Crystal Coast Demographics

A Critical Need on the Crystal Coast

While the Crystal Coast Hospice House will serve patients of all ages, most will be senior citizens.  Over 80% of hospice patients are 65 years or older.  As the baby boomer generation grows older and seniors retire to our area, residents who are 65 and older become the fastest growing segment of our population.  The number of local residents in this age group is projected to swell by 20% in the next five years and will make up 80% of the projected population growth.

By 2016, one in four residents of our region will be over 65.

With the closest hospice home over 100 miles away, patients referred to in-patient care do not have convenient access to a dedicated place to continue hospice care through their final days.  Families and friends must travel long distances, often hours, just to share precious time with their loved ones in a hospice centered environment.

Our area experiences a notably higher incident rate of cancer than the rest of North Carolina, 18% higher.  About 40% of hospice utilization in North Carolina is by cancer patients, making the need for this facility in our community even greater.

Four in ten hospice patients will be referred to inpatient care.