Our History
Frances Turner, a nurse who worked for the Morrow County Health Department, was the founder and driving force for establishing and growing our local home-care hospice. In 1987, under her direction, a study directed toward identifying needs of the dying in Morrow County was conducted by a graduate student from the Ohio State University. In January 1991, the United Way of Morrow County allotted $5,000 for development of services for the terminally ill in our county, and a hospice Board of Directors was appointed by the Morrow County Health Department Board. With heavy hearts and sadness, we lost our founder in March, 2021.
In May 1991, our hospice was incorporated as a non-profit organization as Hospice of Morrow County, Inc. (HMC). State licensure was obtained on October 15, 1992, and Medicare/Medicaid certification in November 1993. In January 1995, HMC moved from the Health Department to a house located next to Woodside Village Care Center. In 2005, HMC purchased and renovated our current location, which we’ve occupied since November 2006.
HMC does not have an in-patient facility, so there are no patients on site. Our care is delivered directly to the patients and families wherever they call home, whether in a private residence, group home, nursing home, or assisted living facility. Wherever a patient calls home, we work to improve the physical and emotional comfort of patients and families with a focus on quality of life. In nursing homes or other residential facilities, residents receive the same team approach to care as patients in a home setting, with facility staff and the hospice team working together to provide specialized attention, symptom and pain management, and comfort care.
