A second location is now open to meet the growing need for end-of-life care offerings in Lake and Sumter counties

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VITAS Healthcare, the nation's leading provider of end-of-life care, is accepting hospice-eligible patients in Lake and Sumter counties through its new office located in The Villages. The new office is located at 1950 Laurel Manor Drive, Suite 135, The Villages, FL 32162. For questions or referrals, please call 352-800-5170 or download the VITAS Referral Mobile App.

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This is the second VITAS location serving Lake and Sumter counties. The company's first office in Eustis, Florida, opened in January 2018 to meet the growing need for quality end-of-life care services in the area.

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"We are honored to be welcomed by the residents of The Villages and to partner with 'Florida's friendliest hometown' to provide patients and their families with the physical, emotional, social and spiritual support they need at the end-of-life," said Jillian Madsen, RN, general manager of VITAS in Lake-Sumter. Madsen oversees each hospice team which includes a physician, nurse, hospice aide, social worker, chaplain, bereavement specialist and volunteer.

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VITAS services available for hospice-eligible patients include:

• Admissions personnel available 24/7/365--at the convenience of the family or upon the request of the physician
• Physical, emotional and spiritual care provided by a hospice team that visits the patient at home, in their nursing home or assisted living community, an average of five-plus times per week
• 24/7 access to trained clinicians who can dispatch a team member to the home when necessary
• Continuous care at home for up to 24 hours when symptoms demand it

.Additional therapies and patient-focused programs:

• Lavender Touch: A gentle hand massage administered by trained volunteers that offers added comfort, support, and one-on-one attention
• Paw Pals^®: Loving animals and their owners who volunteer to visit patients to provide comfort
• VITAS' award-winning veterans program
• Massage therapy provided by a state licensed massage therapist

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As part of its commitment to bring value and educational resources to the communities it serves, the VITAS office at The Villages offers community outreach and education about end-of-life care and options, support groups, and other valuable resources.

For more information about end-of-life care options, contact VITAS Healthcare at 352.800.5170 or visit VITAS.com.

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VITAS^® Healthcare - 40 Years Strong

Established in 1978, VITAS Healthcare is a pioneer and leader in the American hospice movement. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, VITAS operates 47 hospice programs in 14 states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin) and the District of Columbia. VITAS employs 12,123 professionals who care for terminally ill patients daily, primarily in the patients' homes, and also in the company's 27 inpatient hospice units as well as in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living communities/residential care facilities for the elderly. At the conclusion of the first quarter of 2019, VITAS reported an average daily census of 18,559. Visit www.vitas.com.