Agrace Center for Hospice & Palliative Care Breaks Ground

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Ground was recently broken for the Agrace Center for Hospice & Palliative Care in Janesville, Wis. Kahler Slater is providing full architectural and interior design services for the new facility.

Agrace HospiceCare has provided hospice and palliative care and related services to families throughout South Central Wisconsin for 35 years. The new facility will allow Agrace to meet growing demand for hospice services and an immediate need for inpatient hospice beds in Rock County.

The 21,000-square-foot facility will feature 12 private inpatient suites and serve as an administrative base for Agrace’s in-home care program. In addition, it will include space for bereavement group meetings, staff and volunteer training and community education and outreach programs.

The project is currently on schedule for a summer 2014 opening.

The new facility will include a variety of features and amenities designed to create a comforting, peaceful environment for patients and family members. Offering patients and their families a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces was a key goal for the new facility.

Situated away from the street side of the facility, the inpatient unit will be private and homelike. Each patient suite will have its own patio and provide patients and family members ample access to natural light. Family “nooks” in each room will allow family members to stay overnight and be close to their loved ones, while giving the family members privacy, too.

A wooden canopy will create a welcoming entrance to the building while protecting patients and guests from the elements. Once inside, patients and visitors will have a view from the main entrance to the rear courtyard beyond.

A large shared patio space for patients and families will include a peaceful, wheelchair-accessible pathway, accessed from a family day room. A spa room will allow patients to enjoy a bath or shower if desired.