Hospice Overview

"Having the CHCS Hospice team in our home gave my mother what she wanted and needed and her final wish...to be with her family." Daughter of a CHCS hospice patient.

In Hospice, the goals of the program are to provide pain and symptom management and emotional and spiritual support to those with a terminal illness.  CHCS Hospice is not only for patients with cancer, but those with non-cancer diagnoses as well.

Hospice utilizes a team approach that helps patients and their caregivers manage end-of- life care by providing symptom management and pain control to allow patients to live life to the fullest.  

Hospice is provided in the patient's home, nursing homes, assisted living facilities or boarding homes . . . whatever the patient calls "home".

Nursing services are available 24/7/365.  A Triage nurse is available to assist with any questions that patients and/or caregivers may have.  If professional visits are needed, nurses are on call in each area that CHCS serves. Nurses are available to make necessary visits and will contact physicians as necessary.

Additionally, once a loved one dies, CHCS Hospice provides bereavement that provides support to the family and or caregivers. Social workers make contact with the bereaved regularly and make visits as necessary.  The bereavement program is intended to be a link in the grieving process.

The Interdisciplinary team is composed of your personal physician, nurses, hospice aides, social workers,  spiritual advisors, hospice volunteers and a medical director.  This team meets regularly to review patients' care plans and identify ways to improve the care provided.  Families are invited to be an active part of this team. 

CHCS is the first state-licensed and Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP) accredited hospice to provide end-of-life care to patients in northern Penobscot, Washington and Hancock counties beginning in 1998.  CHCS also provide these services in southern Penobscot county and have since 1997. 

Related Document:
Hospice brochure