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Hospice Overview

Hospice Care Focuses on Quality of Life

No one knows when the final season of life will occur, but they can count on Hospice of Washington County to make each day the best that it can be. We offer expert medical and personal care, as well as emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to our patients’ specific needs and wishes. Education and support are provided each step of the way for the patient’s caregivers, family, and friends as well.

Hospice of Washington County (HWC) is the only licensed provider for hospice care within Washington County. Our team of committed professionals understands the importance of ensuring that every individual is able to LIVE their life to the fullest. The focus is on caring for the individual, not the cure.

Hospice focuses on helping a person live; making the most of each minute, hour, day, week and month they may have during the final season of life.

It is about allowing self-determined life closure; individuals remain the decisions makers of how they will spend their precious days, weeks, and months.

Hospice focuses on quality of life, not quantity.

We provide hospice care wherever the individual designates as their home. That can be in a private residence, nursing home, or assisted living facility.

Hospice care is available to patients of any age, religion, race, or illness.

Hospice care is covered under Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurance plans.

HWC is a non-profit organization; therefore no one will be denied care.

Call us at (301) 791 - 6360

 

When Is It Time For Hospice?

While no one can predict the physical course of one’s life, history has taught us some valuable indicators about the life cycles. At HWC, our referral/admission team can help you determine when the time is appropriate for hospice care at home.

The following is a quick reference to see if Hospice Care is the answer.

Have you or your loved one…

  • been hospitalized or gone to the emergency room several times in the past six months?
  • been making more frequent phone calls to your physicians?
  • started taking medication to lessen physical pain?
  • started spending most of the day in a chair or in bed?
  • fallen several times over the past six months?
  • started needing help from others with: bathing, dressing, eating, cooking, getting out of bed, or walking?
  • started feeling weaker or more tired?
  • experienced weight loss so that clothes are noticeably looser?
  • noticed a shortness of breath, even while resting?
  • been told by a doctor that life expectancy is limited?

Adapted from NHPCO

If you answered “yes” to four or more of these questions, then you or your loved one could be eligible for hospice care. However, your situation may involve different factors and could indicate a need for hospice. Please call us if unsure and we’ll be glad to evaluate. HWC can help manage the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the patient and support the needs of the family and caregivers as they deal with issues related to their loved one’s life-limiting illness.

 

Hospice Disciplines

Spiritual Care

Our spiritual care team is one of the many disciplines we have to offer at Hospice of Washington County. Our chaplains journey alongside each hospice patient and their loved ones to provide compassionate care as they face important life questions and decisions.

 

Bereavement Support

Our Bereavement Counselors offer grief education, counseling and support services to family members of hospice patients, as well as the community, who are coping with the loss of a loved one. We provide compassionate care to adults, teens, and children. Bereavement services include educational workshops, anticipatory grief and pre-bereavement support, individual bereavement counseling with a personalized support plan and more.

 

Social Workers

Social workers contribute a great deal to the hospice team. The experience, knowledge and training in their discipline helps to paint a holistic picture of a patient and family in order to provide the highest quality care. Social workers are also integral because of the nature of the work that is done- being with patients and families in their grief, processing challenging emotions, talking through the ins and outs of funeral plans, going over paperwork for nursing homes… all of these things and more need time and attention that our social workers give freely, patiently, and lovingly.

 

NPHI Member

Hospice of Washington County is a proud member of NPHI, the National Partnership for Hospice Innovation, 1-800-737-2508.