Hospice care is o ered to people
who are determined by their doc-
tor to be within the last six months
of a terminal illness, if the illness
runs its normal course. Its goal is to
help those who are dying—as well as
their families and friends—through
the nal stages of life. During this
time, hospice care
focuses on the
relief of pain and
the management of
symptoms.
Usually hospice
care takes place in
a person’s home. But it also can be
o ered in nursing homes, hospitals
and other settings.
Under Medicare guidelines,
Halifax Regional Hospice provides
four di erent levels of care. ese
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healthcare oen helps
people who are likely to regain their
health. But a special type of care is
available to those nearing their nal
days. is care is provided through a
hospice program.
“At the end of life, what matters
most to a person is compassionate
care that respects
their choices,” says
Carol Conner,
manager of Halifax
Regional Hospice.
“Halifax Regional
Hospice o ers
medical, emotional and spiritual care
to those experiencing the nal phase
of a terminal illness. Hospice can be
dicult to accept, but it is one of the
best things people can do for their
loved one and for themselves.”
How hospice can help
Grief is a natural reaction to loss, whether
you've lost a loved one, a pet, a home or
even a job.
Strong emotions are normal after life-
changing events, and coping with the
holidays and a new year can be particu-
larly tough.
Halifax Regional Hospice and Pal-
liative Care oers the RISE (Resource
Information Sessions of Encouragement)
grief support group for individuals and
families needing support. Discussions
include such topics as:
w
understanding
grief
w
identifying the positives
w
jour-
naling grief experiences
w
resources for
individuals newly living alone.
Attendees encourage one another by
sharing their experiences.
“The thing that helps the most to those
who are grieving is knowing what normal
grief actually is,” says Bereavement Coor-
dinator Ryan Stanley. “Sometimes people
can feel like they’re going crazy when
they are grieving, but that is normal,
especially in the rst stages. They don’t
need you to x anything, because you
can’t x it. You can’t bring the loved one
back. You can listen, though, and that’s a
lot of what goes on in RISE.”
For more about the RISE
program, call Stanley at
434-517-3716 or see the back-page
calendar for meeting times.
include routine care in the home or
in a nursing facility; respite care in
the hospital for up to ve days to
give relief to patients and caregiv-
ers; inpatient care in the hospital for
symptoms that cannot otherwise be
managed at home; and continuous
care for crisis situations.
“Hospice o ers families the ability
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Infusion Therapy Center open
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Have a healthy holiday
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Feeling SAD?
Seeking support? We can help you RISE above grief
To learn more about
Halifax Regional Hospice, call
434-517-3339
or toll-free
at
800-423-1276
.