Welcome to the Richmond Integrated Hospice Palliative Care Program Richmond Hospital 7000 Westminster Hwy Richmond, BC V6X 1A2 Tel. 604-278-3361
Welcome The purpose of this handbook is to tell you about the Integrated Hospice Palliative Care Program, resources, services and your care team. We hope this handbook reflects the vision of our program. Please ask any member of your care team if you have any questions or concerns. We believe that Palliative Care means: Caring for you and your family as a whole and respecting your values and beliefs. Helping guide and support you and your family through each step of the journey. Knowing how loss and grief may affect you and your family. Reduce suffering of emotional and physical symptoms. Providing quality care from a full team of professionals, non-professionals and volunteers. Where can Hospice Palliative Care be given? Palliative care can take place in any setting including hospital, home, hospice and residential facilities. Palliative care focuses on comfort care and may include active treatments. If a change in care setting is needed, your team of caregivers will make your move between care settings as easy as possible. The Supportive and Palliative Care Unit (SPCU) The SPCU is an 8-bed unit located on 3 South in the Richmond Hospital. This unit offers acute supportive and palliative care. That means that you likely need daily followup by a physician for the management of your symptoms and/or a team assessment to arrange for a suitable discharge. Home Hospice Includes a team of palliative caregivers who may care for you when you are at your own home or a care facility. Team members include Registered Nurses, Family, Physicians, Palliative Physicians, Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, a Social Worker and Volunteers. Other home support includes Community Health Workers non-professional caregivers who help with personal hygiene needs. 24-hour palliative care in your home in the last few days of life, may be arranged. Rotary Hospice House The Hospice is an alternative when you are not able to be cared for in your home and acute hospital care is not needed. The Rotary Hospice House is a home like setting where 24 hour nursing care is given in the last three months of your life. What can patients and families expect? compassionate care for you and your family, management of symptoms, temporary rest for your family, comfort and dignity related to death and dying when dying at home is not possible, plans for support during and after death. 2 3
Your Hospice Palliative Care Team: The most important members of the hospice palliative care team are you and your family/friends. The following are members of the health care team or staff who are available to work with you if needed: Nursing The nursing staff will give you physical care and emotional support. They will help teach you and your family to take care of your needs wherever possible. Nurses work in your home, care facilities, and the Richmond Hospital. The nursing staff includes nursing specialists (Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Practitioner) in hospice palliative care who are able to talk to you and your family and educators who provide clinical support, education and direction to other nurses. Doctor Your family doctor will be in charge of your care. Our medical program director can also help your doctor with your care needs. He/she has been trained in palliative care and is available to talk with you and your family. If other specialist physicians are needed in your care, this will be set up with you. Dietician The dietician will answer any questions about your meals or nutritional needs. A meal plan based on your food likes/ dislikes can be set up with you. Physiotherapist (PT) The physiotherapist can help you to be as active as possible, and to help you find ways to care for yourself in the hospital or at home. The PT is also trained in using other ways to deal with some of your symptoms such as massage therapy. Occupational therapist (OT) The occupational therapist can help you adapt to your everyday needs, such as personal care, work and leisure. The OT can also help you to take part in activities that you enjoy. Social Worker The social worker helps meet the emotional needs of you and your family. The Social Worker can also help you with planning for finances and end-of-life decisions about care, funeral arrangements, wills and estates. Chaplain The chaplain is available to help you and your family also as you face living with a life threatening illness. The chaplain can help connect you with a clergy, rabbi, a Cantonese/ Mandarin speaking chaplain or leader from your own religious or spiritual area. Music Therapist Music therapy can help to lessen anxiety and feelings of being alone, to give comfort and bring back memories. The music therapist will hold live and taped music sessions and will give you other ideas such as how to do life review tapes and song writing. Volunteers Volunteers may provide a number of services for you and your family while you are in the hospital, in hospice and/or at home. These include running small errands, or sharing a cup of tea or coffee. Sometimes you may like to have someone sit with you quietly or be a good listener if you have things you wish to talk about. Volunteers are available to do many things for you, so please let them know how they can help. 4 5
Bereavement Services The program includes help for family members whose loved ones have died. This may include support from volunteers or the social worker. Please ask to speak with the hospice volunteer coordinator or social worker if you have questions about these services. The Palliative Team members are here to support you and your family on your journey. Please feel free to talk with any one of the team members at any time. Financial Supports B.C. Palliative Care Benefits Program This provincially based fund provides financial coverage for most medications, equipment and services needed while receiving palliative care at home and at Rotary Hospice House. Speak to your team for more details. Compassionate Care Benefits Program This Federally based program offers financial support (through the Employment Insurance Program) to some family members who choose to take a 6 week temporary leave from their jobs in order to provide end-of-life care for a family member at home. Ask to speak with the Social Worker for more details. Donations Many patients, families and friends ask for information about donations to our program. Here s how donations are used: Funding for staff education, which enables us to send staff and volunteers to conferences about palliative care. Extra funding for research studies to investigate ways of improving the care of our patients and their families. Funding for special occasions and events. Should you, your family or friends choose to give to this fund, please make cheques out to: The Richmond Hospital Foundation and indicate Palliative Care. Donations to this fund are gratefully acknowledged and you will receive a tax-deductible receipt. If you wish to designate your monetary gift for a specific need we will be happy to discuss this with you. For any further information please call 604-278-3361 Other Options Depending on your situation, you may have other options for financial support. These may include benefits through your workplace, Canadian Pension Plan or B.C. s Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance. Ask to speak with the social worker if you have financial concerns. 6 7
For more copies, go online at http://vch.eduhealth.ca or email phem@vch.ca and quote Catalogue No. JB.300.R414 Vancouver Coastal Health, October 2016 The information in this document is intended solely for the person to whom it was given by the health care team. www.vch.ca