Hospice of Southern Illinois

Premiere Local Hospice Provider

The Good Death

Over the past century, the viewpoints of death have had a definite shift within society. This can be attributed to the shift in medical care from family settings to a more institutionalized setting. As a result, what used to be considered a natural part of life is now viewed as a failure in medical technology. Today, we tend to think as a society that the ideal death would be in our sleep without suffering. In contrast, the medieval era believed that death should be by noble cause, and it’s said that people of that time actually prayed to not die in their sleep. Understandably, the various viewpoints of “the good death” can make providing comfort for hospice patients a challenge.

bird flying away peacefully into the light representing a peaceful end of life journey

The Influence of Cultural Backgrounds

To better understand what a good death means for a patient and establish appropriate goals, one must have an idea of the patient’s cultural background. Recent data suggests that Latino and African Americans are more likely to ask for more life-sustaining therapies versus Caucasians. However, more recent data suggests that African Americans are less likely to want to be “connected to machines” versus other ethnicities. Additionally, a study including Hispanic cultures found that mortality was highest around Christmas and All Saints Day. This study suggests a better quality of death around religious holidays, whereas other cultures view death around holidays a more traumatic loss.

Other Influences and Considerations

In addition to the various cultural differences in the perception of a good death, there also tends to be a difference among healthcare professionals, families, and patients. Data shows that a healthcare professional’s idea of a good death tends to be more biomedically related. Family members of the patient tend to stress the importance of meeting with clergy members, and lastly, the most important attribute of a good death from the patient perspective was coming to peace with their terminal illness.

Hospice of Southern Illinois' Care Team surrounding individual with hospice and his caregiving daughter
“As far as I am concerned, these are the angels sent down to help me take care of my daddy.”
Tyra, Daughter of Mr. Ward

Read Mr. Ward’s Story of Hospice and Dignity

As mentioned, understanding what a good death is can pose a challenge when providing comfort care for patients, hence providing goals of care for hospice patients can be even more challenging. However, as healthcare professionals, it is crucial that we take the patient’s beliefs and wishes into the utmost consideration when we are establishing comfort goals for them.

By: Matthew Clark, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care, Hospice of Southern Illinois

October is American Pharmacists Month and we present to you a series of end-of-life topics throughout the month by our very own, Matthew Clark, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care! Our series will help expand your understanding of the field and debunk some myths in the field of pharmacy. 

Topic 3: The Good Death

Read last week’s topic 2, End of Life Care Agents for Parkinson’s.

Our first post of the series, topic 1, click here, What is the difference in Palliative Care and Hospice?

Learn more about our pharmacy residency program here.

End of Life Care Agents for Parkinson’s

By: Matthew Clark, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative
Care, Hospice of Southern Illinois

 

October is American Pharmacists Month and we present to you a series of
end-of-life topics throughout the month by our very own, Matthew Clark, PharmD,
PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care! Our series will help
expand your understanding of the field and debunk some myths in the field of
pharmacy.

Topic 2 : Best Agents for Psychosis Related to Parkinson’s 

Arthritis hand and knee pain or mental health care concept with geriatric doctor consulting examining elderly senior aged adult in medical exam clinic or hospital

Parkinsonism is a disease that is prevalent across the elderly population. In fact, Parkinson’s affects 1% of patients above the age of 60 in the United States. The disease is due to an insufficiency of dopamine and dopamine receptors in the area of the brain called substantia nigra. The loss of dopamine leads to common symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease such as: bradykinesia, shaking, tremors, and rigidity. In addition to
Parkinsonism, patients can develop psychosis during the late stages of the disease. As healthcare professionals, it is important to choose the most appropriate agent to treat psychosis without exacerbating Parkinson’s symptoms.

Appropriate Agents to Treat Psychosis

End of life care agents for Parkinson's diseaseThe use of atypical antipsychotics is preferred for the treatment of psychosis. This class of medications exerts their mechanism by binding to dopamine and serotonin receptors which help alleviate symptoms of psychosis. However, by blocking these receptors, antipsychotics can actually exacerbate Parkinson’s symptoms. The binding affinity of each medication to dopamine receptors determines the extent they can affect Parkinsonism. In other words, the stronger the antipsychotic agent binds to dopamine receptors, the more likely it will cause Parkinson-like symptoms called extrapyramidal
symptoms (EPS). The antipsychotics that bind tightly to dopamine receptors and
are more likely to cause EPS are olanzapine and risperidone. The agents preferred
for psychosis related to Parkinson’s are clozapine and quetiapine.

Despite clozapine and quetiapine being preferred agents for treating psychosis in patients with Parkinson’s disease, they are associated with unfavorable adverse reactions. Quetiapine can cause metabolic syndromes such as increased blood glucose and weight which may not be ideal for patients with hyperglycemia. On the other hand, clozapine can cause a fatal blood disorder called agranulocytosis. This is a decrease in white blood cells which can lead to life-threatening infections. In order to monitor for this
condition, routine blood tests must be conducted in order to track an absolute
neutrophil count (ANC). A drop in ANC below 1,000/mm3 in the blood constitutes discontinuation of clozapine.

Treating psychosis in patients with Parkinson’s disease can be quite a challenge given the adverse reactions associated with the use of antipsychotics. Clozapine and quetiapine are
preferred since they do not extensively exacerbate Parkinson’s symptoms. Despite the adverse effects that these two medications cause, appropriate monitoring can not only prevent these effects, but also optimally treat patients.

Click here to learn more about our pharmacy residency program.

What’s the difference between Palliative Care and Hospice?

By: Matthew Clark, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care, Hospice of Southern Illinois

October is American Pharmacists Month and we present to you a series of end-of-life topics throughout the month by our very own, Matthew Clark, PharmD, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident in Pain and Palliative Care! Our series will help expand your understanding of the field and debunk some myths in the field of pharmacy.

The goal of hospice care is to achieve the best quality of life for patients and families with a prognosis of 6 months or less.

A common misconception in healthcare that can cause great distress and confusion to patients is that palliative care means hospice. The two terms are often inadvertently used interchangeably. Despite both areas being oriented around symptom management, it is important to understand the differences. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines palliative care as the active total care of patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment. This approach aims to improve the quality of life of patients and their families through prevention of suffering by assessing and treating their symptoms.

Similarly, the goal of hospice care is to achieve the best quality of life for patients and their families. However, hospice is a service covered by Medicare Part A, Medicaid, or private health insurance. Patients who qualify for hospice have a terminal illness with a prognosis of 6 months or less. Terminal illnesses may include malignancies such as cancer, congestive heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A hospice team consists of a physician, registered nurse, social worker, hospice aide, pastoral counselor, volunteers, and pharmacist.

Understanding The Difference

Patients in hospice will receive palliative care services, for the goal is to prevent suffering by improving quality of life.

Understandably, patients in hospice will receive palliative care services, for the goal is to prevent suffering by improving quality of life. On the other hand, patients who receive palliative care may not have a terminal illness and therefore, may not qualify for hospice. For example, patients with pancreatitis may need palliative care in order to control their pain symptoms but do not qualify for hospice since pancreatitis is not terminal. Therefore, when discussing goals with patients, it is vital to understand the difference between the two.

Click here to learn more about our pharmacy residency program and our PGY2 Pharmacist.

Announcing Pharmacy Residency Program’s 4th Year

Dr. Matthew Clark PGY2 Pharmacy Resident for Our 4th Year of Our Pharmacy Residency Program
PGY2 Pharmacy Resident

Hospice of Southern Illinois is announcing our 4th year with a PGY-2 (post-graduate, year 2) Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacy Residency Program. In collaboration with the SIUE School of Pharmacy, we remain the only accredited PGY-2 Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacy Residency Program fully funded by a hospice, in the United States. With that said, we are pleased to introduce and welcome the full-time, on-staff, PGY-2 Pharmacy Resident, Matthew Clark, PharmD. Our patients, families, and organization directly benefits from this very special program, which is 1 of 18 in the country and the only accredited one, fully funded by a hospice.

Dr. Clark is an integral member of our interdisciplinary team focusing on each individual’s goals of care in delivering the highest quality end-of-life care to the patients and families we serve. Matthew leads with our mission and core values of excellence, integrity, respect, diversity and dignity. The PGY-2 Program sets Hospice of Southern Illinois’ care apart from other hospice programs. Matthew shares our commitment to this program and standard of end-of-life care, “I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to learn from such a caring healthcare team at Hospice of Southern Illinois. Completing the residency at Hospice of Southern Illinois will allow me to grow as a competent palliative care pharmacist.”

Working With Community Partners to Help Patients

 “We have collaborated with Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville’s School of Pharmacy to implement an immersive and structured, post-graduate training program to benefit Hospice of Southern Illinois and their patients; additionally, the experience, knowledge, and education our pharmacist will receive has been customized to provide a genuine learning experience and specific end-of-life care training to equip the resident for their future research, programs and professional development,” explains Dr. Ellen Middendorf, Medical Director for Hospice of Southern Illinois. The specialized support this program offers to Hospice of Southern Illinois’ patients includes streamlined symptom management to reduce side effects and medication interactions; ensuring safe and effective medication use; and medication cost management. As regulatory and compliance mandates change, our pharmacist also provides another element of expertise to assist and ensure the highest standard of care to those we serve. Additionally, we proudly offer one-on-one education to staff, patients and families, and healthcare professionals, which is invaluable.

Photographed L to R: Dr. Ellen Middendorf, Hospice of Southern Illinois’ Medical Director, Matthew Clark, PharmD., Hospice of Southern Illinois’ Pharmacy Resident, Chris Herndon, PharmD., associate professor at the SIUE School of Pharmacy, and Amy Richter, Hospice of Southern Illinois’ President & CEO
Our 4th Year of Our Pharmacy Residency Program

(Photographed L to R: Dr. Ellen Middendorf, Hospice of Southern Illinois’ Medical Director, Matthew Clark, PharmD., Hospice of Southern Illinois’ Pharmacy Resident, Chris Herndon, PharmD., associate professor at the SIUE School of Pharmacy, and Amy Richter, Hospice of Southern Illinois’ President & CEO)

Chris Herndon, PharmD., a professor at the SIUE School of Pharmacy, and PGY-2 Residency Program Director added, “this novel training program will prepare pharmacists to integrate seamlessly into the hospice interdisciplinary team and directly impact the care of those at the end of life. As medication regimens become more complex, it makes perfect sense to add the pharmacist to the hospice clinical team.

Our Mission and Programs Align

The mission of Hospice of Southern Illinois is to enhance the quality of life for individuals and their loved ones touched by a terminal illness. Not all hospice providers are the same. While most have a similar philosophy, each hospice is a different company offering different services. Our reputation is a direct result of our desire to do more than what is required or expected. This can be seen in the passion and commitment of our employees and volunteers to provide excellent hospice care through all the services we provide, including our PGY2 Program. Learn more about our PGY2 program here.

June is PTSD Awareness Month

June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) awareness month. PTSD occurs after someone goes through a traumatic event. It is a stress response to disaster, overstimulation, assault, violence, or combat. While the information below applies to Veterans at the end-of-life, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can affect anyone. Additionally, each Veteran will have unique needs, so we must make sure that we do not make assumptions based on the title of “Veteran.” 

Peace, comfort, and dignity are three goals of care in hospice. The approach to these goals is different for everyone, especially Veterans with PTSD. Often times, Veterans were faced with conflict and other stressors that other individuals and civilians were not exposed to in their past, which can affect their end-of-life journey. Combat and non-combat experiences both influence a Veteran’s needs. Emotional, verbal, or environmental triggers can impact how a Veteran responds to a scenario. It is important to take all of these factors into consideration when visiting, talking, and caring for a Veteran, especially one that has or is experiencing PTSD.

PTSD symptoms may include:

1.       Reliving the event and re-experiencing symptoms. 

2.       Avoidance of people or events.

3.       Numbness, shame or hopelessness.

4.       Hyper-arousal, anxiety or high-alert for danger.

5.       Relationship challenges.

6.       Drinking and/or drug problems.

During the final months, weeks and days, individuals reflect on their actions, experiences, and time. Family and friends can help Veterans experiencing PTSD find peace, comfort, and dignity through different types of therapy, medication, or personal connection. Examples include regular visits and discussion, honoring their service and branch, displaying a flag or a shadow box with memorabilia and photos, creating a legacy video to document pastimes, recording an audio journal to showcase a story, or creating a Memory Book to honor their service. The best method and support depends on the individual. We encourage family and friends to try some of these examples to promote healing and help create a safe space for all Veterans, including those with PTSD at the end of their life.

Veteran PTSD Ideas like a guest or memory book
Veteran PTSD Ideas like a guest or memory book

Learn more about Hospice of Southern Illinois’ commitment to veterans; learn about the We Honor Veterans Program and our Level 4 Status: https://hospice.org/ourcare/we-honor-veterans-program/. At times, calling the Veteran Crisis Line for immediate support may be warranted, 1-800-273-8255.

Source: https://www.wehonorveterans.org/veterans-their-needs/specific-populations/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd  

4 Million Reasons to Celebrate

Hospice Nurse Infographic

The 2019 National Nurses Week theme is “4 Million Reasons to Celebrate” a nod to nurses’ sheer numbers and an open invitation to #ThankaNurse for enriching our lives and the world we live in. Hospice of Southern Illinois would like to extend a special thanks to our nurses as they continue to provide the highest level of quality care to our patients. Head over to social media, share a photo, and include the national hashtag, #ThankaNurse, and our local hashtag, #OurHeartBeatsBurgundy, to show your support (and 4 million reasons) for Hospice of Southern Illinois’ nurses and nurses everywhere for the compassionate work they do!

Do you know the role of a hospice nurse?

Did you know the role of a hospice nurse includes assessments, education, symptom management, medication management, personal care, support, and more. With a job more personal than most, they also ensure the respect and dignity of the people they care for, including the support circle, family and friends around them. The Burgundy Team of nurses, trained in end-of-life care, offer compassionate care and symptom management to alleviate the suffering associated with terminal illness. Additionally, Hospice of Southern Illinois has a dedicated Admission Team who provides assessments, immediate support and education to patients and families who are learning about hospice care or making choices about if end-of-life care is right for them.

Nurses offer many different types of care depending on the needs of the patient and family. The four levels of care include: Routine Home Care, Continuous Care, Respite Care, and General Inpatient Care.

Four Levels of Care for Patients

  • Routine Home Care: Ongoing end-of-life care
  • Continuous Care: Short-term crisis care
  • Respite Care: Short-term caregiver relief
  • General Inpatient Care: Temporary intensive care that cannot feasibly be provided in a non-hospital setting.
Hospice Nurse ready to leave

Anyone can make a referral to Hospice of Southern Illinois. Calling for hospice care sooner can provide assistance with getting pain and symptoms under control quickly, caregiver relief, durable medical equipment and supplies, medication management, free resources, additional support, and family planning. Nurses at Hospice of Southern Illinois provide on-call support 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. It’s never too early to learn about how hospice can help, before crisis strikes. Call with no obligation today, 1-800-233-1708, or visit our website for free resources, www.hospice.org/community.

Volunteers Give Over 10,000 Hours

“At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished… it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back. “

– Denzel Washington

Annually in April, Hospice of Southern Illinois recognizes a special group of over 300 volunteers who donate countless hours to support our mission, to enhance the quality of life for individuals and their loved ones touched by a terminal illness. In 2018, the volunteer teams logged 10,873 hours. Denzel Washington said it best, “At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished… it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.” Another outstanding achievement we are proud to share is that 8% of volunteer hours were related to direct patient care. Medicare requires that 5% of volunteer hours are patient care and the volunteers surpassed this regulation. Thank you to the volunteers who, collectively, worked to give over 10,000 hours and contribute to that milestone. We appreciate those who go above and beyond, with compassion, lifting up patients, their families, and Hospice of Southern Illinois’ employees.

We take this opportunity to thank the entire volunteer team, name our 100 Hour Club Volunteers, and highlight six very special volunteers who receive the prestigious, Butterfly Award. The Butterfly Award recipients’ roles and talents are as varied as the needs of patients, families and staff. Here is a peek into how they donated their time and talents. 

Butterfly Award Recipients

  • Barb Soto
  • Dana Penrose
  • Connie Galloway
  • Elaine Behrmann
  • Judy Wild
  • Melissa McArthur
  • Connie Galloway from DuQuoin, IL. Connie accepting her award said, “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe it.” Connie visits multiple patients and is always willing to drive several miles to visit patients in other towns, near or far. She assisted with fundraisers and excels at encouraging others to give and donate. Last year she volunteered 61.5 hours.
  • Barb Soto from Herrin, IL. Barb works tirelessly at all of our events. She is usually one of the first volunteers to arrive, willing to do any job or task she is assigned, and last to leave, assisting with clean-up and follow-through. Barb heads up the Volunteer Craft Group. With an eye and talent for crafting, she works with a committee to make everything come to fruition. Barb contributed 74 hours in 2018. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to attend the dinner, but when texted a photo of the award, she said, “Oh no. Me? I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there. Thank you. I am really surprised.”
  • Dana Penrose from DeSoto, IL. A registered nurse, who works part-time and then devotes the rest of his time to his Hospice of Southern Illinois’ patients, Dana spends hours with patients and always goes the extra mile to make sure all of his patients’ needs are met. Dana also has a passion for the We Honor Veterans program, helping with the Veterans’ Honor Flights. We sent Dana a picture of his award and he commented, “Wow, I can’t believe this, this is quite an honor.” Dana volunteered 80 hours this year.
  • Elaine Behrmann from Albers, IL – Volunteering for 15 years, Elaine is a tremendous advocate for Hospice of Southern Illinois in her community. She can be seen volunteering at community events, fundraisers, parades, visiting patients, and sitting vigilance. We value volunteers, like Elaine, who display compassion towards all their patients and vow to ensure they don’t die alone.
  • Judy Wild from Waterloo, IL – Longtime volunteer of 18 years, Judy is enthusiastic, positive, a leader, and dedicated. This volunteer reports weekly to the office to file, is an active member in the Adventure Committee, participates in community events, and visits patients. The team comments, “This volunteer is always willing to help out with any tasks asked. Very friendly, reliable, and pleasant to be around. This volunteer continues to do more and more.”
  • Melissa McArthur from O’Fallon, IL – Melissa documented 141 hours in 2018, and 380 hours since becoming a volunteer in 2012. A true gem with a gentle personality and caring heart, Melissa participates in the craft group, community and fundraising events, is a pet therapy escort, sits vigilance, and visits patients. Her colleagues describe her as: “This volunteer can often be seen at facilities including other residents in the activity she is doing with her patient. This volunteer brings joy to all those around her.” 

100 Hour Club

Volunteers who donate over 100 hours to Hospice of Southern Illinois.

Jerry Altepeter   Barb Kunstman   Linda Powers
Ellen Bogacki   Beth Hamer   Linda Sauzek  
Amber Bramlet   JoAnn Lunk   Jane Stalker  
Ernie Brasher   Bonnie Maller   June Stukenberg
Virginia Downing   Pat Maroon   Adrienne Villotti  
Linda Duncan   Melissa McArthur   Linda Vonderharr  
Linda Florreich   Cathy Mitchell   Joyce Walton  
Betty Franke   Jeanne Nyberg   Tina Wiegmann
Mary Frett   Brenda O’Connor   Judy Wild
 Sandy Johnson   Susan O’Mara    

Hospice of Southern Illinois, your burgundy team, is a not-for-profit hospice program providing end-of-life care locally since 1981. To join this special group of people or learn more about volunteering, click here.

Hospice is Dignity

Dignity • noun

dig·​ni·​ty | \ ˈdig-nə-tē  \

plural dignities

Definition of dignity

2: the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed

army veteran with caregiver

We define dignity because it’s the one noun that relates to quality of life at the end of life, a core value of hospice care at Hospice of Southern Illinois. How do people with a life-limiting illness find quality of life at the end of life? Finding it is different for each person. As individuals with life-limiting illnesses disease progresses, Hospice of Southern Illinois can be called in to support the patient and their family.  

We know it’s not an easy call to make. Our care team works together with the patient and their family on what matters most to them at the end of life. While Hospice of Southern Illinois offers many services, layers of support, and compassionate care providers, our core values: integrity, excellence, respect, dignity, and diversity, remain the same. Quality of life is at the center of everything we do for our patients and their families. Mr. David Ward’s story is an example of care that focuses on the quality of life.  

Mr. Ward was in the hospital, his kidneys failing, and physically ill. His disease was end-stage. The doctor recommended hospice. Our admission nurse arrived to provide education and support. Mr. Ward and his daughter, his healthcare power of attorney, decided they needed to refocus his goals of care. Quality of life was now his primary focus.

Within Mr. Ward’s first week of receiving hospice care, his pain was reduced and his symptoms were managed. His daughter was surprised to see her father living past a week. She focused on the time she had to spend with her dad. “As far as I am concerned, these are the angels sent down to help me take care of my daddy.” His nurse and hospice aide, who assisted with his physical well-being, personal care and diagnosis specific education, visited him regularly to ensure his dignity as his disease progressed.

“As far as I am concerned, these are the angels sent down to help me take care of my daddy.”

Tyra, Daughter of Mr. Ward
daughter kissing dad

Mr. Ward is a man with so much history; born in 1941, an Army veteran and a gunshot victim while saving his brother 45 years ago. After learning so much about Mr. Ward’s life, his social worker began to ensure the emotional well-being of the family. Often checking in, providing resources, and preparing them for the unknown ahead, the social worker also enjoyed Mr. Ward’s many stories, love for coffee, chocolate cake donuts, and old western films.   

After several months in Hospice of Southern Illinois’ program, the many benefits the family observed and the quality of life Mr. Ward was experiencing, was exactly what they had hoped for a loved one with a life-limiting illness. He was above all else, comfortable and at peace. Mr. Ward’s nurse, social worker and hospice aide continued their visits, always asking him three important questions, “What’s important to you today?”; “Do you have any pain?”; and “How can I make today better?” In hospice, we don’t get to celebrate birthdays often. Each day as his birthday approached, the team wanted to make sure he was ready to make a lasting memory. As we all entered the room with donuts, cake and balloons in hand, we heard, “Oh, Lord!” We proceeded to sing happy birthday and shared stories. After his visit with his Hospice of Southern Illinois family, Mr. Ward’s son left us with some beautiful words, “I appreciate everything hospice has done for the Ward family and our dad. We can’t thank you all enough. And to top it all off, to be here with him on his birthday is most appreciative. We love you all, and we thank you all for being a part of this.” 

celebrating a birthday with hospice of southern illinois employee
family birthday party with hospice of southern illinois team

Mr. Ward and his family have seen how meeting with hospice to discuss his comfort and peace was a decision they will never regret. Calling Hospice of Southern Illinois to focus on his quality of life early on, was such a benefit, not only to their dad, but to the entire family. We hope every individual and their family who experience a life-limiting illness can spend time with family, focus on what’s important each day, and receive the dignity they deserve.

Share your experience about Hospice of Southern Illinois’ end-of-life care. Consider sharing a loved one’s triumphant past, a heartwarming hospice encounter, memories during their final weeks, or a message to share with other’s about their life lessons. Any one of these touching moments can impact the lives of others and carry-on your loved one’s Legacy Story.

Submit a Legacy Story

To learn more about our programs and services, click here. To make a referral or ask questions without obligation, call 1-800-233-1708.

National Pet Day Social Media Contest

National Pet Day is April 11th and we want to see your pets! Focusing on bringing peace and comfort to our patients, we offer a pet therapy program as an extension of our mission and a complimentary service. Post a photo or video, with a caption and our hashtag #ourheartbeatsburgundy, of your ‘paw’some pets who bring you peace and comfort every day for a chance to win an iPad Mini!

To submit your entry, post a photo or video of your pet on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with our hashtag #ourheartbeatsburgundy. Your photo or video submission, during the submission period, with the hashtag, is acceptance of the contest rules and eligible for a chance to win. Contest entries are accepted April 11, 2019 through April 30, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. One contestant will win the prize based on random selection by a 3rd party, Woobox Contest Platform.

CHAMP Assistance Dogs' Volunteer Team with Hospice of Southern Illinois' Volunteer and patient.
CHAMP Assistance Dogs’ Volunteer Team with Hospice of Southern Illinois’ Volunteer and patient.

National Pet Day Photo contest spreads awareness of our mission to enhance the quality of life for individuals and their loved ones touched by a terminal illness. Your participation and sharing our hashtag shares our story and yours. Thank you for being a hospice advocate just by celebrating pets who bring you peace and comfort!

Click here to learn more about our Pet Therapy Program and Complimentary Service.

No purchase necessary; Purchase does not enhance the chance of winning; Void where prohibited; Submissions accepted 4/11/2019 – 4/30/2019 at 12:00 p.m. Multiple submissions are allowed; Must be 18+ to enter and win; Valid submission is authorization for acceptance of contest rules and consent to participate. Each entrant/participant complies with a complete release of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter; One winner selected at random by a 3rd party, Woobox Contest Platform; This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Woobox, Apple, iPad, or Walmart. Reserves right to modify contest.

For details, entries and official rules:
https://woobox.com/9ihjuf

3 Benefits of a Medical Director and Pharmacist

3 Benefits of a Medical Director and Pharmacist

All hospices are required by the government to have oversight from a Medical Director, or physician who reviews the needs of patients, but one thing that sets Hospice of Southern Illinois apart is our full-time, on-staff Medical Director. The Medical Director works with a team of Associate Medical Directors and the hospice interdisciplinary team to manage symptoms related to the patient’s diagnosis. Additionally, we have a full-time, on-staff Pharmacist. Our distinguished Pharmacy Residency Program is 1 of 18 in the United States and the only one American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Accredited and fully funded by a hospice. Let’s dive into the three most important benefits of these two positions.

Dr. Ellen Middendorf
  1. Innovative suggestions about the comfort of our patients

One major benefit of having a Medical Director and Pharmacist on staff is having access to professionals with innovative ideas that focus on pain and symptom management, one of the main goals of hospice care. Our Medical Director isn’t in private practice and our pharmacist doesn’t have other patients at a pharmacy. This means their sole focus is on our patients’ comfort, oversight of their plan of care, and evaluating how their medications manage their symptoms. They lead conversations about reducing pain, monitoring dosing and medication interactions, and most importantly, improving quality of life.

  • Caregivers have direct access to physicians and a pharmacist

Another advantage of having a Medical Director, in conjunction with a Pharmacist, is the benefit to our employees. Together, our physicians and our interdisciplinary team work to monitor pain, assess symptoms, and provide immediate recommendations in medication and care adjustments as needed. Employee access to real-time communications at meetings and over the phone, directly impacts our patients and improves their level of comfort.

  • Patient-centered care

And finally, the benefit that ties everything together is the patient-centered care. Hospice of Southern Illinois’ on-staff Medical Director and Pharmacist’s only focus is Hospice of Southern Illinois’ patients’ pain levels and symptom management. This means a patient’s comfort is the number one priority.

If someone you know is not sure about how a hospice can help support them, give Hospice of Southern Illinois a call. As a local, not-for-profit hospice, we will answer their questions without obligation. Our program ensures the comfort, dignity and respect every individual with a life-limiting illness deserves. Click here to learn more about our programs and services.

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