Ahern Helping Hands Fund and donors can designate their donations be directed to the fund. For more information on supporting the Patricia Ahern Helping Hands Fund or to speak with someone about other ways to support our mission, please call or email the Philanthropy Department at 978-223-9787 or [email protected].

About Care Dimensions

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 Eastern 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.