State of the Heart Hospice joins the nation’s 5,500 other hospices in observing National Hospice Month in November. The month honors the work done by hospices nationwide. Altogether, hospices provided compassionate hospice care to more than 1.6 million patients. For State of the Heart, the past year has been a momentous one culminating with a 100 percent perfect score given recently by the Joint Commission which surveys hospices nationwide.
Last year, State of the Heart cared for 839 patients and their families in eastern Indiana and western Ohio. Of that number, nearly 800 families utilized the free bereavement support provided by the nonprofit agency which has served area communities for 33 years. Over a year ago, State of the Heart opened a Care Center at Wayne HealthCare and has served nearly 200 patients and their families in the five-bed care center.
“We continue to provide the best care possible to patients and families who need our services,” stated Ted Bauer, executive director for State of the Heart. “We expanded the care by providing an inpatient care center for patients who need care in such a setting.” The Care Center is for patients from the entire service area and is the only such care center in the service area.
Mindy Stebbins, director of business development for State of the Heart, commented that “the fact we had a 100 percent score is indicative of the quality care we provide our patients and their families. Accreditation by the Joint Commission is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality. Our perfect score exemplifies how we are leading the industry in quality hospice care, assuring patients and their families that they receive the best hospice care possible.”
State of the Heart held the agency’s 14th annual Camp BEARable in July for grieving children. Since the camp was established in 2000, nearly 600 young people have been helped through attending the camp which is free for children six to 15. In addition, the State of the Heart Hospice bereavement team provided support in schools for students and staff when a sudden death occurred. Free grief support services and programs were provided to both adults and children. The bereavement support is available to anyone in the community who needs the support, regardless of association with hospice.
According to national hospice statistics, 66 percent of those patients cared for by the nation’s hospices were cared for in their home – either their own home, nursing homes or residential facilities. State of the Heart, like all hospices, works to keep the patient at home in a familiar and comfortable setting where they are close to family, loved ones and their pets. Hospice care is provided by a team of health care professionals which includes physicians, nurses, health aides, social workers, bereavement specialists, chaplains, music therapists and volunteers. They interact on an ongoing basis, assuring that all needs of the patient and the family are being met. No patient is ever denied care based on an inability to pay.
Volunteers are an important part of the team. Nationally, 400,000 volunteers provided 19 million hours of service, saving hospices hundreds of thousands of dollars with their support. Volunteers for State of the Heart donated over 7,000 hours of their time last year, saving the agency more than $73,000.
State of the Heart has offices in Greenville, Coldwater and Portland. For more information about any of the services, visit the agency web site at www.stateoftheheartcare.org.
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