Hospice CEO announces retirement in 2016
Recently, Care Dimensions announced Stringer plans to retire later this year.
Stringer succeeded in growing the hospice despite the challenge it deals with the delicate and often uncomfortable issue of death and dying. The organization provides end-of-life care while also helping grieving families cope with loss. It allows someone to die at home, or in an inpatient setting, with dignity, instead of in a hospital, said Stringer.
Going into hospice care is not about the loss of hope, she said.
"It is about kind of reframing hope and helping people to have dignity, have control, be in the place and be surrounded by the things that are most important to them," Stringer said.
The 62-year-old
Stringer has grown the hospice, based at
Care Dimensions also has more than 400 volunteers, and cares for 700 patients a day throughout 90 communities in eastern
The organization was a pioneer in its field, building the first licensed inpatient hospice facility in
That facility opened in 2005 with 12 beds, and was expanded in 2010 with another eight beds. Care Dimensions is seeking state and local approvals for a similar facility on the
In 2011, the organization acquired
Two years ago, Stringer oversaw the renaming of the organization to Care Dimensions to better reflect its broader mission and territory, and to remove some of the stigma of the word "hospice." It also reflected the broad array of services, from end-of-life care, education, complimentary therapies and grief support.
Strong support in the community-- including from local hospitals -- allowed Care Dimensions to grow the way it did, according to Stringer.
"We have very strong roots in the community thanks to those early volunteers who started
Strong finances
Stringer, who earned nearly
The organization had expenses of nearly
The organization also showed "net assets or fund balances" of nearly
Stringer plans to remain with Care Dimensions until a search firm,
Beginnings
Stringer said it all began through the efforts of volunteers who thought: "There needs to be a better way to care for dying patients." That way was one that would also deal with the emotional, spiritual and psychological needs at the end of a person's life.
Stringer came on board after
She had worked as a home health nurse, and had a master's degree from the
With the expansion of
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