Hospice Service Of Lake County

WE SUPPORT AND COMFORT PEOPLE BY PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY MEDICAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, AND SPIRITUAL CARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR CULTURALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.

IN 2022, HOSPICE SERVICES OF LAKE COUNTY PROVIDED END OF LIFE CARE TO 258 PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THIS CARE WAS PROVIDED BY A TEAM OF REGISTERED NURSES, SOCIAL WORKERS, HOSPICE AIDES, SPIRITUAL CAREGIVERS, VOLUNTEERS, BEREAVEMENT COUNSELORS, LICENSE VOCATIONAL NURSES, AND BEREAVEMENT COUNSELORS. RN CASE MANAGER PLANNED, ORGANIZED AND DIRECTED PATIENT CARE UNDER THE PHYSICIAN'S ORDERS. THE RN CASE MANAGER FACILITATED THE PATIENTS' EFFORTS TOWARD OPTIMAL COMFORT CARE, ACQUISITION OF APPROPRIATE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, DIETARY COUNSELING, HOME SAFETY, AND LONG TERM PLANNING. HOSPICE AIDES PROVIDED PERSONAL CARE AND ASSISTANCE WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING SUCH AS FEEDING AND BATHING. THEY ALSO PROVIDED LIMITED HOUSEHOLD SERVICES THAT MAINTAIN A SAFE AND SANITARY ENVIORNMENT IN THE AREAS OF THE HOME USED BY THE PATIENT.

VOLUNTEERS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN FULFILLING THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND ARE A REQUIRED COMPONENT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S COMPLIANCE WITH MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT REGULATIONS. VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE PATIENT SUPPORT, BEREAVEMENT CAMP ASSISTANCE, CLERICAL SUPPORT, AND PROCESS DONATIONS AND WORK AS CASHIERS IN THE THREE THRIFT STORES, TOTALING 2,286.75 HOURS. NEW VOLUNTEERS UNDERGO 6 HOURS OF HOSPICE SERVICES ORIENTATION. PATIENT AND FAMILY SUPPORT/BEREAVEMENT VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE 12- 14 HOURS OF PATIENT AND FAMILY SUPPORT/BEREAVEMENT TRAINING TO PROVIDE COMPANIONSHIP AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS. VOLUNTEERS ARE RECOGNIZED WITH AN ANNUAL APPRECIATION LUNCHEON. THE COMMUNITY-BASED PALLIATIVE CARE PROGRAM, LAKE PALLIATIVE CARE, PROVIDES MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SUPPORT TO PATIENTS NOT YET READY FOR HOSPICE CARE.

THE THRIFT STORE (CLEARLAKE) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1980 BEFORE A REIMBURSEMENT FOR HOSPICE CARE WAS CREATED BY MEDICARE. NOW, THREE LOCATIONS AROUND THE COUNTY (CLEARLAKE, LAKEPORT, AND MIDDLETOWN) ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY. THRIFT STORE PROFITABILITY CONTINUED TO DECLINE IN 2022. THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE VOLUNTEERS HAD STILL NOT REBOUNDED FROM COVID,SALES WERE DOWN, AND THE RESULT WAS A NET OF 36,000 FOR THE YEAR. STRATEGIES ARE BEING DEVELOPED TO INCREASE PROFITS IN 2023.

IN 2022, DURING CONINUED COVID 19 PANDEMIC HOSPICE SERVICES OF LAKE COUNTY BEREAVEMENT SERVICES PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING: 280 IN PERSON INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING SESSIONS, WITH APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS IN PLACE. 2,889 BEREAVEMENT TELEPHONE CONTACTS. 540 GROUP CONTACTS, WHEN ALLOWABLE, ZOOM AND IN PERSON. GROUPS INCLUDE WEEKLY ONGOING SUPPORT GROUPS, 8 WEEK GRIEF AND LOSS SUPPORT GROUPS, OFFERED 3 TIMES A YEAR. COMPREHENSIVE BEREAVEMENT SKILLS WORKSHOPS. HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND LIGHT UP A LIFE EVENTS. THE WINGS OF HOPE SCHOOL AND CAMP PROGRAMS COMPLETED 260 CONTACTS (EITHER IN PERSON OR BY PHONE) AND SERVED 55 INDIVIDUALS IN TWO CAMPS. COUNSELORS SERVED IN 5 SCHOOLS, AGAIN WHEN ALLOWABLE.