Hospice of the Golden Isles

Hospice of the Golden Isles is a voluntary non-profit organization delivering personalized and compassionate care to patients with advanced illnesses and their families | 1692 Glynco Parkway Brunswick, GA 31525 | [phone] | Visit Our Website

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Now What? Making the Decision for Hospice Care

As adults, much of our life is spent making plans. Where will we go to college? What date will we get married? When should we start a family?

Big decisions require careful thought and preparation. Planning end-stage care is no different. If seeking a curative treatment is no longer an option, how does one find happiness? The answer may lie in hospice care.

What Is Hospice Care?

Hospice is a type of palliative care that guides terminally ill patients toward comfort after curative treatments have failed. Rather than focusing on getting better, patients use the program to focus on being happy, to manage pain and stress in hopes they’ll spend their last months celebrating love instead of fear.

Does Hospice Care Really Make a Difference?

Medical studies report that patients in hospice programs enjoy their final months more than patients who remain in intensive care. End-stage patients aren’t always able to make their own healthcare decisions, but research shows that making their choice known early can affect the care they receive. Planning for hospice care while still sound in mind and body can be a decision that eases your final days.

Ideally, hospice care discussions with your physician should begin as soon as you’ve been diagnosed with a life-altering illness. Making a plan in advance can relieve some of the pressure if treatments fail.

When Should You Make Your Decision?

Once your body function declines, you may not be able to make a decision yourself. Discuss your choice with your family to be sure that you receive the care you want should you become terminal.

What Are the Benefits of Hospice Care?

Managing symptoms at home means visiting the doctor less. Spend that time with your family instead and schedule time with a registered nurse in your living room.

Hospice care provides spiritual and emotional support as well for the difficult days ahead. You’ll learn to find comfort and joy in the little things.

Your support team is available to you around the clock for questions and emergencies. You and your family can spend less time worrying about what you should do. Spend that time making memories instead.

Is Hospice Care Expensive?

Many people expect hospice care to be cost-prohibitive. The truth is, however, that program prices vary, and it’s rare for a patient or their family to be liable for the whole cost.

Most private and government insurance plans partially or fully cover hospice programs. Patients with poor or no insurance may be eligible for grants or a sliding-scale rate determined by their ability to pay.

Choosing whether or not to move to hospice care when an illness becomes terminal is a huge decision. It’s a choice best made before it becomes complicated by emotion. At Hospice Care of the Golden Isles, our team of experts is here to answer your questions so you can make an informed decision and start planning with your family.

To learn more about hospice care and other types of palliative care programs in southeast coastal Georgia, call us toll-free today at 866.275.6801.

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Missing Out on Benefits: Understanding Hospice Care for Veterans

The active military is an impressive force—1.3 million strong and growing every year. Service to your country is a noble endeavor, but even the most dedicated soldier can find it grueling. Troops not only have to worry about physical injuries but emotional damage as well. Knowing this, the Veterans Administration provides active troop and veterans support through medical coverage.

Because veterans deserve lifelong respect, the VA’s comprehensive medical package also covers hospice care. Many veterans and their families are unaware that this end-of-life program is fully covered and end up leaving the benefit unused. Taking advantage of the plan can help terminal patients find spiritual, emotional, and physical relief so that they can find joy in spending time with their loved ones.

How Is Veterans Support Hospice Care Different?

While comfort and dignity are important for any patient during end-of-life care, veterans deserve the utmost respect. The VA pays for hospice service to help veterans manage the physical, emotional, and mental trauma involved in this final stage. Even if their injury or illness doesn’t stem directly from their time in the service, every veteran has earned the right to a comfortable end.

Veterans hospice care coverage pays for a variety of services to fit an individual soldier’s needs. Treatments may include counseling, pain management, and even spiritual guidance as a veteran learns to accept a hard situation. Veterans can choose to be treated in a hospice house or spend their final days receiving treatment at home.

How Do VA Hospice Benefits Work?

Although hospice goes beyond physical care, it’s considered a medical service, with comprehensive coverage that matches the VA medical plan. Whether a veteran needs a bereavement counselor, home aid, case manager, chaplain, or all of the above, they shouldn’t have to pay a penny out of pocket.

That being said, there are specific requirements to be eligible for hospice care through the VA. First, you must be a veteran, a direct dependent of a veteran, or a surviving parent, spouse, or child of a deceased veteran. Active military members may also qualify.

In addition, to apply for hospice care coverage, you'll need to have: • A life-limiting illness diagnosis • Comfort-focused treatment goals rather than actively seeking a cure • Six-months or less to live, as evidenced by a VA doctor

If you meet all of the requirements, any hospice care you receive from the VA or a VA-contracted organization will be covered in full.

Hospice of the Golden Isles is contracted with the VA to provide end-stage services to veterans. We consider ourselves privileged to support the heroes who supported our nation. Veterans in our Hospice House receive personalized care and recognition to assist them with their unique physical and emotional needs.

Our non-profit hospice team is happy to discuss our programs for both veterans and civilians. We take pride in helping families find happiness during a difficult time. To learn more about our Veterans Support Hospice Care in southeast coastal Georgia, call 912.265.4735.

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Reaffirming Joy: How Palliative Care Improves Quality of Life

Not every patient with a serious illness is physically or emotionally ready for hospice care. For those still fighting, palliative care can provide the support and care needed to make a life in pain more bearable. This approach aims to improve the quality of life for patients with severe or life-threatening illnesses as well as the lives of those who love them.

What Is Palliative Care?

Palliative methods provide a way to relieve and prevent patient suffering. Illnesses like cancer, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and others can cause not just physical suffering, but spiritual, social, and psychological pain. It’s not unusual for those facing life-threatening conditions to have insomnia, anxiety, low appetite, or exhaustion. By finding new ways to manage these symptoms, patients are able to better engage with their life and loved ones.

Why Do Palliative Methods Make a Difference?

Palliative care providers provide patients with an option for managing symptoms, pain, and side-effects in a collective manner, even if they're not eligible for hospice. While some patients may have little time left, others are still fighting hard for a cure.

Many patients with serious health problems have complicated symptoms that require treatment by a team of specialists. It may sound strange, but too much healthcare can be a problem. When care becomes disjointed and every symptom is treated separately, it can be frustrating or confusing for the patient.

One might assume that a primary care doctor could be a central point of information, but that's not always feasible. Primary doctors are usually good for referrals but may not understand all the nuances of the illness. They're also unlikely to employ other support professionals that a patient may need, such as spiritual, psychological, or pain specialists. Palliative care focuses on having patients talk to a central doctor who comes to their home to assess their needs. It gives patients suffering from long-term illness a way to have all their questions answered through a single source. With access to spiritual, psychosocial, and physical relief and support, patients can find joy in day-to-day life again.

Receiving Palliative Care

Unlike hospice care, palliative programs are available to patients facing any stage of serious illness. Patients who are still receiving aggressive treatments are eligible for care well before they reach an end-of-life diagnosis. In fact, studies show that early entry into a palliative program may actually extend a person’s lifespan.

Like hospice programs, palliative care is often covered by private and government insurance programs. Some patients may still have to pay deductibles or copays. Before signing up for a palliative program, patients are encouraged to talk to an insurance representative or case manager. They may need a referral from a primary care doctor to receive insurance coverage for the program.

If you or a loved one are interested in palliative care, call us at 912.265.4735. Whether you’re actively looking for a program or just seeking information, our team is happy to discuss the details of our palliative care or hospice programs in southeast coastal Georgia. At Hospice of the Golden Isles, our goal is to help you find the support you need to live life to the fullest.

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Living Before Dying: How Hospice and Palliative Care Support Life

Patients facing terminal or long-term illness lose more than their lives. They also face the potential loss of their independence, social life, mobility, and dignity. So many intangible feelings lie at the heart of being human.

Hospice and palliative care were created to help these patients deal with pain and find joy in a changed life. Yet many people don’t understand how these programs work or how they differ. The best way to ensure that a patient takes advantage of available resources is to let them know that they exist in the first place.

The Power of Palliative Care

Palliative care programs support and care for patients who suffer from a chronic disease. It aims to manage symptoms while also supporting mental, emotional, and spiritual health. By using these tools, it is hoped that a patient’s quality of life improves.

Unlike hospice care, palliative care can be provided at any stage of life. Once diagnosed with a long-term illness, patients can request a caregiver anytime to support them during their difficult transition. In addition to managing pain and emotions, patients learn new ways to engage with life despite the change.

Palliative care providers can vary. Medical professionals, chaplains, and home care providers create the backbone of a system that promotes joy through living.

Affirming Life Through Hospice Care

Technically, hospice is a subset of palliative care. Much like Alzheimer’s disease is a subset of dementia. Hospice is palliative care with a narrower view which focuses strictly on terminally ill patients.

Hospice care is only offered to patients with a doctor’s diagnosis of six months or less to live. Rather than looking for a cure, the system manages a patient’s symptoms and the side-effects that come from facing their own mortality. Hospice helps patients face their fears, find acceptance, and enjoy the time they have left.

Neither hospice nor palliative care provides medical services. Instead, they work with patients and their loved ones to find happiness in the day-to-day. Hospice helps patients process death by affirming life through love and family.

Hospice care doesn’t mean that a patient has given up on life. Rather, they’re making peace with a tough situation. They’ve decided that their precious time is better spent with the people they love than fighting a losing battle. If for some reason, their situation changes, a patient is free to return to treatment.

Without education, understanding the difference between hospice and palliative care can be confusing. Chronically-ill patients may not even know that caregiving programs exist for those who aren’t terminal. Talking about palliative programs is imperative in the fight to improve every patient’s quality of life.

At Hospice Care of the Golden Isles, our team of experts is available to answer any questions you may have about caregiving programs. Plans for compassionate care can even be forged in advance to ease times of turmoil. Call us at 912.265.4735. We serve all of southeast coastal Georgia.

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Debunked: The Truth About Hospice Care

Hospice workers provide palliative care to patients during their final months of life. Medical, spiritual, and emotional guidance offer comfort while alleviating some of the weight of a stressful situation.

Despite being available for decades, hospice care remains one of the most misunderstood methods of care in Georgia's medical system. Because it plays such an important part in helping families deal with the end-of-life stage, it’s important to dispel the myths that surround it. The more people learn about what hospice providers do, the more likely they are to benefit from this much-needed service.

Myth: Hospice Care Is Only for Patients Who Have Given Up

Hospice isn't about giving up or wallowing in sadness. When an individual makes the decision to stop medical treatment, it may come from a place of acceptance and a need to enjoy the time they have left. Once treatment no longer provides hope for a cure, hospice care provides physical and mental support while patients live out their last moments with friends and family.

Myth: Hospice Care Is Only for Seniors

While the term hospice often makes people think of the elderly, the sad truth is that people of all ages need it. Anyone who meets the hospice requirements of a life-limiting illness is eligible to receive services, no matter how old they are.

Myth: Hospice Is an Expensive Service

The cost of hospice care may vary by provider, but it’s unusual for any patient to pay the full cost out-of-pocket. Private and government insurance programs typically cover most or all of the bill. Those without proper insurance often can have the costs covered by grants or pay on a sliding-scale basis, depending on their financial situation.

Myth: Hospice Requires a Need for 24-hour Care

While hospice care providers are available 24-hours per day, not all patients need round-the-clock care. Instead, medical, spiritual, and mental-health professionals schedule recurring visits with the patient. Any additional care can be addressed as things come up. The truth is, hospice can be different things to different people. Hospice care focuses on the individual needs of the dying patient and their family. It helps everyone involved come to terms with the situation at hand at a speed that’s reasonable for them.

Hospice is much more than medical care and offers comfort for those in an impossible situation. It allows them to find glimmers of happiness during sad days. Patients and those who love them find moments of peace that may not otherwise be available without hospice.

It’s imperative to promote the truth about hospice care so that the people who need it can find and make use of it during their remaining months. If you or a loved one are looking for end-of-life care, our team at Hospice of the Golden Isles is available to answer questions or provide information about our program. We serve all of the southeast coast, including Brantley, Camden, Glynn, McIntosh, and Charlton. Call us today at 912.265.4735.

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PTSD: 5 Things You Should Know

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a term thrown around a lot when discussing the war or veterans’ support. Many people hold false assumptions about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that lead them to misunderstand the illness and create stigmas around those who are suffering. Stigmas cause prejudice to surround the illness and lead people to discriminate against those who have been diagnosed. In reality, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a complex illness that can manifest in many ways. The type and severity of symptoms vary from case to case, and many aspects that are commonly believed to be a part of the illness are simply aren't. Here are five things you should know about PTSD.

PTSD is an Anxiety Disorder Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder falls under the broader category of anxiety disorders in the DSM-V. This means that PTSD results from an over-activation of the fight-or-flight system, which causes those suffering to be on high alert and perceive danger that is not real. PTSD often coincides with other anxiety disorders such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder. 

PTSD is Not Just About Anxiety Though Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder includes feelings of anxiety and fight-or-flight responses, it can also include many other symptoms. Feelings of negativity towards oneself or the world are common, along with distorted memories and loss of interest in daily activities. The illness often coincides with other mental illnesses like depression or alcohol addiction as well. 

Anyone Can Develop PTSD Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is not limited to veterans. Anyone can develop PTSD at any age after experiencing a traumatic event. Many people develop the condition after enduring abuse or assault, a natural disaster, or an accident. Even people who have witnessed another person go through something traumatic can develop PTSD. Though veterans’ support seeks to help veterans enduring the illness, other mental health services are available for those who have not been through a war. 

Not Everyone Who Experiences Trauma Will Develop PTSD It is often believed that experiencing trauma will automatically lead a person to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. However, the risk of developing PTSD after a traumatic event can be diminished if resilience factors, such as support from loved ones or coping strategies, are implemented. Post-traumatic growth is a much more common response to stress, and though everyone feels some negative emotions after trauma, PTSD is not a necessary element in the healing process. 

PTSD is Treatable When Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was first given a name after World War I, there weren’t many treatment options for those suffering. However, in the past few decades, more and more treatments have become available for those with this disorder, and many fully recover. Treatment often includes therapy with a psychologist or counselor accompanied by medication to reduce anxiety and depression. PTSD is not a death sentence, and help is available through veterans' support services or other mental health agencies. Hospice of the Golden Isles is here to offer resources and help for those who have PTSD. We partner with We Honor Veterans to provide compassion and support for our patients struggling with this disorder. Give us a call at 912.265.4735.

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4 Necessary Steps to Provide Quality End-Of-Life Care

Though death is a definite part of life, it is never an easy concept to grasp. Seeing a family member or friend near the end of their life is a painful process, and it doesn’t get easier with age.

Your loved one may receive hospice care in the last few weeks or months of their lives. Though watching a family member's health deteriorate is difficult, hospice care strives to provide a comfortable, peaceful end.

Unfortunately, not all hospice care programs are the same, and some aspects of care are overlooked by for-profit hospice programs. As a not-for-profit program, we maximize care over profit and seek to provide the highest quality of end-of-life care for your loved one. Here are four steps we always take to ensure the quality of your loved one’s care.

Offering Four Levels of Care The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services require four levels of care to be offered to each hospice patient. We work together with our patients to determine which level of care will best meet their needs. 

Routine Home Care: Low-intensity care delivered on a daily or weekly schedule 

Continuous Home Care: At-home services offered to patients who need intensive care around the clock 

Inpatient Respite Care: A short-term stay at an inpatient facility to provide the family with a brief respite 

General Inpatient Care: Inpatient services for patients who need constant care from a skilled nursing team We ensure that each patient receives the level of hospice care he or she needs, regardless of their financial situation. 

Ensuring Equality for All Patients Often, hospice care facilities pick and choose which patients they will take into their program based on each patient's monetary or intensity needs. However, we offer a fair in-take method that places the needs of the patient over any monetary matters. Whether your loved one needs long-term hospice care with high-intensity treatment or short-term care at a lower intensity, we will offer a fair and equal in-take process. 

Providing Top-Notch Training for Our Care Team We provide the highest quality of care through a team of skilled nurses and care providers. We offer in-service training programs to continually improve our team's skills and abilities, ensuring that your loved-one receives top-notch care at the end of their life. 

Honoring the Patient’s Wishes Our top priority is honoring the wishes of our patients. Hospice care seeks to provide a holistic treatment that focuses on mind, body, and spirit so that each patient can live out the end of their lives as comfortably and peacefully as possible. We always take into consideration the desires of the patient to receive any type of treatment or medication during their last days, and we will not provide care that is beyond the patient’s wishes. Your loved one’s comfort is our top priority. Call Hospice of the Golden Isles today at 912.265.4735 to hear more about our range of services.

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Grief and Sadness: Necessities of Loss

Grieving the loss of a loved one is an incredibly painful, melancholy process. Grief is uncomfortable, and we often try to skirt around it by pushing our feelings away and moving on with our lives. Who wants to spend weeks and months feeling sad? It’s easier to try to forget the loss and keep moving forward.

Embrace Your Sadness

However, grief and sadness are emotions that can’t—and shouldn’t—be ignored. As much as we would like to get rid of these feelings, we must work through them to find healing. Pushing the difficulty of a loss away will only prolong the grieving process, but working through those emotions, acknowledging their existence, and opening ourselves up to them allows grief to become less painful.

After experiencing a difficult loss, many people's instinct is to run away from the situation and their feelings. Grief often feels like more than we can bear, and our fight-or-flight response tells us to get rid of those feelings as quickly as possible. However, the only way to truly find healing after a loss is to sit in the sadness and allow yourself to feel the loss of the person you loved deeply.

Grief will be painful and uncomfortable, and it’s important to accept that feelings of sadness and depression will overwhelm you in the first days and weeks after your loss. Allow yourself to be open to these emotions, acknowledging that they will not last forever but that they are true representations of your feelings.

Slow Down

Wanting to quickly return to your normal life after a loss is a common feling. Normal life is easy and painless, and without the time and care that was required by your loved one, you may feel inclined to return to a life free from the stress of illness.

However, slowing down after a loss is necessary, and sometimes required, to allow our bodies and minds space to grieve. You may feel like you’re walking through a deep swamp of sorrow during a time of grief, and the most basic of tasks may seem too challenging to manage. It's okay to consciously slow down your life during your process of grief and accept the grief support of friends and loved ones to manage the tasks of each day.

Look Towards the Light

Your feelings of grief will not last forever. Over time, you will experience sadness in a less-severe way, and eventually, you will go days without experiencing those negative feelings at all. You will be able to live a happy, fulfilled life again, while still acknowledging the meaning your loved one brought to your life during the time that they were in it.

Throughout your period of grief, it’s necessary that you view the future in a hopeful light and understand that, in time, you will be okay.

Grief looks different for everyone, and sometimes it's too much to manage alone. Contact Hospice of the Golden Isles today at 912.265.4735 to receive grief support and resources to allow you to better process these difficult emotions.

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Gaps in Veteran Support Services

Coming home from a war is a serious ordeal, and though veterans’ services exist throughout the United States, there are several areas where veterans’ support needs critical improvement. Too often, war veterans return with mental health issues that are never addressed, have difficulty finding jobs or paying for higher education, and miss out on the financial benefits that promised to them.

Without adequate veterans’ support services, these individuals are at a higher risk of facing serious mental illness and even suicide. Better funding and assistance are necessary to improve veterans’ support services in the following areas.

Transition Support

Transitioning from a war filled with violence, intense situations, and death to everyday life is no easy task. Transition support is necessary to provide veterans with the skills and opportunities they need to return to their lives. It is often difficult for veterans to find jobs, fit in with their families and friends, and work through their painful memories. More and more veterans are now homeless and jobless, struggling to find their way in life after returning home, and current efforts from federal agencies are not adequate to provide for these individuals' needs during their transition period. An increase in funding and government-implemented transition programs is necessary to create a viable home life for veterans.

Mental Health Services

It is becoming increasingly common for veterans to experience mental illnesses, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, after returning from combat. Further, many members of the military enter the service with existing mental illnesses, and after the stress and difficulties they faced in combat, they return home with even worse symptoms.

Though mental health services have received attention in the past, more emphasis must be placed on crisis intervention and mental health assistance for our veterans.

Housing Assistance

Too many veterans become homeless just a few years after leaving the military. Homelessness could result from mental illness, the inability to find a job, or a lack of family support. Current housing assistance for veterans falls short of adequately providing for the needs of those who are at risk of becoming homeless.

Though some veterans can find temporary housing in homeless shelters, veterans with children often struggle to find shelters that will take in their kids. Many housing solutions are temporary, and long-term veterans’ support is needed to keep these men and women off the streets and provide them with a safe, stable place to live.

Disability Aid

Many veterans injured in combat face life-long physical disabilities as a result of those injuries. Though disability assistance does exist, many veterans are required to wait months or years to receive the monetary compensation they were promised, and in the meantime, their physical ailments continue to worsen. Funding and assistance for veterans with disabilities must be improved to better care for the brave men and women who risked their lives for the safety of our nation.

Hospice of the Golden Isles partners with We Honor Veterans to provide comfort and care for veterans at the end of their lives. Call us today at 912.265.4735 to learn more about our veterans’ support services and how you can help veterans in need.

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Core Palliative Care Services Every Patient Needs

If you have a serious, chronic illness, it may be time to look into palliative care. Palliative care offers patients with serious illnesses an avenue to improve their quality of life. Though there is a misconception that palliative care starts at the end of a person’s life, it is more beneficial to start as close to your diagnosis as possible.

Because every patient’s needs are different, palliative care looks different for every patient. Care may include services from physicians, social workers, pharmacists, chaplains, and more. However, there are several core services we provide for every patient, regardless of their diagnoses.

Coordination of Care

Palliative care always begins with a serious discussion about your care needs. A care team consists of medical professionals suited to treat your specific symptoms and provide a holistic approach to your health.

Many of our patient's needs are met through physical therapy, a specific pharmaceutical regimen, the assistance of a medical social worker, services for their family, and more. Each palliative care team is carefully selected to best suit the patient and their family member’s needs.

Treatment of Physical and Psychological Symptoms

Though many chronic illnesses involve primarily physical symptoms, individuals with these illnesses often experience psychological distress as well. Adapting to a lifestyle that includes new limitations and medical concerns is often stressful.

Palliative care focuses on the assessment and treatment of both physical and psychological symptoms. Our care team includes physicians and psychologists and also connects family members to grief or bereavement services. Both physical and psychological services are necessary to improve the patient’s day-to-day functioning and provide a holistic approach to their care.

Support for Spiritual Distress

Spirituality is a huge component of many people's lives, especially when faced with a serious illness. Viewing life from a spiritual perspective can provide comfort and peace. Our palliative care team will address your spiritual concerns by first assessing your need and then linking you to resources like a clergy member, church, or even a community of other individuals with chronic illnesses.

Your spirituality and mental health often go hand in hand, and addressing your spiritual needs plays a significant role in improving your mindset.

Clear Communication and Goals

Sometimes being diagnosed with a chronic illness can feel like a death sentence. Developing goals and a clear line of communication with your care team can go a long way in improving your quality of life.

Creating care goals gives you back some control over your health, giving you the confidence that you need to manage your hospice plans. Similarly, each palliative care team works to clearly communicate your prognosis, any updates to your condition, and treatment options available to you. Though facing a long-term illness can be scary, palliative care allows you and your family members to receive the best services to increase the quality of your life.

Contact Hospice of the Golden Isles at 912.265.4735 today to learn more about our palliative care services.