HEAL TH The Promise of Comfort
There is a promise of comfort and a helping hand that is ready, willing and able to stand with you every step of the way, to offer guidance and a way through the whirlwind of terminal illness and everything else that comes along with that. With competence, caring, compassion and a plan that works, Hospice of Virginia utilizes a dedicated core of qualified physicians, nurse case managers, spiritual counselors, bereavement counselors, social workers, certified hospice aides and trained volunteers who will be there whenever and wherever you need them. The team is always available 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week when needed. If you’ve ever been a caregiver you know how much this means. “We are the bridge between the patient and the doctor,” says Michelle Wills, RN, Patient Care Coordinator. Many people with life threatening or terminal illnesses suffer needlessly every year due to lack of knowledge regarding the availability and the hope that hospice provides to patients and their families. Many families feel that they cannot afford hospice care or by requesting “hospice” they will in some way hasten the death of their loved one.
The end of life, with good hospice
care, can be a time of celebration, healing and temporary good-byes instead of being stressed out and alienated from one another—which can so easily happen when a caregiver’s nerves are beyond frazzled. Anyone who has walked that lonely walk knows the despair, desperation, weariness to the bone and loss of life they deal with every day with no respite. It doesn’t have to be that way. When utilized early, hospice care
can improve the quality of life for the terminally ill patient through spiritual support, counseling, pain mitigation, hospice aide visits and other services that will also ease the burden for both the primary caregiver and family members as well. This alone will do wonders to alleviate stress which can often lead to the literal collapse of a caregiver, from sheer exhaustion. There are few stresses or situations
that try our souls more than the terminal illness and impending death of a beloved friend or family member. Yet it is often
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something that we choose not to discuss or open our hearts to until it is almost too late. The final days of life should be spent surrounded by those we love, knowing that we and those we care for will be helped through the tough times.
What is Hospice?
Hospice is an approach to care, rather than a place of care. Patients can be cared for in their own homes, in a nursing or assisted living facility where Hospice of Virginia partners with the facility. Together as a team, a joint plan of care is tailored to the specific needs of the patient.
The needs and wants of the patient and their family determine the plan of care. Essentially—Hospice is personalized care for every situation. Hospice is the perfect expression of empathy and compassion at one of life’s most vulnerable and difficult times. “The focus is on immediacy. If there is a need it is dealt with right away,”says Mary Lynn Tackett, MSW.
How does Hospice of Virginia Work?
Hospice of Virginia utilizes an inter- disciplinary team of hospice experts. Hospice physicians work with the patient’s attending physician, as needed. Each patient’s plan of care is developed by the treatment team, including the patient and their family. Hospice of Virginia also operates its own
15-bed In-patient Unit at Retreat Hospital in Richmond, which is a symptom manage- ment unit with the ultimate goal of getting the patient back home where they are most comfortable. The setting of the In-patient Unit utilizes its own unique hospice team who provide around-the-clock care under the supervision of the unit’s medical director. Hospice of Virginia also maintains contracts with individual hospitals and nursing facilities throughout their service area to provide both in-patient and respite care. A staff of masters-level social workers assist with emotional support, financial concerns, and more. Certified hospice aides assist with bathing, dressing, skin
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