Services
Hospice services are designed to assist those needing end-of-life care. Our primary goal is to ensure that the patient enjoys the highest possible quality of life while we work toward eliminating the pain, fear, and loneliness that so often accompanies an end-of-life journey. Our wide range of services assists not only the patient, but also the family and loved ones who will participate in the patient’s care.
Pain & Symptom Management
Our highly trained staff of nurses and physicians specialize in understanding and treating pain.
Medical Director
The SHN medical director works to ensure that all patients receive the necessary services needed to control symptoms of their terminal illness. They also coordinate the plan of care with the patient’s attending physician.
Hospice Aide / Home Health Aide Services
Our hospice aides assist the patient with activities of daily living such as bathing, shaving, shampooing and changing bed linens if needed.
Bereavement Services
Bereavement counseling can help guide the patient and family through the grieving process. We provide continuing contact and support for up to 13 months following the death of a loved one.
On-Call Nursing 24/7
Our nurses are available to you 24/7.
Free Evaluation Services
Southeast Hospice Network will gladly evaluate a potential patient’s condition and provide the family or care-giver information on the care we could provide.
Volunteer Services
We have a group of trained, caring volunteers that can provide a wide range of services such as running errands or just being a companion to talk with.
Admissions 7 Days per Week
Southeast Hospice Network’s commitment to providing superior care extends beyond the workweek. Our staff is available for patient admissions seven days per week.
Skilled Nursing Visits
Each patient is assigned a registered nurse who, under the direction of the hospice physician and the patient’s attending physician, will coordinate their care. The nurse will visit to continually assess, monitor, and treat the patient’s condition.
Patient & Family Support
We recognize that the physical care is only part of the necessary support plan. Our patient and family support services help with the emotional aspect of end-of-life care. Our trained social workers and chaplins can assist in counseling on family relationships, stress of illness, community resources, etc.
Who is eligible for hospice care?
The hospice benefit is available to anyone with a life expectancy of six months or less if the terminal illness or disease runs its normal course. The patient, of course, must choose to elect hospice, and the patient’s eligibility must be certified by a physician (most often the patient’s personal physician in conjunction with the hospice’s medical director).
What are common diagnoses for patients receiving hospice?
Patients eligible for hospice often are diagnosed with:
- ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cancer
- Dementia
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Lung disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s
- Stroke
“They were so mentally supportive, and they did everything they could to help us. I honestly don’t know how I could’ve gone through it without them.”
Enid Southard said she was given a booklet which outlined everything she could expect in the coming days.
“That really helped me a lot. And the Chaplain still comes by to visit. Every member of Southeast Hospice is truly exceptional. They went beyond their calling. Every time I called them they were there. I will always be thankful for them.”
More about hospice care
Hospice care is for any patient facing a terminal illness.
Care can be delivered in a wide range of settings including homes, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, etc.
Individuals can be referred to hospice by a caregiver or family member, but final referral approval is received from the patient’s physician and the hospice medical director.
When a patient qualifies, Medicare and Medicaid provide coverage for hospice care with no deductibles or coinsurance.
In most cases private insurance such as Blue Cross programs also provide some coverage for hospice care Making decisions during this time isn’t easy. But we hope the fact that hospice can give an individual the chance to experience some real peace during this most difficult time can make the decision easier. The caring individuals at Southeast Hospice Network would like to answer any questions you have about hospice care and our program. Please do not hesitate to contact your local Southeast Hospice Network office.