Who We Are

The NEKPCI is a coalition of health care providers and community members interested in improving care for the dying in the Northeast Kingdom. The group has been meeting for ten years to examine where people die in the community (hospital, home, nursing home), how they and their families are cared for in the final days and what changes can be made in the various settings to ease the transition to death. The group has as its goal the common commitment of all community health care facilities to care for the dying in a way that eases their suffering, recognizes and promotes their choices and provides comfort for their loved ones.

This is the essence of palliative care: to take care of the whole person---body, mind, spirit-- heart and soul. Palliative care looks at dying as something natural and personal and attempts to ensure the best quality of life during this time. Palliative care takes the hospice approach to dying and brings it to everyone who has an incurable illness in the final phase.

In developing this concept of palliative care locally, the NEKPCI brings together representatives of North Country Hospital, Orleans Northern Essex VNA & Hospice, all of the area nursing homes, members of the clergy, physicians and community members.

The NEKPCI works in healthcare settings to educate staff and physicians about the special needs of the dying person and to make changes to accommodate these needs. It works in the community to collect information about care that was received as well as to provide information about choices in death and dying. Click here to find out about current projects.

The NEKPCI is a non-profit charitable corporation. Its activities are financed through public and private grants and contributions.

For more information about NEKPCI and the hospital based program, click here.