Category Archives: Community

Hospice of Santa Barbara Provides Seamless Care

A nonprofit organization, Hospice of Santa Barbara provides compassionate care at no cost to members of the community facing terminal illness, as well as their loved ones. The program underwent a major restructuring and launched again last July. In less than a year, the hospice’s Patient Care Services has admitted more than 115 new patients. This number represents an 18 percent month-over-month growth for the past nine months.

The restructuring allows for a better continuum of care and permits patients to move seamlessly between programs as their needs change. From the moment they receive their diagnosis, patients can access a hospice program tailored to their needs. Importantly, access to complete care through the hospice has minimized hospitalizations and reduced the strain on medical resources in the Santa Barbara community. Over the course of nine months, only 16 patients in the hospice’s care were hospitalized, and all received treatments that could not be performed at home.

The hospice’s Patient Care Services now offers four levels of care. Care Management provides access to critical resources for newly diagnosed patients who may recover from their illness. Palliative Care Management focuses on patients who are receiving treatment for a terminal illness. Anticipatory Grief supports caregivers and loved ones of a patient with a terminal illness, and Bereavement Care Management offers survivors a variety of supportive services to assist them though the grieving process.

In the past nine months, Hospice of Santa Barbara has provided 1,868 face-to-face visits with new patients who require care management, patient care volunteers, spiritual companions, and spiritual care. These services represent nearly $274,000 in free care. Much of the increase in patient services is due to community outreach, as well as education initiatives aimed at professionals in the human services and medical fields. The increase is also due to new programs for people who may likely recover from their illness, as well as the organization’s new approach emphasizing comprehensive patient care.

The Santa Barbara Bowl Supporting the Bowl Initiative

The Santa Barbara Bowl has emerged as a leader among concert venues that are seeking to make their operations more sustainable. Through its Greening the Bowl Initiative, the venue has taken a number of actions to achieve its goal of becoming carbon-neutral. Part of the initiative focuses on protecting and preserving the 17 acres of… Continue Reading

Kenny Slaught Discusses California Architectural Traditions

The most well known Santa Barbara attractions are hundreds of years old Hotel Virginia, the Old Mission’s pink towers where events are hosted and the historic El Pueblo Viejo neighborhood. The colorful murals at the County Courthouse are eye catching, and the clock tower and observation deck offer scenic views of Santa Barbara. The Lobero… Continue Reading

Kenny Slaught Explains The Development Of The Spanish Colonial Revival Architecture

A United States architectural movement, the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture was initiated in the early 20th century. The movement involved designing some cities that were the foremost Spanish colonies, which then became American cities, using the Spanish architectural style. A big portion of this architectural style can be seen in California. After an earthquake that… Continue Reading

Kenny Slaught On Southern California’s Ongoing Dependence On Hoover Dam

The ground-breaking dam built during the American Great Depression period was erected between 1931 and 1936, costing Americans $49 million dollars. The dam was originally named Boulder Dam, but became Hoover Dam in honor of then-President Herbert Hoover, who had made significant contributions to the completion of this prodigious project. It is 221 meters in… Continue Reading

Kenny Slaught On The Colonial Accents In Santa Barbara’s Architecture

Those who are interested in Hispanic architecture can learn more by visiting central Santa Barbara. The buildings showcase the architecture of that era. For example, some colonial style roofs are similar to the ones found in Cartagena, Mompox and San Juan in Puerto Rico. Santa Barbara made efforts to protect its original architecture by implementing… Continue Reading