Hospice and Palliative Medicine

“An appropriate death… means dying the best possible way, not only retaining vestiges of what made life important and valuable, but surviving with personal significance and self–esteem, with minimal distress and few symptoms, for as long as possible.”

– Avery Weisman

Philosophy

Middlesex Hospice and Palliative Care is committed to caring for the terminally ill and their families. We strive to enhance the quality of life for the patient through comfort care with relief of physical symptoms and provision of emotional and spiritual support. Middlesex Hospice and Palliative Care recognizes the complex needs of the patient and family, including the patient’s right to make choices and remain as independent as possible during this phase of life.

Hospice Care: Patient and Family as the Unit of Care

A terminal illness brings a host of new and difficult challenges, not only for the patient but for his or her family and extended personal community as well. The Hospice program at Middlesex Hospital views the patient and family as a single unit of care. Families face demanding challenges and complex decisions that affect the physical and psychological needs of their loved one. Hospice care is delivered through an interdisciplinary team that includes:

Physicians Spiritual Support
Nurses Physical Therapists
Social Workers Occupational Therapists
Home Health Aides Nutritionists
Specially–trained Volunteers Pharmacists
Bereavement Counselors Homemaker Services

Hospice Care Admission Criteria

Hospice care is appropriate for patients whose life expectancy is expressed in weeks or months and have chosen non–aggressive treatment which is focused on comfort and quality of life, rather than a cure. Patients can be referred by an attending physician, nurse, social worker, discharge planner, family or self–referral.

Hospice Care Services

The needs of the terminally ill and their families are varied, complex and unique. Middlesex Hospice offers a broad range of expertise to meet the needs of the loved one and his or her family. In addition to the medical staff’s expertise in meeting physiological needs, many other services and resources are available.

Social workers are sensitive to the unique needs of terminally ill patients and their families. They provide counsel on illness related and end–of–life issues, and assist with decision making, resource planning and caregiver assistance.

Spiritual Counseling

Spiritual counselors support patients and their loved ones by helping them find meaning while living with a serious illness. They connect the patient and family with community resources, and help them meet their spiritual needs.

Bereavement Counseling

Our trained staff works with patients and their families throughout the course of the illness, and for up to a year after the death of a loved one. Services include telephone support from volunteers specially–trained in grief and loss, letters, and when appropriate, home visits. They also provide books, videos and specialized referral information.

The Care Setting

Most Hospice patients are cared for in their own homes. However, our Weiss Hospice Unit at Middlesex Hospital is designed to provide short–term care for patients who may need help with pain and symptom control, as well as respite care, during the last days of life. Opened in 1985, the Weiss Hospice Unit was completely remodeled in 2000. In addition to comfortable rooms, the unit offers families around–the–clock use of a fully stocked kitchen, family gathering room and chapel.

The Weiss Hospice Unit on the seventh floor of Middlesex Hospital provides a warm and home–like setting for both patients and family members.

Holistic Services

Middlesex Hospice embraces a holistic philosophy. We see the patient and family as an integral unit of care, and reach out to the spirit as well as the body in an effort to help each person live life to the fullest.

Arts and Music

Music and art celebrate life, and can be an integral part of a holistic treatment program. Our arts and music program gives patients and families an opportunity to create a joyful, comforting and sometimes even transcendent environment. Research suggests that these and other creative media can relieve physical and emotional suffering, and Middlesex Hospice offers many opportunities to explore interests in these areas.

Palliative Care Services

What is Palliative Care?

The word “palliative” has roots in the Latin verb meaning “to cloak or protect.” The palliative care program at Middlesex Hospital understands the critical decisions patients and families are faced with when dealing with a life threatening illness. The goal of palliative care is to assist the patient and their families with these decisions while providing maximum physical comfort and emotional support.

Care services include: Pain and symptom control, psychosocial support to patients and families; patient education about self–determination and advance directives; negotiating end–of–life decisions; helping patients and loved ones understand and cope with the process of dying. Patients can receive this service whether they are hospitalized or in their own home.

Palliative Care Admission Criteria

Palliative care is appropriate for patients with life–threatening illnesses whose life expectancy is expressed in terms of a year or less. Patients may be receiving aggressive treatment for their illness, but the emphasis of care is on comfort and psychosocial support. Referrals are made either by the patient’s attending physician, nurse, social worker, discharge planner, family or self–referral.

Bereavement Support Groups
Caregivers Support Group
Cancer Support Group
Breast Cancer Support Group
Prostate Cancer Support Group

For more information on any of the support groups listed here, please call (860)344–6162 or visit the Community Programs & Support Groups page.

Hospice Volunteers

Hospice volunteers provide support to patients and families at home, on the Weiss Hospice Unit and during the bereavement period. To inquire about hospice volunteer training, please contact Karen Hubbard at (860)344–6955 or email karen_hubbard@midhosp.org.