Nantucket Council on Aging Hears PASCON Palliative Care Presentation, Plans Senior of the Year Vote

NANTUCKET — April 1, 2026 — Nantucket Council on Aging hears that island's free palliative care program serves 75 patients on a $1 million annual budget. The board hosted a presentation from Debbie Dolan, nurse practitioner and manager of the Palliative and Supportive Care of Nantucket program at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, and Lara Hansen, vice chair of the PASCON Foundation board, who told members the program — operating for more than 40 years and funded entirely by private fundraising — also supports 80 to 90 caregivers and family members and runs four hybrid support groups. Hansen said an annual Dream Catcher fundraising event in June and participation in Swim Across America help sustain the roughly $1 million budget. Dolan announced a May Palliative Care Week featuring a public evening presentation at the Atheneum with two Boston-based specialist speakers, the program's first with outside guests. The board separately confirmed 17 Senior of the Year nominations have been received, with an April 24 deadline and a May 6 vote, and flagged quorum concerns given member travel plans.