Open Accessibility Menu
Hide

Meet the Hospice Care Team

The hospice care team relieves many of the physical, emotional and spiritual burdens associated with terminal illness and provides comfort and dignity to each day spent together.

Each patient’s care is supervised by the medical director and carried out by specially trained hospice care team members. This team works closely with patients and family members to provide meaningful end-of-life care and support.

The home care and hospice team has more than 40 years of combined expertise working with patients and their families. The team consists of the following highly skilled professionals:

  • A physician who serves as medical director
  • Physical, occupational and speech therapists
  • Nurses
  • Medical social workers
  • Home health aides
  • Dietitians

Skilled Nurses

By providing expert management of pain and other symptoms combined with compassionate listening and counseling skills, hospice nurses promote the highest quality of life for the patient and family. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the hospice nurse is there to support the patient and family by anticipating and meeting their needs as it relates to their terminal illness.

Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists

Specialized therapists help to improve the quality of everyday life with therapies when needed.
The focus of therapy may include:

  • Patient fall safety
  • Pain management
  • Communication techniques
  • Assessing safety related to swallowing
  • Maintaining current functional levels for as long as possible

Social Workers

Social workers assess patient/family social and emotional factors in order to estimate their potential to cope with the terminal illness and subsequent death. They also provide psychosocial counseling and support to the patient/family experiencing emotional, social and economic conflict. They assist the patient/family and staff in utilizing community resources by assessing the patient/family’s financial and insurance status and identifying appropriate resources.

Hospice Home Health Aides

Aides work with the patient and family to provide personal care to the patient in a compassionate and understanding manner consistent with the goals and needs of the patient.

Dietitian

Dietitians conduct nutritional assessments and recommend an appropriate nourishment plan to meet the needs of the hospice patient. The hospice dietitians also provide education and consultation to the interdisciplinary group regarding palliative nutrition.

Those More Specific to Hospice Include the Above as Well As:

  • Hospice-trained volunteers
  • Spiritual Care Counselors
  • Bereavement coordinators

Hospice-Trained Volunteers

Volunteers provide a support system for caregivers by visiting the patient or helping the patient and family members with errands. Hospice volunteers provide direct and indirect patient care including respite and social visits, clerical duties and help with special projects.

To learn more about becoming a hospital volunteer, call the Volunteer Coordinator, 724-689-1800.

Spiritual Care Counselors

Hospice is generally intended to encompass care for the “whole person.” Spiritual care counselors are trained to support medical care from a spiritual and emotional perspective, helping the patient and family as requested.

Bereavement Counselors

These professionals work to inform, support and guide patients and families through the grief process before, at the time of, and after the death of a loved one. They also work to anticipate and respond to community education and supportive needs related to bereavement.

Related Articles