On Friday, November 17th, Home Helpers® Bourbonnais Director of Operations, Sara, and I attended a special event hosted by a local hospice agency, UpliftedCare. This Open House event was held at their Grief Counseling Center, 3115 N 1000 W Rd in Bourbonnais, to commemorate National Hospice, Home Care and Palliative Care Month.
It was a great event where we got to hear more about what hospice care services Uplifted Care provides to seniors, Veterans, and their families, and we couldn’t be more grateful to have had the opportunity to participate!
Sara and I learned so much about their hospice and palliative care options, that I can’t possibly share all of that great information in this blog, but I do want to highlight some of the most important hospice care services UpliftedCare delivers to seniors and Veterans in the Bourbonnais area.
Hospice Care
Hospice care does not mean a patient is at death’s door. On the contrary, hospice care may help seniors with serious illnesses live longer. “The extra support patients receive while on hospice care helps manage some of the complex symptoms patients may face while struggling with serious illness. When those symptoms are under control, the patient may feel better, increasing overall quality of life,” UpliftedCare states.
Hospice care is considered a philosophy, not a place. It can be provided wherever the patient calls home, be it a private residence, a long-term care, or assisted living facility. The focus is on the patient’s comfort and overall quality of life, not a cure.
“The patient and family remain in control of their medical decisions and work with our team to achieve their goals of care. In addition to routine visits from Registered Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), social workers, chaplains, and patient volunteers, our complementary therapies – music, massage, pet, and respiratory – help enhance the overall quality of life of our patients and families,” UpliftedCare explains.
Hospice care is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurances. However, no one is denied care at UpliftedCare due to an inability to pay.
Veteran Care Services
UpliftedCare understands the special needs of Veterans. “Veterans frequently have unique emotional and distressing conflicts at the end of life. Their feelings about their experiences may have lain dormant for years only to resurface when they know they are facing (their) end of life.
For many, their time in combat has had a deeply profound impact on their spirituality. Actions that may have led to death or injury, witnessing devastation, the loss of friends, and surviving while others did not, can lead to guilt, spiritual distress, depression, and anxiety as end-of-life approaches.”
When Veterans face their own mortality, they can experience:
- Belief their illness is a punishment
- Self-blame
- Guilt
- Anger
- Hopelessness
- Feeling abandoned by God
- Questioning their faith
- Fear of death
- Night terrors
UpliftedCare chaplains are experienced and trained in counseling Veterans as the end of life nears, which in most cases, eases their minds and consciences, helping them regain peace and accept personal forgiveness.
Family Support Services
The goal of UpliftedCare is to provide comfort and support for the entire family in a number of ways. “Our team works with the patient and family to establish a holistic plan of care that fits everyone’s needs. Each plan focuses on the patient and family goals and wishes while making sure all of the complex medical needs are met.”
Additionally, after a loved one passes, families have access to counsel with an UpliftedCare chaplain and participate in programs and services at their Community Grief Center for more than a year.
Community Grief Center
The beautiful UpliftedCare Community Grief Center is a resource for patients and their families to utilize the dedicated grief support services for 13 months after the death of a loved one. What’s more, these services are free to the entire community, even if a deceased loved one did not receive hospice services.
UpliftedCare also maintains luscious healing and memorial gardens for families and community members, as well.
UpliftedCare accepts referrals 24/7/365, and their hospice care team will approach each patient’s situation with an individualized and integrated plan of care based on patient and family goals.
Home Helpers Home Care and Hospice Support Services
At Home Helpers, our professional caregivers are skillfully trained to know what to do and how to properly care for seniors under hospice care while providing hospice care support whenever and wherever needed. This allows family members more time to spend with their loved one and some much-needed respite for family caregivers.
Many of our licensed, bonded, and insured caregivers are certified in specialized Alzheimer’s and dementia care, and they consistently and compassionately deliver exceptional in-home care services for seniors and Veterans with cancer and other terminal illnesses in Bourbonnais and surrounding areas.
I am available for a FREE Consultation to discuss the many ways a perfectly-matched caregiver can provide senior care, Veteran care, and hospice care support. This comprehensive assessment of needs will allow me to create a customized care plan to make life easier for seniors, Veterans, hospice staff, and families.
Home Helpers® Bourbonnais/Kankakee/Frankfort proudly serves male and female seniors, Veterans, and the differently-abled in Beecher, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Dwight, Frankfort, Kankakee, Manteno, Mokena, New Lenox, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Tinley Park, Watseka, Wilmington, and surrounding areas. Contact me today to learn more about the many services offered through Home Helpers® - We are Making Life Easier℠ for you and yours! 815.427.4238
Source:
UpliftedCare
