KINGSTON -- Hilary Beavers is a hospice clinical supervisor at Celtic Hospice in Kingston. She's dealt with many patients and families in the home healthcare's ten-year existence in Luzerne County.
"It's a benefit that everyone has and anybody can call in for a referral. It doesn't have to be a physician," said Beavers.
There are several steps patients and families must deal with before becoming a patient in hospice.
"Making sure that we set up a care plan with a nurse, a doctor, a social worker and of course the family," said Beavers.
Beavers says the process for setting up hospice care for loved one can take less than an hour. Once in hospice care, patients are prescribed medications, and nurses who work on making the patients comfortable.
"It's best to have someone involved in hospice sooner than later. Hospice is not only for the very end. It is really about quality of care and quality of life," Beavers tells Newswatch 16.
Beavers says although this can be more stressful for families it's important to know that families are not alone.
"Contact your physician and see if that patient is appropriate for hospice. We have seen people who have not physicians in 30 years and we can go in and get them admitted," said Beavers.
