Pemi-Baker Community Health is excited to announce that Dr. Kristi Saunders, MD, has joined the team as their new Hospice Medical Director.
After working over twenty years in Family Medicine as a board certified OB/GYN, Dr. Saunders was drawn to palliative care and hospice by the desire to be more involved with her patients when facing serious illnesses and death. She became board certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine in 2012 and since then has been educating her patients about living and embracing the normalcy of dying.
Working with other agencies in New Hampshire and recently receiving hospice help for her mother in California, has highlighted common challenges that families face. “My past experiences of different cultures, needs and desires made me realize how important it is to really have the time to listen, watch, and not treat everyone like medicine normally does…like everyone else. We are all different and need our care individualized. We spend too much time medicalizing death and not spending more time in what is the hard part…saying goodbye,” said Saunders. Pemi-Baker Community Health’s mission and philosophy of supporting their patients and families with compassionate care follows closely with Dr. Saunders’ beliefs. “Our goal is to educate families that hospice is really about living, not death. It should be about smiles, hugs and bringing people closer to acceptance as we possibly can,” said Saunders.
“Dr. Saunders has been serving our community as one of our hospice physicians since January and we are delighted that she will be taking over as Hospice Medical Director upon Dr. Arsenault’s retirement. Her commitment to the highest standards of client care blended with her knowledge and compassion make her an ideal fit for Pemi-Baker Community Health,” said Danielle Paquette-Horne, Senior Director of Home Health, Palliative Care & Hospice.
With over 50 years of experience, serving clients from 22 towns in central and northern New Hampshire, Pemi-Baker Community Health is committed to creating healthier communities. Services include at-home healthcare (VNA), hospice and palliative care, on-site physical and occupational therapy and aquatic therapy in their 90-degree therapy pool. Providing compassionate care with experienced staff who are trained, certified professionals in the business because of their hearts. In your time of need, we’re right where you need us.
PBCH is located at 101 Boulder Point Drive, Plymouth, NH. To contact us please call: 603-536-2232 or email: info@pbhha.org Visit our website: www.pbhha.org and like our Facebook Page: @PBCH4
~written by Anna Swanson
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