Hospice’s aim is to help both the patient and their family live as comfortably, normally, and fully as possible. The Hospice team teaches family and friends how to take care of the patient so that the patient can hopefully remain at home. The Hospice team helps both the patient and family understand and cope with the illness and how it may affect all aspects of life.

Terminal illness can affect much more than the body – it can affect the patient emotionally, socially, mentally, and spiritually, and it can impact the family as well. Because of this, Hospice of Rockingham County utilizes a team of professionals and non-professionals, paid staff and volunteers, all working together while working with the patient and their family to provide a broad range of services. Specific services, depending on the needs and wishes of the patient and family, may include:

  • Experienced medical care that includes coordination of care with a patient’s own physician, routine home visits by an RN, 24/7 on-call nursing, and hospice aide services.
  • Emotional/social support by medical social workers trained to provide support to patients and family members. A social worker visits every family initially to help determine strengths and needs, and based on their findings, develops a plan which can include coordination of resources, problem solving, personal adjustment counseling, and referrals to other agencies for additional assistance.
  • Spiritual care offered to each family for spiritual assistance and counseling. Our chaplains’ role is not intended to take the place of the patient’s own minister but to provide additional support if desired.
  • Bereavement care available to families for up to thirteen months after the death of a patient.  Additionally, community bereavement outreach is available to anyone needing help coping with grief and loss, regardless of any prior connection to Hospice.  In this time of Covid precautions, our grief services coordinator hosts a virtual support group on Wednesday evenings. For more information about this meeting, please click here.
  • Trained volunteers who can provide companionship and emotional support to patients, assistance with errands or meals, or family respite time.