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Our Programs ► Hospice
Hospice Patient Care
Tammy Suiter, Coordinator
Telephone: (315)
376-5453
Fax: (315) 376-5435
Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, 8:30AM - 4:30PM
(RN On-call After Hours)
OVERVIEW:
We have made it
our mission to promote quality of life through the provision of holistic
comfort care for the terminally ill and their loved ones before and after
death. We are also dedicated to providing education for our community
about issues related to death, dying, grief and bereavement.
Our dedicated team includes a medical director, the patient’s physician,
both registered and licensed practical nurses, a social worker, clergy,
volunteer coordinator, trained volunteers, and specialized therapies.
Choosing hospice care allows individuals to be cared for at home (which
can also be nursing home), receiving relief from pain and other symptoms,
in the place where they are most comfortable. Hospice
provides support and
encouragement so patients and families can live life as fully as possible.
We provide care to those with a life threatening illness. The patient must
be a resident of Lewis County, have a life expectancy that is measured in
terms of months, agree to non-aggressive comfort care and have a person
designated as a “primary care person” (often a family member or friend who
can be available as needed, 24 hours a day, seven days a week).
Anyone interested in services can make a referral by simply calling our
office. People can also be referred by their physician, a family member or
friend. We are always available to sit down and discuss concerns about
health issues. If the person is not
ready for hospice
or doesn’t meet our admission criteria, we can make referrals to other
services that are more appropriate.
Hospice recognizes the needs of the “whole” person. Our approach provides
for the physical, social and spiritual dimensions of care and support.
Along with the services provided by the hospice interdisciplinary team, we
also cover the following:
-
Pain and symptom management
-
Instruction in and guidance in
the care of the patient
-
Emotional, psychosocial and
spiritual support
-
Medications, nursing supplies
and durable medical equipment related to the patient’s terminal illness
-
Hospitalization, if medically
necessary for symptom management
-
On-call registered nursing
services, 24/7, for medical crisis intervention and consultation.
Evan Zehr,
hospice Chaplain, notes that “hospice care is for the whole person as well
as the whole family of the hospice patient. This involves the whole
hospice team attempting to address need as it arises. Spiritual care is
extended in multiple ways by each and every hospice team member from
listening all the way to verbally sharing God’s message of grace. Hospice
desires to work with and to be of assistance to church and clergy
connections that families already have. Some do not have these connections
so we try to be a semblance of clergy and church with them. In the end, we
are blessed by and through all these fine people we are privileged to meet
and walk with.”
Bereavement
services are offered to families of our deceased patients. It is the
purpose of our bereavement services to educate people regarding grief and
to help them through difficult phases of their grief. Bereavement services
are optional and bereaved are also encouraged to use their own social
networks to assist them through the entire grieving process. Services that
are provided are individualized to fit the unique needs of the bereaved.
Some bereaved desire more services than others. All family members of all
or our patients are eligible to receive bereavement services as well as
any person in the community at large.
Payment for hospice services is reimbursable by Medicare, Medicaid and
most insurance plans. They refer to the reimbursement as “the hospice
benefit”. Patients without insurance will not be denied services for
inability to pay. We sit down with people and work out a plan.
Downloadable Forms:
(These forms are in PDF format)
Volunteer Contact Report
After Death / Bereavement Contact
Monthly Volunteer Activity Record
Useful links:
Friends of Lewis County Hospice:
www.friendsoflchospice.org
Hospice Foundation of America:
www.hospicefoundation.org
Find a Local Hospice to you! -
www.findmyhospice.org
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization:
www.nhpco.org
The New York Health Care
Proxy:
http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/hospital/healthcareproxy/intro.htm
National Hospice Organization:
http://www.nho.org
Upstate New York Hospice
Alliance:
http://www.odyssey.net/subscribers/hospice/unyha
American Academy of Hospice
and Palliative Medicine:
http://www.aahpm.org
American Board of Hospice and
Palliative Care:
http://www.abhpm.org
Hospice and Palliative Care
Association of New York State:
http://www.hpcanys.org
Law Help:
http://LawHelp.org/NY
