A crowd estimated at over 400 attended the grand opening Sunday of the Huron Residential Hospice along Hwy. 8, west of Clinton.
The event also marked the National Hike for Hospice, which was held on the trail behind the house.
Seaforth Family Physician Doctor Agnes Kluz is one of two new co-medical directors of the Huron Residential Hospice.
Dr. Kluz pointed out that end of life care can be in a home or in a hospital, but a residential hospice gives people another choice.
"People are all individuals, they have all kinds of special circumstances that for whatever reason might not be something that they're able to do, to stay at home; and therefore this is one more option for individuals to be taken care of with dignity and respect at end of life,"said Dr. Kluz.
She adds they're hoping to be able to open the door to patients within a couple of weeks but says they won't do that until everything is absolutely ready and they're able to provide that care their patients deserve.
Dr. Agnes Kluz, Co-Medical Director of the Huron Residential Hospice (photo by Bob Montgomery)