Why People Choose to Volunteer at Hospice

It’s National Volunteer Week! There are so many critical organizations that simply wouldn’t be the same without the wonderful work of volunteers. And, our hospice in South Jersey is no exception. Here are five of the reasons why people choose to volunteer at a hospice, as well as some insights that may inspire you to join in this worthy cause.

Personal Experience 

Many people choose to volunteer at a hospice because of their own personal experience with these services. They have seen first hand how hospice staff and volunteers came together to bring joy and comfort to a terminal loved one as well as support to their family, and would like to repay this with their own compassionate services.

The Good of Giving Back

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things a person can do! Studies have shown that volunteering effectively decreases risks of depression, gives a sense of purpose, teaches valuable life skills, reduces stress, and helps people become part of a community. When someone volunteers, it’s as beneficial to them as the people or organization they’re helping.

Staying Active 

Many volunteers are retirees who have a wealth of experience and skills to offer. The work they do allows them to keep using their skills for the benefit of others in a way that is suited to their own needs and lifestyle. It’s a great way to stay mentally and physically active, whether you are a retired nurse, accountant, teacher or business owner.

Wide Range Of Roles 

A hospice is a complex facility with roles to suit everyone regardless of age, skillset or interest. Many people want to offer companionship to patients, while others find that fund-raising, organizing events, community outreach or assisting with the administration is where they fit in best. This way, anyone can find a role that they can make their own, to the benefit of the whole team and residents.

Develop Career Skills 

On the other side of the coin, young volunteers get a great opportunity to explore a critical industry and develop the skills they need for a career in caregiving. The senior care industry is one of the fastest-growing in the USA, and by volunteering, young adults get a unique insight into what hospice is all about, the value of our services, and how to care for the terminal and elderly.

Our Hospice in South Jersey Needs You 

Hospice can feel like an overwhelming place for residents and their loved ones. Volunteers play a critical role in helping patients and families feel at home, connected with their community, and in touch with the rest of the world. If you have a spirit of compassion, respect for all ways of life, and the ability to listen and be comfortable with others, then you may be ideally suited to this important role.

Our hospice, The Shores, is a part of the well-known United Methodist Communities non-profit organization in New Jersey, offering compassionate and professional hospice care in the Jersey Shore area called Bridges. In this program, we focus on creating a nurturing and comforting environment for patients and their loved ones through customized care programs and compassionate support. We greatly appreciate our volunteer teams and the value they bring to our residents, their loved ones, the environment of the hospice, and in helping us reach the goals set out in our vision.

To find out more about becoming a volunteer at our hospice in Cape May County, please visit our website at https://theshores.umcommunities.org/hospice-care-nj/ or contact us today and organize your visit.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/why-people-choose-to-volunteer-at-hospice/

What is Palliative Care

Palliative care is a specific medical care service offered at our senior residence, The Shores in Cape May County New Jersey. Here is some insight into what this service entails and how it works, from our team.

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care is a set of medical services designed to improve the quality of life for residents with serious illnesses and their families. It identifies, assesses, and treats symptoms. These health conditions may include any stage of cancer, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and more. It is appropriate at any age and can occur alongside curative treatment.

In palliative care, a team of doctors, nurses, therapists and other relevant health practitioners address the needs of residents and their families offering psychosocial and spiritual support, as well as bereavement counselling, if indicated. This focus may also positively influence the course of illness.

The team customizes care plans for residents’ specific needs, which could include loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, anxiety, depression, and difficulty sleeping. The prescribed treatment and therapies aim to prolong life. People also call palliative care, comfort care, supportive care, and symptom management.

In order to deliver the most benefit, the team takes time getting to know each resident’s specific needs and concerns. They communicate often with each other, the resident, and loved ones to ensure thorough monitoring and efficient follow-up.

Palliative care is important because curative treatments for serious illnesses are sometimes taxing on the residents. Professional assistance can make a big difference in managing any side effects. Starting a palliative care program upon diagnosis of a serious illness benefits residents and helps ensure a better quality of life.

What is the Difference Between Hospice Care and Palliative Care?

The Shores in Cape May County provides both palliative and hospice care services. While both palliative and hospice care provides comfort, these services are very different.

Palliative care can begin at diagnosis, and continue at the same time as the treatment designed to cure the disease or health condition. It offers a support system to help people live as actively as possible.

Hospice care begins only after curative treatment brings no further improvement. Hospice starts when a medical professional determines that the person is not going to survive beyond six months.

Customized Palliative Care at the Jersey Shore

The Shores, a part of the United Methodist Communities in New Jersey, provides dedicated palliative and hospice care through Bridges, located in an assisted living neighborhood. Trained and experienced professionals in medical, emotional, and spiritual care bring UMC’s compassionate approach to the treatment of medically challenged seniors. Our program focuses on creating a nurturing and comforting environment for residents and their loved ones through customized care programs and support.

If you choose our Bridges neighborhood for your palliative care needs, loved ones are encouraged to bring plenty of home comforts along with them. At The Shores, we offer many amenities for residents and families, including linens, Wi-Fi, 24/7 food availability, dining rooms, café, outdoor courtyards, life enrichment programs, beauty/barber salon, music room, and much more. Most importantly, we recognize that we are caring for families, as much as for the palliative care residents in our community.

To find out more about our hospice in Cape May County, please visit our website at https://theshores.umcommunities.org/hospice-care-nj/ or contact us today and organize your visit.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/what-is-palliative-care/

A Guide to Medicare Hospice Coverage and Programs

Hospice is a service offered to preserve a patient’s quality of life in the end stage of life or during a terminal illness. It also addresses the patient’s spiritual, emotional, medical and physical needs. This important service provides care and comfort to both patients and their loved ones, and under certain requirements, can be covered by Medicare. Here is a quick guide to these requirements from our assisted living hospice neighborhood in South Jersey.

Medicare Eligibility Requirements for Hospice Services 

In order to be covered by Medicare for hospice services, your loved one must:

• Meet eligibility requirements for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance);
• Be certified by a doctor and hospice medical director as terminally ill with six months or less to live;
• Have a signed document from a legal guardian stating that hospice care is being chosen instead of other treatments covered by Medicare; and
• Choose a Medicare-approved hospice care provider.

Hospice Services Covered by Medicare 

If eligible, the following 10 hospice services WILL BE covered by Medicare:

1. Nursing care and doctor services
2. Hospice aid services
3. Physical and occupational therapies
4. Social worker services
5. Medical equipment (for example, a wheelchair) and medical supplies
6. Pain relief and symptom control medications
7. Nutritional counselling
8. Grief and family counselling
9. Short-term respite care
10. Short-term inpatient care

The following services are NOT covered by Medicare:

• Treatments designed to cure the terminal illness;
• Prescription medication to cure the terminal illness (only symptom management is covered);
• Room and board for hospice care, unless covered by short-term inpatient care or respite care requirements;
• Any care that is not arranged by the hospice medical team. If you want a service from a different hospice provider, you need to officially change your selected Medicare-approved hospice provider; and
• Emergency care, including ambulance transportation, inpatient facility care or emergency room care unless it is arranged by your hospice medical team or it is the result of healthcare needs unrelated to the terminal illness.

Speak to our Team at Bridges, an Assisted Living Neighborhood Dedicated to Hospice and Palliative Care at The Shores in Cape May County, NJ for Advice 

At The Shores, a part of the well-known United Methodist Communities non-profit organization in New Jersey, we offer compassionate, professional hospice care in the Jersey Shore area called Bridges. This program focuses on creating a nurturing and comforting environment for patients and their loved ones through customized care programs and compassionate support.

To find out more or if you need advice on hospice care options and Medicare, please visit our website at https://theshores.umcommunities.org/hospice-care-nj/ or contact us today.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/guide-medicare-hospice-coverage-programs/ 

Coping With Grief during the Holidays

The holiday season is here, and for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one, this can be an especially difficult time of year. Everywhere, messages about spending time with the ones we love are abundant, and bring into focus the loved ones who will not be celebrating with us, which can lead to intense feelings of sorrow.

Here are some coping strategies from the team at our hospice neighborhood in South Jersey to help make this season more manageable:

• Remember that grief and healing go hand-in-hand. Grief is an integral part of the healing process, and choosing to experience the pain rather than shutting it away is a healthier path to healing. Over time, this will help make the holiday season easier.
• Acknowledge your loss. Remembering the one you’ve lost and expressing your feelings can help make them a part of the festive season and lead to traditions in which they are kept close to your and other people’s hearts. Set aside some time or a task and make it all about that someone special and choose something that reminds you of them. For example, lighting a candle in church or at your family dinner table, opening a bottle of their favorite drink, serving a favorite dish, or playing their favorite music.
• Set healthy boundaries. Don’t push yourself to have a perfect holiday season, attend every event, and embrace every occasion with a smile on your face. Instead, give yourself a break if you find an event too painful, or need some time by yourself. Pick and choose what events you feel comfortable with, and keep your options open. You might prefer a quiet evening in with family looking at photo albums and watching movies, rather than a big social event with lots of people. Don’t feel obligated that you have to attend an event if it’s too difficult or painful for you.
• Speak openly with family and friends. Everyone experiences grief differently, and communicating your concerns and feelings to your loved ones is especially important during the holidays. Your support network can help ease the burden of the holiday season, from helping you to create new traditions in remembrance of your loved one, to understanding why you need time and space from certain events.

Professional care and support from Bridges, our hospice and palliative care neighborhood in Cape May County, NJ 

At The Shores, a part of the well-known United Methodist Communities non-profit assisted living organization in New Jersey, we offer compassionate, professional care in the Jersey Shore area in a neighborhood called Bridges, dedicated to hospice and palliative care. In this program, we focus on creating a nurturing and comforting environment for patients and their loved ones through customized care programs and compassionate support. To find out more about our hospice neighborhood in South Jersey, please visit our website at https://theshores.umcommunities.org or contact us today and arrange your visit.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/coping-grief-holidays/

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