Welcome to Hospice of
Henry County
We are
here to help you in any way we can. Our highly experienced staff is
dedicated to providing the most compassionate and the highest quality hospice
care for your loved one and you.
Each of
our staff members shares a passionate belief in the hospice concept and the
benefits it provides to our clients. Each staff member has been intimately
involved with hospice care for many years. Each has been privileged to
share first hand the unique lessons, life experiences and gifts that hospice
brings to its patients and their families.
Please
review our information as we share the subjects in more detail as you learn more
about the hospice philosophy of care, and how hospice can help you
in your situation. If you do not find the answer to your question or you
would like to talk with us, please contact us at (419) 599-5612. We will
make ourselves available to you at a time and place that is convenient to you.
We will answer any questions you may have about hospice care or palliative care
without any obligation.
Why Hospice Care Exists
You matter because you are you. You matter to the
last moment of life,
And we will do all we can, Not only to help you
die peacefully,
But also to live until you die” -- Dame Cicely Saunders,
Founder of the Hospice Concept
Hospice
is not a place, but rather a way of caring that brings comfort to people at the
end of life. Hospice provides patients and their loved ones the assurance that
they will be attended with love and care when they need it most.
What is Hospice
Historically, hospice is a concept rooted in the centuries-old idea of offering
a place of shelter and rest, or “hospitality, to weary and sick travelers who
were on long or difficult journeys. Hospice became widespread in medieval
Europe with over 750 such institutions in existence in England by the 13th
century.
Dame
Cicely Saunders founded the first modern hospice in London in 1967. She was the
first person to apply the term “hospice” to specialized care provided for the
terminally ill patients.
Today,
hospice is the term used for an approach to healthcare that is specifically
designed to support the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those who
have life-limiting illnesses or conditions. Hospice care provides compassionate
care and support for those in the last stage of life so they may live their
lives as fully and comfortably as possible.
Hospice
affirms life and regards dying as a normal process. It neither hastens nor
postpones death. The goal of hospice is to provide a process to minimize discomfort and to maintain patient dignity and quality of life to the end.
Hospice
is a concept of care, not a specific place of care. With in this concept, the
primary location for hospice care is normally the home setting since the person
feels the greatest security and comfort in their own familiar environment. However,
hospice care can also be provided in any location where the individual may
reside, such as a residential care home, nursing home, assisted living or other
long-term care facilities.
Hospice
provides a physician-directed, nurse-coordinated, interdisciplinary team
approach to to personal care. The team, which also includes a social worker,
chaplain and home health aide, provides personalized training and counseling
with a caring, compassionate approach. Hospice emphasizes palliative care
(relief of pain and uncomfortable symptoms) rather then curative treatment and
quality of life.
Daily
primary care is provided by family members or loved ones. The hospice teams
are available 24 hours day, seven days a week to provide support, counseling and
hands on care when needed.
When a
patient with a life-limiting illness or condition decides that curative measures
are no longer appropriate, effective or desirable, hospice care becomes a
compassionate, dignified and beneficial option.
When
possible, the individual receives care in his or her own home. Family and
friends function as the patient’s primary caregivers. In conjunction with the
individual’s primary physician and our medical director, Hospice of Henry County
provides a specially trained, highly skilled and very experienced team of
healthcare professionals to assist the patient, caregivers and family. Each
team member visits our patients on a regular basis and guides them, their
caregivers and families through the process of the illness or condition.
The
individual’s primary physician continues in that function according to the
wishes of the individual. The primary physician continues to provide guidance
and also coordinates with our medical director and hospice team on hospice care
issues.
Our
medical director, A Doctor of Internal Medicine collaborates with the hospice
staff and is informed of all patient’s current conditions by team members. The
medical director assists in the development of the patient’s plan of care and
approves changes in the plan of care. The medical director is focused in
palliative care for pain control and symptom control and psychological
well-being.
Our
registered nurses, acting as the patient’s case manager, makes regularly
scheduled, personal visits to the patient to provide expert pain management and
symptom control care. The nurses provide training to the caregivers so they can
care for the patient properly and safely. The physician and family are informed
regarding the patient’s condition.
Our
social worker provides assistance with practical and financial concerns as well
as emotional support, counseling and bereavement follow-up. The need for
volunteers and other support services needed by the family is evaluated.
Communication is facilitated between families, support services and community
agencies.
Our
chaplain provides a non-denominational spiritual support to patients and their
families, often serving as a liaison between them and their religious
community.
Our
trained volunteers offer support, companionship and practical caring help.
Volunteers can assist by sitting with the patient to provide the caregivers an
opportunity to do errands or rest. Volunteers assist patient and families in very
similar ways a friend would reach out to others.
Our home
health aides offer support by providing personal care and offering respite to
the caregivers.
We also
remain available to the family for bereavement support through individual
appointments, group interactions, phone calls and mailing. We will
be with you as long as you need us.
You choose a hospice agency in the same manner and the same
care you would choose any product or service that will have a major influence on
your life or the life of a loved one.
First
q
Conduct
careful and detailed research on the hospice agency.
q
Friends and
associates can be valuable sources of information. In many cases they have had
personal experiences with hospice agencies or know others who have. Your
physician or your clergy will also have information on hospice.
q
Select a
hospice agency that is licensed by the state and Medicare certified. This means
that the hospice has met standards of care.
Second
q
Talk with the
care coordinator of the hospice.
q
Ask questions.
q
Explain your
specific situation.
q
Ask what the
response time will be if you have a need after office hours.
q
Ask about
supplies or equipment that can be brought into the home.
Third
q
After you
choose a hospice agency, it is important that you communicate the services that
will help you the most. Never hesitate to ask questions of any staff member or
contact the agency when something is not clear or you have concerns. Preferred
hospices will always provide prompt, courteous answers to your questions.
Hospice Eligibility
Who is
eligible for hospice care?
A common
misconception about hospice is that it is a service provided only to cancer
patients. The fact is that we provide care to individuals with any end stage
diagnosis. They may include, but are not limited to:
q
Cancer
q
Heart Disease
q
Kidney Disease
q
Liver Disease
q
Lung Disease
q
Stroke and /or
CVA
q
AIDS
q
Neurological
Disease ( Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Dementia, et.)
q
ALS or Lou
Gehrig’s Disease
q
Failure of
Multiple Organ Systems
q
Failure to
Thrive
q
Senescence
(the physical and mental conditions associated with advanced age)
When
does hospice care become appropriate?
Hospice
care becomes appropriate when an individual has a life-limiting illness or
condition. The patient’s primary physician and Hospice Medical Director will
work together to make this medical determination. The patient and family then
determine whether the patient wishes to enter the hospice care program.
We have
also prepared the following brief questionnaire that can help you determine
whether hospice care is right for you or your loved one.
q
I have started
feeling more tired and weak.
q
I experience
shortness of breath.
q
I spend most
of the day in bed or in a chair.
q
I have noticed
an increased weight loss in the past six months.
q
I make
frequent phone calls to my physician.
q
I take
medications to lessen physical pain.
q
I have fallen
several times in the last six months.
q
I have made
trips to the emergency room in the past six months.
q
I need help
from others with important daily activities (bathing, dressing, eating,
cooking, walking, getting out of bed.)
q
My doctor has
told me my life expectancy is limited.
If you
have checked 3 or more items on the questionnaire, you may want to begin your
research into hospice care by seeking the opinion and advice of your physician.
We will
be happy to meet with you to talk about your individual situation.
Palliative Care
What
is Palliative Care?
The World
Health Organization has defined palliative care as: “the active total care of
patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment." "Control of
pain, of other symptoms, and of psychological, social and spiritual problems is
paramount. The goal of palliative care is the achievement of the best possible
quality of life for patients and their families.”
Hospice palliative care is designed to support any other
treatment the patients may receive by helping them live as comfortably as
possible. It strives to help patients, caregivers and families manage the
challenges they face during hospice care. All aspects of care are provided in a
manner that is sensitive to the patient’s personal, cultural, and religious
values including his/her beliefs and practices and preparedness to deal with the
dying process.
When
is palliative care needed?
Palliative care can help a patient at any stage of a life-limiting illness or
condition. A patient may desire palliative care and support if he or she:
q
Is
experiencing symptoms that are hard to treat such as pain, nausea, fatigue,
anxiety.
q
Needs help
understanding treatment choices.
q
Wants support
when making difficult medical decisions.
Palliative care has a number of benefits:
q
Vigorous
treatment of pain, symptoms such as nausea and fatigue, depression throughout
the illness.
q
Keeping
patients as comfortable and active as possible so they can pursue meaningful
activities in the manner they desire.
q
Emotional
support for the patient, caregiver and family when needed.
The
hospice team develops a plan of care that the patient wishes are carried out via
palliative care.
Hospice
of Henry County isn’t the only choice for families seeking hospice services.
There are a number of fine organizations offering this type of care. However,
we believe that we offer a number of unique benefits to our patients, their
caregivers and families.
So, what
makes us different? We offer these thoughts for your consideration.
Community
We are a
local hospice that was established in 1978 for the residents of Henry County by
the Henry County Health Department. We are committed to serve all residents in the
community.
Focus
We are
focused on making the wishes of our patients our priority. Quality of life is
an expertise that is at the heart of every member of the hospice team.
Stability
Hospice
of Henry County is a team of professionals who are passionate believers in the
hospice concept. The caring professionals of the team are committed to the
program and patients and develop relationships within the community.
Experience and Expertise
Our
medical director is a Doctor of Internal Medicine who has over 15 years of
experience in hospice. Our manger of the hospice program has 15 years of
hospice experience. Our patient care coordinator has 11 years experience as a
hospice case manager and is certified in hospice and palliative care.
Intimacy
Hospice of Henry County strives to provide high levels of
personal care and services. In most cases the same staff member follows the
patient and family during the course of the hospice care and develops a unique
relationship with them. Our patients get more attention, better care and thus a better
chance at a higher quality of life.
The true
value of our services is determined by our ability to provide:
q
Compassion,
comfort and support to our patients their caregivers and their families
q
An environment
that recognizes and supports the rights of the patients
q
An environment
that promotes the patient’s ability to lived life fully with the highest quality
of life
q
Professionalism, integrity and excellence in all aspects
Are you
interested in becoming a hospice volunteer?
Please
contact us at (419) 599-5612 or e-mail hospice@henrycohd.org
Volunteers are a valuable component to the program of Hospice of Henry County. They
provide both practical assistance and compassionate care to our patients and
family members. Hospice volunteers demonstrate a deep commitment to the hospice
concept and their desire to help others.
Volunteers may lend their time and talents in two different capacities.
1.
Patient/family Assistance
2.
Non patient assistance / hospice auxiliary
A
volunteer interested in providing direct patient assistance is asked to complete
a training class.
Volunteers may provide family assistance by:
q
Sitting with a
patient
q
Doing errands
for patient and caregivers
q
Providing a
meal for the family
q
Handyman /
women duties around the house
This
group of volunteers supports hospice patients and their families by providing
support through projects that enable funds to be available to support the needs
of the patients. The project of providing a prayer quilt to every patient and
their family is carried out by this group of volunteers.
For
more information on the role of hospice volunteers call (419) 599-5612.
Hospice
is committed to educating the community about end of life care. Our
Speakers
Bureau offers a variety of topics for local community groups wanting to learn
more about end for life care issues, hospice and palliative care. Most speakers
will be incorporating in their presentations their own personal experience with
hospice and how it touched their lives. Presentations last from 10 to 30 minutes
and usually include a question and answer session for those who may wish to
have more information or share personal experiences.
Groups
include, but are not limited to church organizations, civic clubs, retirement
groups, employee organizations of families and friends interested in hospice
care. To schedule a presentation contact us at (419) 599-5612.
There is
no charge for our presentations.
Contact us
Advanced Directive
Many
decisions have to be made about medical care when a person becomes ill or is unable to communicate their wishes.
Planning ahead and discussing your desires with your family is important because
you may no be able to make decisions yourself if you are incapacitated in some
way. To document your wishes a living will and a durable power
of attorney for health care are documents to give notice of your
health care wishes.
A
living will is a document that states what limits you would like to place on
the treatment you would receive at the end of life. A durable power of
attorney is a document that states the person you have chosen to make
medical decisions for you if you are unable to make them for yourself.
When deciding what choices are best for you, you should first talk with your
family physician about your concerns.
The
following sites have additional information and advance directives forms
available for
download:
www.aha.org |
www.ohpco.org |
www.ohpco.org/living_will.htm
|
