(Creston, Iowa) – Citing an inability to fully staff the facility, officials with the EveryStep Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston, on Tuesday, announced they will be closing on Oct. 1st. In a press release, officials said “EveryStep’s Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston will close October 1, 2022. Members of the EveryStep leadership team met with staff today, as well as patients and families. EveryStep is taking steps to ensure the transition will be as seamless and easy as possible.

“The primary reason for closure of the Greater Regional Hospice Home is understaffing. In today’s environment of difficulty hiring nurses and aides, EveryStep cannot find the staff needed to operate the 24/7 hospice house in Creston. There are currently 10 open, unfilled shifts out of 62 total (16%). Current staffing needs include registered nurses, hospice aides and social worker. Despite actively recruiting, it has been difficult to fill them – a dilemma faced by health care organizations nationwide. EveryStep will continue to provide hospice care to patients in southern and south-central Iowa, but instead deliver that care in a home or long-term care facility setting.”

The press released said also, “EveryStep is currently working with patients and families at Greater Regional Hospice Home to develop individual plans that best meet their needs while ensuring the highest quality care. Depending on their individual care needs, some patients at the hospice house may live out their final days at the facility, while others may be transferred to long-term care facilities or EveryStep’s Kavanagh House hospice home in Des Moines, or they may choose to receive home-based hospice care from our EveryStep Hospice team.

“The 11 employees who work primarily at Greater Regional Hospice Home have been offered other positions within EveryStep. For those who wish to move on to new opportunities, EveryStep has prepared customized severance packages.”

They concluded their message by saying “EveryStep remains committed to providing compassionate and professional hospice care in southern and south-central Iowa. All other EveryStep services will continue to be offered, including home-based care, through our EveryStep Hospice teams and our Creston-based EveryStep Home Care team.”