Announcing Our Specialized 20-Bed Palliative Care Center in China

Seasons is proud to announce the opening of a specialized 20-bed palliative care center in Shanghai, China. The center is designed to provide a peaceful and serene environment where patients and their families can receive care for their physical, spiritual, and psycho-social needs.

With 300 million citizens over the age of 65, there is a growing need for palliative care in mainland China. An aging population can benefit from the unique philosophy of palliative care that focuses more on supporting the patient and their family than treating a specific disease.

Because the Seasons vision statement directs us to understand that “…patients and families are the experts in their own care,” our palliative care program is a specialized offering that merges the best of palliative care as practiced in the west with the unique cultural competencies required to support the rich Chinese culture. In the Seasons Palliative Care model, a focus on family hierarchy as well incorporation of traditional Chinese medicines and therapies are coupled with pain and symptom management, bereavement support, and music therapy.

Seasons was able to enter into this partnership due in part to our strong network of community-based hospice and palliative care teams in the United States.

Our strong understanding of management best practices and viability allow us to advise on creating a program that can be sustained for the Shanghai community. We are also fortunate and honored to have several Chinese physicians and clinicians serving in our various programs across America. These clinician leaders have been instrumental in providing training for the palliative care team in Shanghai on best practices in comfort measures, social support, and bereavement care. They also helped Seasons develop program offerings that honor and acknowledge the needs and culture of the Chinese in Shanghai.

The design of the unit itself is modeled off of many of Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care units in the United States. The rooms are designed to support patients, but also provide comfortable areas for families to visit and stay with their loved one. The serene atmosphere has less of a clinical feel and more of a home-like atmosphere where patients and families alike can spend time together, while being attended to by our specially trained staff.

The unit accepted its first patient in December of 2019. Featured here is a beautiful painting produced by the second patient we had the honor of admitting. He painted this lovely scene two years ago at the age of 95, and his hand was still steady on the day he came onto our services. We are offering him and his family comfort, peace, and a supportive environment where they can spend time together before he dies. We are humbled and thankful to be Honoring Life and Offering Hope to those who need our services in China.

Seasons will continue to explore international opportunities throughout Asia and beyond. Our Mission of Honoring Life ~ Offering Hope directs us to provide comfort and dignity to everyone who can benefit from the person-centered model of care that hospice and palliative care offers.