"When I think about my dad I don't see him as he was in the last days of his life. I see him as the strong confident man of my childhood - someone a son could look up to, and count on. My wife Sally said I should have seen the signs. The hospice people, they were great. They told me what was going on and what to expect, but somehow I just kept seeing Dad as he was when I was 10 years old.
Still even now I can't believe he's gone. It doesn't seem fair. He was my best friend, my confidant, someone I could rely on, or someone to watch a game with, or he could just be with me and not say a word. With dad everything was always okay. The social worker from hospice who keeps in touch says it will take some time for me to adjust, but I'm just not sure.
What I am sure of is the great care my dad and mom got in Dad's last days. Covenant hospice was there every step of the way, telling us all - Mom, Sally, and I what to do in order to keep Dad comfortable. They got us to talk about what was important in our lives, what Dad taught us, and I thanked Dad for how he helped me become the man I am today. My being able to say those things to him before he went away - that really helped. Hospice is the best kept secret ever, and as I struggle to make sense of losing my best friend, I can't imagine how hard it would be if we didn't have the help of Covenant's hospice program. Thank you Covenant, for all you do!"
Many patients choose to spend their last days at home, surrounded by family and friends. Working with patients, physicians, our hospice team provides medical, emotional, spiritual, grief and loss support to both patients and their families.
- ADMISSION -
Admission to hospice is made with an order from your physician, based upon your care needs. Appropriate candidates for hospice are those persons with a life expectancy of months, rather than years, when curative treatment is no longer an option.
back to top
- HOSPICE CONCEPT -
What is Hospice?
- Hospice provides care, comfort and support to those persons nearing the end of life's journey.
- Hospice will help you make decisions about how and where you want to spend the rest of your life.
- Hospice is a special kind of caring.
Why Hospice?
- Hospice treats you, not the condition or disease. The focus is for comfort, not cure. You and your family's medical, social, emotional and spiritual needs are addressed by a team of professionals and volunteers.
- Hospice considers not only you but your family. You and your family are included in the decision making process. Hospice will help you and your family makes choices about end-of-life issues.
- Bereavement counseling is provided to your primary caregiver(s) for at least 12 months after death to assist in the adjustment to the loss and grief.
- Hospice offers comfort, rather than curative treatment. Hospice will provide care and comfort when cure is no longer an option. Through advancing technology, pain and symptom control will enable you to live life as fully and comfortably as possible.
- Hospice emphasizes quality, rather than length of life. Hospice neither hastens nor postpones death. It affirms life and regards dying as a normal process.
back to top
- SERVICES OF THE INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM -
All services are provided under the direction of a physician. Working with your physician and the Hospice Medical Director, our qualified staff will plan, coordinate and provide care tailored to your needs. Hospice services include:
- Nursing
- Medical Social Services
- Physician
- Home Health Aide
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Nutrition Therapy
- Spiritual and Bereavement Services
- Volunteers
- Medical Equipment
- Supplies and Pharmaceutical Services related to terminal illness
Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Home visits are usually scheduled between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily.
back to top
- ROLE OF THE HOSPICE TEAM -
Hospice Nurse
Nurses will coordinate your care and handle nursing needs. The role of the nurse is to help prevent and relieve pain and other symptoms, and to teach caregivers ways to provide for your care. The nurse will also make certain that necessary medical supplies and equipment are ordered, and will assist in monitoring your medications. Regular communication with your physician will ensure that orders are being followed.
Social Worker
Facing a serious illness can be a time of tremendous pain and confusion for an individual and their family. Individuals and their families must deal with many emotions and challenges. A social worker will be assigned to help you and your family with these issues.
Services that may be provided by the social worker include:
- Emotional support, counseling and guidance to the patient and family in coping with stress related to the illness.
- Identifying community resources which are available to help you.
- Assisting the patient and family with planning for hired caregivers, funeral arrangements, etc.
- Offering information, for example, Living Wills and/or Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.
Physician
Your physician is an important part of the hospice team. The hospice medical director has special knowledge in pain and symptom management and will partner with your physician, as indicated.
Home Health Aide/Homemaker
Aides are trained in the hospice philosophy of care. They will report any changes in the condition of the patient to the appropriate team member. The Aides' schedules are coordinated by the nurse and the scheduling department. Days may vary to meet patient needs.
The Aide assists with the patient's personal care and simple homemaking needs which may include personal hygiene, linen changes, catheter care, vital signs, personal laundry and light meal preparation. Aides are not allowed to dispense medication or pick up medication from the drug store.
Therapy Services
Physical occupational and speech services will use specific methods to improve patient and home safety, recommend special equipment, and improve communication ability.
Nutrition Therapy
Dietary counseling is available to assist with issues related to decreased appetite, menu needs and/or supplement options.
Spiritual Care and Bereavement Services
- Spiritual care addresses end-of-life concerns that you or your family may have. These concerns may include: coming to terms with this stage of your life, reconnecting with a particular religious tradition, discussing your beliefs and questions about dying and/or making peace with a family member. Initial assessment of your needs and resources is made by your nurse with referral to the spiritual care staff for follow-up. If you are already affiliated with a community of faith, with your permission the spiritual care team will work with your spiritual caregiver as he or she supports you. If you do not have such an affiliation, our staff is available to serve in this capacity. Every effort is made to support you and your family in your own spiritual belief and practice.
- Bereavement services focus on recognition that grief and loss continues for family members and significant others long after their loved one has died. Hospice provides bereavement support for bereaved families for at least 12 months following the death of their loved one. Services include regular mailings about loss, grief and ways to cope with them, periodic telephone calls by trained staff to offer resource information and support, home visits as needed or desired, and bereavement support group information. The bereavement staff is available to assist through this difficult time.
Volunteers
Hospice volunteers are carefully screened and specially trained by the hospice staff to provide support and respite care to patients and families we serve. These dedicated people provide many different types of support for the hospice patient. They listen, give support and have a strong desire to reach out with love and concern to others. The volunteer coordinator will contact you for assignment requests or communicate with your nurse who can make a request for you. The volunteer assigned to you will schedule visit times that meet your needs.
If you, or someone you know, is interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact our office.
back to top
- PLAN OF CARE -
The Hospice Interdisciplinary Team will work with you and your caregiver to develop a plan of care that is based upon identified issues, needs and goals, including physician orders for medications, treatment and care. The plan of care may include the following areas: physical care, personal care and comfort, psychological and social needs, spiritual needs, nutritional and bereavement care.
Effective pain management is an important part of your treatment. Medication and treatments are ordered by and given under the general supervision of your attending physician and/or the hospice medical director. On admission, your hospice nurse will review with you what medications will be paid for by hospice or your insurance plan. You must seek pre-approval from hospice for all treatments and services not included in the hospice plan of care. A willing, able and available caregiver, if indicated, must be identified at admission to be responsible for your care between agency visits. This person can be a family member, a friend or a paid caregiver. The plan of care is reviewed and updated based on your changing needs. Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions.
back to top
|
Berks
County: 2615
Perkiomen Ave, Reading, PA 19606