“We sincerely appreciate everything that was done to make his final years as comfortable as possible,” shared the family of Kiran Nayegandhi.

Kiran received meaningful palliative care and integrative medicine services as a patient of Suncoast Hospice. His family is very grateful to Suncoast Hospice and the entire team that took such good care of him for almost two years.

They added, “The doctors and staff at the Integrative Medicine Clinic and all those who came to our home were compassionate and caring.”

The Suncoast Hospice Integrative Medicine Clinic and Palliative Arts program offer innovative services that meet the needs of those with chronic or advanced illness.  Specialized practices combined with conventional medical treatments bring hospice patients relief and comfort from physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual pain and distress.  Services include acupuncture, breath work, massage therapy, Reiki, music, aromatherapy, pet visits and more.  Some services are provided in the soothing clinic, others in patients’ homes or the Suncoast Hospice Care Centers.

Patients consistently report a decline in severity of symptoms including, pain, anxiety, shortness of breath and nausea. These experiences provide peace and respite during very stressful moments for patients and their families, allowing them to focus beyond their diagnosis and have an enhanced quality of life.

In a continued effort to sustain and expand the Integrative Medicine Clinic and Palliative Arts Program, the Suncoast Hospice Foundation applied for and received an “Improve Quality and Safety of Patient Care” grant award of $300,000 from the Florida Blue Foundation. Suncoast Hospice is in the first year of this three-year grant that will further the reach of palliative arts and integrative medicine services.

The Nayegandhi family wanted to honor Kiran in a lasting and impactful way. The bench that Kiran sat on when he visited the clinic made the perfect location for a commemorative plaque. It sits in a shady spot under a beautiful tree with a perfect view of water. His family can look forward to returning there to sit and reflect at their loved one’s special place.