Hospice agencies, across the country continue to experience an increase in services. Americans are beginning to understand the philosophy of hospice and are having decisive opinions about how they would like to live their life with a serious illness.
When an individual joins a hospice program, they are encouraged to share their personal, emotional, and spiritual goals with the multi-discipline hospice staff. Each hospice personnel strives to identify ways to meet these goals for each of their patients. Due to logistic reasons, some patient goals are easier for hospice staff to help facilitate; which is why hospices across the country rely on each other to offer support in time of need.
Whether it be staying with family or seeing a daughter graduate college, each goal is special and momentous. Visiting the ocean and feeling the sand is what many hospice patients wish to do with their loved ones. With Delaware Hospice service area’s proximity to our regions’ splendors, we are able to fulfill these wishes.
Through Delaware Hospice’s Visitor Program, we are able to provide support for other hospices who may have patients who wish to see the ocean, visit a major raceway, or even enjoy a Sunday dinner with family on the East Coast. Hospices across the country are able to coordinate with Delaware Hospice to provide support when their patient travels to Delaware or Chester and Delaware Counties in Pennsylvania.
“Our program has helped provide piece of mind to not only the patient and their family but to the other hospices as well,” commented Deb Kent, RN, BSN, MA, CCRN, NEA-BC, Director of Hospice Services. “Our multi-discipline team is here. It is such a touching time for our staff to help facilitate a goal.”
Since May 2018, Delaware Hospice has worked with 57 hospice patients in the Visitor Program. This program has grown by 47% in one year! Some patients are with the program a couple of days or weeks before they return home with their hospice agency. There is no additional costs to patients to have the support of Delaware Hospice’s Visitor Program. The coordination takes place between the two hospices and the patient never loses their hospice benefit.
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Since 1982, Delaware Hospice has provided the highest quality hospice and healthcare services, and serves as a trusted community partner in end-of-life education and support. Accredited by the Joint Commission, Delaware Hospice continues to be the largest and only licensed, non-profit, community-based hospice serving Delaware. Now also providing care in Pennsylvania; southern Chester and Delaware counties.
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