Hospice is not a place. It is a way of caring. Hospice has individualized, patient- and family- centered care that is based on the principles of comfort, dignity, and choice.
Medical staff, including a registered nurse and LPN, home health aide, and medical director.
A social worker, bereavement counselor, and chaplain.
A care companion.
Other specialists that may be needed, such as physical or speech therapists.
Hospice offers 24 hours a day support to families in caring for their loved one. Hospice's experienced counselors provide support and guidance to patients' family and friends as they prepare for and cope with the death of someone important to them. This includes at least 13 months of bereavement support following the death of a hospice patient. Hospice's highly trained care companion volunteers offer practical assistance, respite, support, and complementary therapies such as massage and music to enhance comfort and peace. We offer grief support to help children, teens, and adults work through the process of integrating grief into their lives at their own pace-whether or not their loved one was our patient. Hospice is not about giving up. Although one's condition has reached a point that a cure is not likely, that doesn't mean there's nothing left to do. An emphasis on quality of life and easing pain and distress often allows the person to spend his or her last months focusing on meaningful things that matter most.
You can contact hospice at any time during your illness for information and support. Once you meet the eligibility guidelines, you will be admitted as soon as possible after we receive approval from your primary care physician and our medical director.
Hospice's medical director, nurses, aides, social workers, spiritual and bereavement counselors, and volunteers work together with your doctor to meet the needs of you and your family. Hospice costs are covered under Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans. Covered costs for patients in hospice include items not covered by regular Medicare and Medicaid programs, which means hospice could help save money. No one is ever turned away for inability to pay. Care in the setting that is best for you. This may be your home, a hospital, or nursing home. Hospice staff and volunteers support family members of all ages after the death of a loved one. We provide counseling services, educational programs, and support groups to anyone in the community.
There are also volunteering opportunities at Hospice! Call for more information on any of their services.
Hospice offices:
Administration
PO Box 840
Saranac Lake, N.Y. 12983
518-891-9631
Essex
PO Box 192
Port Henry, N.Y. 12974
518-546-9850
Tri-Lakes
19 Church Street
Saranac Lake, N.Y. 12983
518-891-0606
Warren
667 Bay Road, Suite 1
Queensbury, N.Y. 12804
518-743-1672
