Hospice care is more than just medical care for the terminally ill. Much like physicians and midwives prepare families for the birth of a child, the hospice team helps families prepare for the death of a loved one. This can be help understanding what is happening, and preparing for what might happen next. It can be working with your family to focus on time that is rich in quality, if not quantity. It can be preparing you emotionally and creating time for closure; time to say “goodbye” and “I love you.”
Hospice care is to be considered when a physical cure is no longer possible. Many people in the terminal phase of an illness choose to live this part of their lives at home, in familiar surroundings, with their family, friends, pets and comfortable routine. Hospice provides families with a compassionate team of professionals who address the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their families. This comprehensive approach toward health care recognizes that a terminal illness affects the entire family
Evergreen Hospice provides a full range of services to help families through the difficult time associated with the loss of a loved one. These services are available along the complex journey; from the moment a life limiting prognosis is given, through the pain of letting go and saying goodbye, and on to the adjustment to a changed life.
Members of the hospice care team have special expertise in management of physical, emotional and spiritual needs. They have one goal - to bring comfort to those facing a life-limiting illness.
The hospice nurse makes regularly scheduled visits to the patient providing expert pain management and symptom control techniques. Nurses provide the complete spectrum of skilled nursing care and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The pharmacist provides consultation for medication management.
Certified nursing assistants help with the personal care of the patient.
Social workers provide assistance with practical and financial concerns as well as emotional support, counseling and bereavement follow-up. They evaluate the family’s need for support services and facilitate communication between the family and community agencies.
Trained volunteers provide an extra set of hands to help make life easier for patients and families. They are available to help with errands and household chores, to provide a comforting back rub, to read to patients or to simply listen.
Chaplains provide spiritual support to patients and families, often serving as a liaison between them and their religious community. Chaplains often assist with memorial services and funeral arrangements.
Bereavement counselors offer support before and after the loss of a loved one.
The hospice team also provides support for family members, helping them care for the needs of their loved one and deal with the emotional issues involved with an impending loss.
Hospice care doesn't end when you or your loved one dies; the focus shifts to helping you cope with the reality of the loss. Grief and bereavement counseling is available for up to one year. Trained bereavement volunteers may help support you through your grief.