Local organization observes National Hospice Month
November is National Hospice Month and Hospice of Aroostook staff members are grateful to have the privilege to care for nearly 200 patients and their family members each year.
“Our hospice professionals specialize in pain and symptom management and provide physical, emotional and spiritual support, and support of the family,” said Gail Phair-Kirk, Hospice of Aroostook’s team supervisor. “Hospice services can be provided in the home, as well as in a nursing home or assisted living facility.”
Anyone with a terminal illness who has decided to stop seeking curative treatment is eligible for hospice. A loved one and their family may wish to consider hospice when the prognosis is six months or less to live; when a patient is receiving treatment that is neither life-prolonging nor enhancing the quality of life; or when a family or loved one is postponing a discussion about end of life because of a fear that the patient will think they have given up.
Remarks like these are common from the family members and loved ones that have received services from Hospice of Aroostook. “Over the past four years, my family has had hospice three times for three different family members. The care that the entire hospice team provided was amazing. I, as well as my entire extended family, would highly recommend Hospice of Aroostook for a dying loved one. You could not get a better team to care for your loved ones. The support and compassion will forever be carried in our hearts as we are eternally grateful for what the hospice team has done for us throughout the difficult days of caring for the loved ones and throughout the bereavement process.”
Hospice of Aroostook has been providing services for 30 years and is part of Visiting Nurses of Aroostook and Eastern Maine HomeCare. Thanks to its membership in EMHS and a dedicated Maine-based volunteer board of directors, Hospice of Aroostook helps ensure the mission to offer services to all, regardless of ability to pay, is fulfilled.
For more information, log onto www.easternmainehomecare.org, or call the toll-free patient referral line at 1-866-591-8843.
