Concordia Hospice Of Washington

Programs: Concordia hospice of washington is a hospice agency in washington, pennsylvania. The agency's focus is on end-of-life quality, compassionate care for patients in our communities facing a terminally ill prognosis. The care is provided by a team that includes volunteers, registered nurses, social workers, home health aides, chaplains, bereavement counselors and medical directors. A plan of care is written for each patient and is followed by the interdisciplinary team to ensure that the agency is complying with federal regulations while providing the highest level of quality care for the patients and families. Concordia hospice of washington provides end-of-life hospice care in patients' homes as well as in-patient services at an eight bed unit where patients can be placed for severe symptom management and hopefully return home when stabilized. Concordia hospice of washington has provided care to 175 patients and their families in the community and 189 patients in our inpatient unit in washington county this past fiscal year. It can be very difficult to provide care for a loved one in the comfort of their home. At the end of a long progressive illness, nights especially can be long, lonely and scary. The hospice staff are available at the donnell house in-patient location around the clock to consult and provide support to families as they journey through the progression of the disease. The agency was formed in april of 2016 in pursuit to take over the license formally known as washington hospice. Concordia hospice of washington began operations july 1, 2016 assuming all patients under the old employer identification number. The agency accepts payment for services from medicare, medicaid and various managed care insurance providers. Concordia hospice of washington is owned by two 501(c)(3) entities, concordia community support services and washington health system. Concordia hospice of washington works with a home health agency and hospital system to facilitate a strong palliative care program that fosters compassionate transitions from nursing to hospice care as diseases or conditions progress. Patients and families are educated and supported in their choices related to hospice care. Hospice doctors and nurses are up to date on the latest medications for pain and symptom management. Hospice care is another level of care that concentrates on treating symptoms and ensuring comfort. Concordia hospice of washington believes that emotional and spiritual pain is just as real and in need of attention as physical pain and so addresses each. Hospice provides clergy and counselors to help patients and families with emotional and spiritual needs. Concordia hospice of washington has 21 volunteers. Our volunteers go to wherever the client calls their home; that could be a nursing facility, house, or inpatient unit. These volunteers assist with various tasks and activities throughout the fiscal year. Over the course of this past fiscal year, concordia hospice of washington has provided 1097. 73 hours of service. A value higher than the cms requirements, equivalent to 1 part-time employee with a dollar value of $14,795. 73. Patient volunteer requests are communicated through the hospice interdisciplinary team and are individualized based on the need of the patient and family. Volunteers are then scheduled to provide personal care, companionship, and support to caregivers and respite. These volunteers visit with patients, read to them, play music, provide pet therapy, spiritual support, speak with them in a preferred foreign language, and often simply grant a quiet, calm presence, or they might just sit with the client who has no family present while they are passing. Volunteers also assist in facilitating the discussion with families as well as physicians. Many volunteers donate their sewing and craft making skills to provide items of comfort to patients and families by creating prayer shawls, blankets, lap quilts and rosaries. One volunteer collects donated items throughout the year and during special occasions or holidays will organize and give to every patient on our service, for example at christmas time she made stockings and then filled it with things that would help to brighten up our patients and distract them for a time. She made easter baskets, and she makes boxes with crackers and treats, mini bibles, and mints, for the patient's families when they come in to the donnell house. Volunteers also participate in the annual memorial service that we hold once a year in washington county to honor the lives of the patients who passed away under our care during the year. They assist with the mailings, baking, setting up, greeting, music, and clean up after the event, or sometimes just offer moral support for the families. The agency provides education in the local community discussing hospice care as it relates to a terminal disease. Volunteers help us with marketing and recruiting other volunteers. They help us when we go to health-related functions in the community and are available to discuss hospice services and volunteer opportunities with the public. The community events that were attended by a concordia hospice of washington employee and a volunteer during the fiscal year are scientific day, senior games at charleroi, senior expo at washington mall, green county fair, trunk or treating and a christmas parade. These events were provided free of charge to the community at a cost of $1,058 to the agency.