Hospice and Palliative Care of Wayne County expands in 2010

  • By Lisa Amstutz
  • March 4, 2010
  • 614
                        
Thirty-two percent of hospice patients come into the program in their last week of life. “This is enough time to practice the science but not the art of hospice,” said Tom Swope, Clinical Director, Hospice & Palliative Care of Greater Wayne County. “When we don’t get to work with patients very long, they can’t reap all the benefits of hospice.” One of the main goals for 2010 is to encourage people to enter the program earlier. When there is sufficient time, hospice can help patients and their families work through goals, relationship issues, forgiveness and other spiritual issues so that when the time comes for them to die, they are prepared and at peace. Hospice employs an interdisciplinary team to work at this holistic approach. Their team includes medical personnel, hospice aides, chaplains, social workers, bereavement counselors, a dietician and volunteers. They serve patients in hospitals, nursing facilities, assisted living facilities and home environments. “Wherever their home is, we can go in and assist them,” Swope said. The palliative care program serves patients with chronic illnesses who are not yet ready for hospice care. A medical consulting team evaluates each patient and works to offset symptoms and coordinate care so that the patient can enjoy a better quality of life. Hospice & Palliative Care of Greater Wayne County is also working to expand their outreach in 2010. They serve Holmes, Medina and Wayne counties, but many people are unaware of all the services they offer. “We are reaching out to community groups to let them know about the value of hospice and the advantages of entering the program sooner,” said Tammy Cruise, Community Relations Liaison. Hospice offers educational resources for businesses, teaching employees about advanced directives that help with health care decisions. if someone is seriously injured. They can also provide education and grief support in the health care industry and the private sector. If there is an on-site accident or death, hospice will help workers deal with the issues of grief and loss surrounding that circumstance. They do not charge for this service. “We feel a commitment to the community because we deal with bereavement every day and know how to help with that,” Swope said. Hospice helps the families of their patients deal with grief issuest as well through their 13-month bereavement program. A similar service is available to anyone in the community who has suffered a loss. bereavement. The services include educational mailings, a six-week bereavement group, and a series of workshops. Children who have lost a loved one can attend a summer day camp at the hospice offices where they learn about the different stages of grief and appropriate ways to handle their grief. Additionally, hospice counselors often go into the school system and work for four to six weeks with groups of children coordinated by school counselors. Hospice is a nonprofit organization funded primarily through Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance payments; however, they do not turn anyone away for lack of coverage and there is no cost to the patient. “A lot of people don’t know that Medicare patients are entitled to this benefit,” Swope noted. Hospice does some fundraising and receives support from the community (often in the form of memorial donations). Purchases made at Friendtique in Wooster also support the work of hospice. For more information about Hospice & Palliative Care of Greater Wayne County, or to schedule a speaker for your business or community group, visit www.wchospice.org or call the office at 330-264-4899 or 800-884-6547.


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