The Many Roles of the Hospice Social Worker
The social worker is an integral member of the AseraCare hospice team. As trained professionals, our first responsibility is to evaluate the needs of the patient and their family upon entering the hospice program. Going forward we represent the individual/family’s wishes at every hospice team...
Anna Fleck | posted December 29, 2009
Handling Grief Through the Holidays
"My husband died in April, leaving me with four children. This will be our first Christmas without him. The children and I are just starting to adjust to these new circumstances and now I am doing worse again. Not only do I dread the holidays but I am getting depressed and anxious because I don’t...
James Avery | posted November 23, 2009
Hospice: The Medical Home for End of Life Care
By now you may have heard about a healthcare model called the “patient-centered medical home.” It’s a concept that goes beyond just a physical place, but defines the people who provide healthcare and how it’s carried out. In a medical home the patient has an ongoing relationship with their primary...
Mahveen Hussain | posted September 09, 2009
Helping Families Talk about Hospice with Their Loved One
It is never easy to begin a conversation with a dying family member about hospice. But as a medical director with AseraCare Hospice, I have found that it’s best to do it before your loved one is in the final stages of life. The earlier you can have this conversation, the better the chances are...
Mahveen Hussain | posted April 23, 2009
When Someone You Love Is Dying
With my years of experience working with hospice patients and families, I understand how difficult it is when someone you love is dying. You are likely experiencing many different emotions, and certain things that used to be simple may now seem complicated. During this time, it is important to...
James Avery | posted April 07, 2009