Compassion and Help at Carpenter Hospice

When Bob & Elaine McIntyre and Robbie Cox close their eyes and think of a place that means a great deal to them, Carpenter Hospice is one of the places they see.

The home, in the heart of Burlington, provides residential support to people in the last stages of their lives, as well as community-based programs for people dealing with grief or a life-limiting illness.

“The staff and volunteers here became my surrogate family,” said Cox, who came to Carpenter in 2014 when her husband was reaching the end of his journey with a brain tumor. “The experience probably meant a great deal to me because they helped me so much in finding self-care. Many who care for people reaching the end of life don’t really understand what they need until they have it made known to them. That’s how Carpenter makes such a valuable contribution to this community.”

Click here to watch a video about Carpenter Hospice.

Carpenter Hospice opened in 2002 and currently has a facility of more than 10 bedrooms. It has provided services to more than 3,000 people and does so at no cost. In 2002, the Carpenter Hospice Permanent Endowment Fund was established at the Burlington Foundation. The fund generates an annual amount of interest to help support Carpenter’s operations each year.

For Bob McIntyre, being diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer after surviving prostate cancer was like being caught “like a deer in the headlights.” It was after his second cancer diagnosis that Bob and Elaine sought out Carpenter and its services.

“This opened a whole new world of possibility and although Elaine would tell you I was probably not the most likely person to pursue a wellness program, including yoga and Reiki, we were welcomed into the Carpenter family with such great warmth that we soon became active advocates for what this place delivers to people in real need,” Bob said.

Carpenter Hospice lets residents spend their final days together with loved ones in an environment that is peaceful, comfortable and meaningful. It is supported by more than 150 volunteers.