Winter 2013 - Hospice

“ The quiet, calming atmosphere of the Inpatient Center
moved me to the point that I knew the right w decision
was made for my husband.”
patient and family to establish a plan
for managing symptoms, including
pain, wound care, breathing problems
and nausea. Certified hospice aides are
available to assist with personal care,
feeding and meal preparation.
The Inpatient Center stay is short-term
and patients may return home after
symptoms are controlled. Inpatient
Center nurses spend time helping
family caregivers learn how to manage
caring for their loved ones. Caregivers
can learn how to give medications,
help care for wounds and provide
personal care.
Linda Wolf, RN, Team Leader,
Lancaster Inpatient Center says,
“Hospice patients and families who
are receiving care at home and are
struggling with pain or other difficult
symptoms should speak to a member
of their Home Hospice Team. A shortterm
stay at the Inpatient Center
could provide a quick turnaround of
distressing symptoms and the patient
could then return home when the
symptoms are more managed.”
Social workers are key Hospice
Inpatient Center team members and
are available every day to provide
emotional support and assistance
with care plans, accessing community
resources and medical insurance
questions and paperwork.
The Inpatient chaplain is available
to provide spiritual support and
can coordinate spiritual needs with
a family’s clergy. For many, the
opportunity to share concerns and
emotions, ask questions or just have
a kind hand to squeeze is a comfort
during a stressful time.
Board-certified and licensed
complementary therapists may also
assist through the use of music therapy
or massage therapy, helping to lessen
anxiety, reduce pain and provide an
enhanced sense of calm.
Hospice volunteers play a significant
role in the personalized care patients
and families receive. From distributing
Comfort Kits containing toiletries,
snack bags and useful items for family
members who spend long hours in the
Inpatient Centers, to sharing books and
just holding hands, the companionship
of these volunteers provides an often
much-needed respite for family
caregivers.
The advanced stage of a serious
illness can be the most vulnerable and
challenging time a family can face.
Hospice & Community Care provides
care and support not only for patients
but for the family members who care
for them and share their lives, no
matter where they may call “home.”
For more information on how
Hospice & Community Care can
support your loved one please call
(717) 391-2421. To see more images
of the Hospice Inpatient Centers
visit www.hospicecommunity.org.
Garden areas, wandering paths and private patient patios offer peace and cooling shade in the summer.
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