FRIENDS of Caroline
Caroline’s Cottage
story by JENNIFER BROWN-CARPENTER photos by PAUL NURNBERG and LS3P
Pictured Above: FRIENDS of Caroline staff: top row l to r: LaNelle Fabian, Lisa Ost-Beikmann, Virginia Henneberry
bottom row l to r: Lindsay Roberg, Eileen Filan, Shoranda Clark
That if there was a dedicated, special place where you could bring your loved one? A place that doesn’t restrict access to patients but provides a family-oriented environment with gathering spaces and lush gardens to promote togetherness and connection. Making your time count, instead of counting your time. Now is the time to take care of those who have taken care of us.” That is what you will see when visiting the website of FRIENDS of Caroline. This is the goal that has been achieved, providing something to the Lowcountry community that it has never had before: An Inpatient Hospice Unit soon to be opening its doors, Caroline’s Cottage.
FRIENDS of Caroline has recently been able to move their offices and all of their support services from their previous location in Port Royal into their new facility, located at 329 Friends Lane in Okatie. “Within a few weeks, we will be receiving our final inspection from the State and will be able to open our doors to receive and welcome the first patients,” states Lindsay Roberg, Executive Director.
Caroline’s Cottage is an 8-bed inpatient facility. They are a not-for-profit organization and have been serving patients since 1977 wherever they call home, whether their own home, the hospital, or an assisted living facility. Caroline’s Cottage will be an extension of these services they have been providing our community. Not only will they continue to provide outpatient care, but they are also expanding their services, reaching a greater area based on their new location.
Caroline’s Cottage provides a unique and necessary service to those in the community who need it. Whether those patients do not have caregivers or are too sick to manage symptoms in their homes, at Caroline’s Cottage, they will have 24/7 nursing and certified nursing assistants (CNA) services, along with doctors and nurse practitioners. While it is similar to a hospital, Caroline’s Cottage is not trying to cure anyone. It is offering comfort care. Because of this, you will not hear alarms going off or experience many of the restrictions you would find in the hospital. There aren’t limits on how long a patient can stay at the Cottage.
When FRIENDS of Caroline originally opened in 1977, they began primarily serving Northern Beaufort County and have continued to do so over the last 45 years. They are now able to serve more of Southern Beaufort County as well as reach the other three counties they are licensed to serve: Hampton, Jasper, and Colleton. Caroline’s Cottage is located in Jasper County, providing them an opportunity to offer resources to an underserved area.
Caroline’s Cottage is the only inpatient hospice facility in our area. The closest options outside of Caroline’s Cottage would be Mount Pleasant or Savannah. This makes it difficult for loved ones to visit and care for their family while also working. Driving an hour or more each way can be difficult. Caroline’s Cottage not only is close, but it offers 24/7 visiting hours, so you are able to come and see your loved one without worry. Caregivers can also spend the night with their loved ones. Not only that, but there are no age restrictions, so anyone of any age can come to visit their loved one. Pets are also allowed to visit if owners can provide records.
There will be four levels of care provided, including respite care. Respite care is a unique need that is not often met. This allows primary caregivers to leave home to attend events, such as graduations or weddings, and know that their loved one is taken care of.
The Inpatient Unit was designed to look like a Lowcountry home. The goal was to have everything function clinically while feeling like being in your own home. There is an open area with a family room and a kitchen. This allows loved ones to cook a favorite meal when they are visiting.
An interdisciplinary team made up of a physician, nurse practitioner, registered nurses, CNAs, chaplain, social worker, and a large volunteer base all provide care for those staying at Caroline’s Cottage. Everything from office work, respite care, and providing companionship is supplemented by volunteers. Friends of Caroline provides all the medicines and medical supplies that are needed.
The rooms are very large, providing plenty of space for families to gather. These private suites also offer double doors out onto a screened-in porch, allowing the hospital beds to be moved out onto the porch. This gives the patients access to fresh air and the changing weather, even if they do not feel able to leave their beds. There is a paved nature trail that wraps around the building and connects the screened-in porches. It leads to a pond. This paved trail allows caregivers to get outside with their loved ones, even if they are dealing with limited mobility.
Future goals for the FRIENDS of Caroline involve continuing to educate our community on hospice and palliative care. When most people hear the term “hospice,” they immediately imagine or assume that their loved one only has a few days left to live, but that is often not the case. FRIENDS of Caroline does not want that fear to consume people as they have seen how much quality of life can be provided under good care.
FRIENDS of Caroline is in the process of a 5-million-dollar campaign, already boasting $4,447,925 to goal. They will continue to fundraise as well as educate the community. There is a continual need for volunteers, not only to provide in-person help but providing donations. Some of these donations could be financial, or as simple as providing bird feeders and seeds for the Cottage property. If you are interested in helping, learning more, or even having a loved one move into Caroline’s Cottage, you can contact FRIENDS of Caroline at 843-525-6257 or by emailing info@fochospice.org.
