Hospice services are designed to provide support to patients, their families and loved ones through the use of an interdisciplinary health care team. This means that many interacting disciplines work together. Doctors, nurses, social workers, counselors, home health aides, clergy, therapists, and trained volunteers care for patients and their families. Each of these team members offers support based on their special areas of expertise. Together, they give patients and their loved ones complete palliative care aimed at relieving symptoms and giving social, emotional, and spiritual support.
Case Managers: make regular nursing visits for pain and symptom management. They also offer teaching and support to the caregiver(s), as well as providing 24 hour support by phone or emergency nursing visits as needed. The goal of pain and symptom control is to help patients to be comfortable while allowing them to stay in control of and enjoy their lives. This means that discomfort, pain, and side effects are managed to make sure that patients are as free of pain and symptoms as possible, yet still alert enough to enjoy the people around them and make important decisions.
The Hospice Physician: works in conjunction with the patient’s physician to provide pain and symptom management.
Social Workers: help patients and their families understand and cope with the related emotional and/or financial stress and provide counseling. Family members kept informed of the patient’s condition and what to expect during counseling sessions with social worker or hospice nurse. Counseling sessions also give a chance to share feelings, talk about what to expect and what is needed, and learn about death and the process of dying. Family members can find great support and stress relief through regular counseling sessions.
Chaplains/Rabbis: are on hand to offer spiritual support for patients and their families. Since people differ in their spiritual needs and religious beliefs, spiritual care is set up to meet patient’s specific needs.
Home Health Aides: provide personal care needs such as bathing, taking vital signs, observing condition of the skin, and other daily basic care needs, as well as light housekeeping.
Volunteers: provide a variety of care such as companionship, support, running errands and offering temporary relief to the family. Hospice volunteers play an important role in planning and giving hospice care. They may be health professionals or lay people who provide services that range from hands-on care to working in the hospice office.
Specialized Bereavement or Grief Specialists: provide support to patients loved ones. Bereavement is the time of mourning after a loss. The hospice care team works with surviving loved ones to help them through the grieving process. A trained volunteer, clergy member, or professional counselor provides support to survivors through visits, phone calls, as well as through support groups. The hospice team can refer family members and care-giving friends to other medical or professional care if needed. Bereavement services are often provided for about a year after the patient’s death.
Benefits of Early Referral
Early referral greatly enhances the effectiveness of New Madison Hospice team by providing ample time to address both the physical needs of the patient and the practical, emotional and spiritual needs of the entire family. Consistently we hear the comment from patients and families, “I wish we had known about hospice much sooner.”
Expert pain and symptom management is just the start. We offer emotional and spiritual aid to the patient and his or her family. We support the patient’s caregiver throughout the hospice stay. We help family members discuss end-of-life issues and help patients organize their personal affairs.
By living with less pain, the patient has better presence of mind to manage difficult choices and make their wishes known to their loved ones.