The Hospice Team
Foremost, hospice is about embracing life when life matters most. Dedicated doctors, nurses, social workers, certified nursing assistants, spiritual counselors and volunteers are here to support you by providing comfort and relief from pain, so each day can be lived to the fullest. They will also listen to you, and together with your caregiver and family create a plan of care that is personalized to meet your needs and goals. Hospices work with a patient’s primary care provider (PCP) or the hospice medical director to manage the care to enable patients to have an aware, pain-free life while living each day to the fullest.
You and your family
Tell us your hopes and dreams, what you want your care to look like
Your caregiver
The person who knows you best and can give us clues about how to care for and how we can meet your needs
Primary care provider (PCP)
Your PCP remains involved in patient’s Plan of Care through regular communication with hospice team
Medical director
Manages your overall hospice care in collaboration with your PCP and hospice care team
Nurse case manager
Visits as needed, 24 hours per day, seven days per week to help with symptom control, and provides family and caregiver education
Social worker
Addresses issues that commonly occur with the end of life: grief, fear, family and caregiver coping. Can help you understand financial and housing issues that contribute to stress at this time of life
Spiritual counselor
Addresses spiritual issues. Nondenominational in nature, the spiritual counselor listens to your needs and does not seek to change your belief systems
Certified nursing assistant
Helps with bathing, light housekeeping and companionship. Makes weekly or more visits as needed
Bereavement coordinator
Assess grieving risk for each individual family situation. Coordinates bereavement program for one year after the patient’s death
Volunteer coordinator
Manages and provides training for volunteers. Meets with families and patients to discuss ways that a volunteer can help
Volunteer
Trained and background-checked members of the community may be available for respite, companionship or other patient/caregiver support activities. For more information, ask a member of your care team to have the volunteer coordinator talk to you
