Lifespan - Good Samaritan Hospice Care
Good Samaritan Hospice Care (GSHC) is certified by Medicare/Medicaid
as a program for patients and families facing an advanced,
life-limiting diagnoses. Since 1981, GSHC has been providing
hospice services to residents of Calhoun County. Service was
expanded to Barry County in 1990 when Barry Community Hospice
became a division of GSHC.
Mission Statement
Good Samaritan Hospice Care exists to bring competent physical,
emotional, spiritual, and practical care to patients facing
a life-limiting diagnoses and their loved ones. The agency
seeks, through its interdisciplinary team, to alleviate pain
and symptoms, to bring comfort and dignity, to enable patients
preferably to remain in their own familiar surroundings, and
to help the family face the death and rebuild their own lives.
Goals of Hospice Care
- To offer comfort and dignity to those facing an advanced
life-limiting illness
- To make it possible for the patient to remain in familiar
surroundings
- To provide physical, emotional, spiritual, and practical
care
- To help the family face the death of their loved one and
rebuild their lives Admission Requirements
- Consent by patient to participate in the program
- Certification of advanced life-limiting illness by attending
physician
- Residence in the GSHC service area
Who is Eligible for Hospice Care?
Hospice care may be requested by any physician, patient,
family member, relative, friend, minister, nurse or hospital
discharge planner. Anyone may request information by phone
or in person at the GSHC office. If the patient meets the
admission requirements, a meeting will be arranged to explain
GSHC services to the patient and/or family.
GSHC does not discriminate against any person on the grounds
of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, martial
status, citizenship, height, weight, disability or any other
basis prohibited by law.
Who Pays for Hospice Care?
GSHC is a non-profit program, and services are provided to
all families regardless of ability to pay. Hospice care is
a benefit of Medicare, Medicaid, and many private medical
insurance policies. The program is able to serve this community
thanks to generous support through contributions, memorials,
and the United Way.
You can help Hospice by:
- Making a contribution. All donations are tax deductible.
- Becoming a GSHC volunteer.
- Having a GSHC representative speak to your organization.
Good Samaritan Hospice Care Team
- Patients: Patients choose the care they wish to receive
and work with other team members to plan their care.
- Families: Families, as defined by the patients, participate
in the planning and provision of the care, focusing on safety
and comfort of the patient.
- Physicians: The GSHC Medical Director and the family physician
work together to coordinate and prescribe patient care.
- Nurses: Nursing care focuses on controlling pain and managing
physical symptoms, enabling the family to remain closely
involved in the care.
- Social Workers: Social workers help the patient and family
recognize and manage the unique emotions they are experiencing.
They may also assist with social and financial needs, funeral
planning, and coordination of community resources.
- Home Health Aides: Home Health Aides provide personal
care and comfort for the patient by assisting with cleanliness,
safety, nutritional intake, and emotional support.
- Spiritual Care Providers: Patients and families may choose
to have their personal clergy become part of the GSHC team.
Volunteer spiritual care providers are available upon request.
- Volunteers: Volunteers serve in a variety of ways, giving
whatever help is necessary to provide patients and families
with comfort, dignity, and support.
- Therapists: Speech, physical, and occupational therapists
and dietitians are available as needed.
- Bereavement Staff: Members of the bereavement staff help
the family cope with grief after death through education
and support. These services are available to all persons
in the community who have experienced losses.
- Respite Care
- Home Medical Equipment
- Pharmacy: Pharmacy services are available 24 hours a day.
Medications are available for unexpected situations requiring
pain and symptom management .
- Inpatient Services: Hospitalization for pain control and
symptom management is available at area hospitals.
- Emergency on-call assistance is available 24 hours a day,
7 days a week. Business hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00
am to 5:00 pm.
Volunteers
Volunteers are an integral part of Good Samaritan Hospice
Care. They must complete a comprehensive 7-week training course
which is offered twice a year.
Patient/family care: Volunteers are needed to work
directly with patients and their families to provide a variety
of services designed to support the families in their efforts
to care for the patient at home. Services include companionship,
child care, transportation, light housework, and respite care
(staying with the patient to allow family members to leave
the home for a few hours).
Bereavement: Services to families in bereavement are
designed to support and assist them as they experience grief
and begin to look toward the future. Volunteers provide support
to families for up to 13 months following a death.
Office Support: Opportunities include typing, filing,
collating mailings, updating computer lists, and helping with
a quarterly newsletter.
Courier Service: Volunteer couriers pick up prescriptions
from physicians' offices and deliver them to pharmacies. They
also help with delivering patient supplies.
Community: Volunteers may wish to join the Speakers'
Bureau for public speaking engagements throughout the GSHC
service area.
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