Family Service Coordinators, more commonly referred to as Social Workers, assist patients and families with coordination of benefits and services throughout our local communities. Hospice Nursing Aides visit the home to provide hygiene care and emotional support. They provide emotional support not only for the patients, but also their families who are going on a different journey. Additionally, chaplains are available for spiritual support if the patient and/or family chooses. Together, these services can provide care for the patient and their family, allowing them to enjoy their last days through a holistic approach. It is through this interdisciplinary approach that hospice is able to treat each patient individually, allowing patients to live out the remainder of their lives without pain and with dignity and comfort.

When one receives hospice services, that doesn’t mean they have to stay at home. In fact, Hospice of the Plains encourages the opposite! They want their patients to live life to the fullest, living life until their last breath. While receiving hospice care, patients still have the freedom to attend events, family gatherings, and travel while they are able. Hospice of the Plains has coordinated with patients to view the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the NFL Hall of Fame, their grandkids’ performance at schools or home, and much more. Hospice of the Plains will even collaborate with other hospice agencies to ensure that the patients’ needs are met so they can enjoy the rest of their life.

Advantages:

• Treats pain and emphasizes on specialized end-of-life comfort care
• Considers the entire family
• Offers bereavement, emotional support, and spiritual support
• Ensures intermittent visits
• Offers a highly skilled clinical team to meet the needs of each patient; each team member is educated on end-of-life symptom management, wounds, ostomy, and more
• Honors Veterans by collaborating with the Veterans Administration

Common Diagnoses:

• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Dementia
• Liver Disease
• Neurological Disease
• Pulmonary Disease
• Renal Disease

While none of us want to think about losing a loved one, it is nice to know that there is an organization in our community that can assist in those difficult times. Presentations can be provided to families who are considering hospice, so that their questions and concerns can be answered prior to making a decision. Hospice staff also speaks with various groups and organizations.