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Expertise to be Proud of

by Mary Odbert

At Yolo Hospice, we know a lot about dying. It is not a subject area where most people want expertise. Would you be surprised to hear that the staff here at Yolo Hospice value and are proud of their expertise?

“It is an honor to be let into people’s live at this intimate time.” I hear that statement over and over again. The staff is always conscious that they are coming into people’s lives at a sensitive, precious point -- a major life stage -- second only in significance to birth. The intimacy of birth is usually only shared with immediate family, yet hospice teams are allowed near during the experience of dying.

“This can be on of the most difficult times in someone’s life,” said Jody Norton, RN, CHPN, Nursing and Hospice Aide Supervisor at Yolo Hospice. “Coping with a life limiting illness is all consuming for the person who is ill and those who love them. As a hospice nurse and team member, I feel it is most important to advocate, respect and use our advanced knowledge in pain and end-of-life issues to ensure that symptoms are well controlled and that the patient and their family’s goals are reached.”
 
Yolo Hospice is able to provide information about the process, be responsive to needs and questions; and physically, emotionally and spiritually comfort those facing the end of their lives and support their families.

It is a priority for Yolo Hospice to ensure the patient’s pain is manageable so they can enjoy life and be an active participant as long as possible. Yolo Hospice staff knows pain is often experienced emotionally and spiritually too. Because of this, Yolo Hospice provides emotional and spiritual support as well.

“Everyone’s process is as unique and individual as they are,” said Norton. “The body’s physical decline can be similar, but the individual’s experience, concerns and needs are specific to them. Their families and loved ones needs are also unique and the support they need will be individualized. When we go into someone’s home, we honor and respect the diversity of all their needs.”

Yes, the patient has an illness that will end their life, but that is in the future. What Yolo Hospice is concerned about is the patient’s life -- today.

“What does the patient feel needs to be done?” asks Suzanne Trygar, MSW, Director of Social Workers and Spiritual Counselors at Yolo Hospice.  “What does the patient enjoy doing most, and how can we help them do it? Those are the questions we ask the patient, ourselves and the family. It is important because with the answers to those questions we can help them do what they want with the rest of their life.”

The encompassing care for the patient also extends to their family. The family members face care giving responsibilities, fears about expenses and an uncertain future without their loved one. The Yolo Hospice team’s expertise enables them to provide training the family needs to feel confident in their ability to care for their loved one. Yolo Hospice provides families with emotional support too.

“Social workers are available to the family members when they are needed,” said Trygar. “We also have an entire bereavement services department, devoted to helping the family adjust to their loss, and “Stepping Stones”, a program tailored to the needs of grieving children and teens.”

Expertise is not limited to nursing or clinical staff. We have hospice aides, bereavement counselors and spiritual counselors who all provide expertise that can help. In addition, we have patient care volunteers who are just like you, members of the community, willing and able to get to know a patient. They become experts through training and experience.

At Yolo Hospice we’re experts in end-of-life care, but we don’t stop there. We’re constantly trying to better our program and services to improve how we support patients and families. Everyone at Yolo Hospice is proud to make that little bit of difference in the lives of our patients and their families.

 

 

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Quotes

Judy Norton
"Coping with terminal illness is all consuming for patient and family. As a hospice nurse, I feel it is most important to advocate, respect and use the knowledge we have to make the end of life the most comfortable it can be while always keeping in mind the unique needs of each patient."
~Jody Norton, RN