Hospice Care: An Affirmation of Mind, Body and Spirit

What is Hospice?

Hospice is a comprehensive, team-oriented program of care that seeks to treat and comfort terminally ill patients and their loved ones. Hospice is a philosophy of care that accepts death as a natural part of life, seeking neither to hasten nor to prolong the dying process.

Hospice programs make it possible for those with terminal illness to spend the final stages of their lives at home with an emphasis on Palliative Care and support that enable them and their families to cope at end of life. Hospice care is also provided in Hospitals, Nursing Homes, and certain Assisted Living Facilities.

The apple blossoms of Rockingham County remind us of the seasons of life. The Hospice Program of Rockingham VNA & Hospice has adopted the apple blossom as its symbol of care, hope and compassion.

Hospice is hope: hope to encourage independence as long as possible; to remain at home with loved ones; to have compassionate caregivers; to be comfortable at end of life; to have a peaceful death.

Hospice is an opportunity for healing: the healing of relationships; of a broken spirit; of the pain of physical symptoms; of a wounded faith; of the overwhelming isolation of terminal illness.

Following a doctor's order for Hospice care, the Hospice Team develops a plan of care, in conjunction with the patient and their family, which meets their individual needs. Basic elements of care include:

Care of both the patient and family
Clinical expertise in pain and symptom management
Board Certified Palliative Care Physician Medical Director Oversight
Board Certified Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner Clinical Director Oversight
Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing and Home Health Aid Staff
24-hour on-call availability
Medical and Skilled Nursing care Delete
Spiritual Counseling and support
Comprehensive Bereavement Services and Grief Support Groups
Nutritional support and counseling
Social Work services
Home Health Aide care
Coordination of medications, medical supplies, and durable medical equipment (such as hospital beds, etc.)
Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy, as needed
Specially trained Hospice Volunteers
Coaching caregivers on how to care for their loved one

A terminally ill patient may receive Hospice care for as long as necessary when a physician certifies that he or she has a life expectancy of six months or less
The Medicare Hospice Benefit, as is the case with many insurance companies, requires that a patient have a prognosis of six months or less, but does not limit hospice care to six months
Under the Medicare Hospice Benefit, there are two 90-day periods of care (a total of six months), which are followed by an unlimited number of 60-day periods
Patients with both cancer and non-cancer illnesses are eligible to receive Hospice care

You have a terminal illness; you prefer an emphasis on the quality of your life; you desire to be cared for by your family at home; you wish to direct your care with guidance from a specially-trained team.

For more information about Hospice services available at Rockingham Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice, please call us at 1-800-540-2981.

Helpful Link: National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization