Atrium Health Navicent Observes Home Care and Hospice Month

Each November, the home care and hospice community honors the millions of nurses, home care aides, therapists, social workers, chaplains and volunteers who make a remarkable difference for the patients and families they serve. To recognize their efforts, Atrium Health Navicent Hospice Pine Pointe joins the National Association for Home Care & Hospice in observing National Home Care and Hospice Month.

With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, the need for end-of-life care for aging loved ones will continue to rise. Hospice is a program designed to care for the dying and their special needs. Hospice programs include control of pain and other symptoms through medication, emotional support for the patient and their family, and help from specially trained personnel.

This year, Chipotle is hosting a fundraiser for Atrium Health Navicent Hospice Pine Pointe. From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, 33 percent of sales will be donated to Pine Pointe. Orders must be placed at the Chipotle location at 120 Tom Hill Sr. Blvd., Suite 100, in Macon.

“By providing specialized care, Atrium Health Navicent Hospice Pine Pointe helps patients and their loved ones to prepare for death with dignity, in an atmosphere where compassionate and skilled teammates offer care whether at home, or in an inpatient facility,” said Scott Jones, assistant vice president for Atrium Health Navicent home health and hospice services.

“We thank Chipotle for recognizing the countless individuals who provide excellent health care to the most vulnerable patients in our community. Chipotle’s donation will have a positive impact on the lives of the patients and families at Atrium Health Navicent Hospice Pine Pointe.” Hospice care is for people of all ages and for patients whose illnesses are no longer responding to cure-oriented treatments. Families also choose hospice for loved ones when there is a need for pain relief and management of physical symptoms. Hospice patients are typically in their last six months of life. The care focuses on maintaining patients’ quality of life, as opposed to aggressively treating their illnesses. Psychological, emotional and spiritual support help patients and their families cope with the dying process.

• Inability to perform daily living tasks (walking, eating, getting dressed, etc.)

• Rapid decline in health despite aggressive medical treatments

• Curative treatments are no longer effective or a cure for the disease is not available

• Frequent trips to the doctor or hospital, and symptoms are harder to manage

• Pain or symptoms are not being managed appropriately by changes in treatment

• Changes in mental abilities (confusion, restless, combative, etc.)

• Progressive weight loss for no apparent reason

• Sleeps most of the time

• Signs of increasing illness such as uncontrolled pain, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, and frequent or recurring infections

Pine Pointe also offers support services for caregivers, including:

• Hospice volunteers sit with a patient, reading to them or interacting with them, so a caregiver can run errands.

• Volunteers are available to run errands for family members who would prefer to stay with their loved one.

• If medical equipment such as a hospital bed or wheelchair is necessary, hospice provides these items so the caregiver doesn’t have to worry about what’s needed.

• Medications needed to manage symptoms are covered by the hospice program.

• Registered nurses are available 24-hours-a-day, every day, to help ease caregivers’ anxiety about what to do in a panic situation.

• Certified nursing assistants are available to help with bathing, hair care, shaving, skin care, dressing and linen changes.

• Bereavement support is available for family or surviving caregivers up to 13 months after the patient’s death.

In addition to in-home services, Pine Pointe operates a free-standing hospice house located at 6261 Peake Road. The facility is available for 10- to 14-day stays to help control distressing symptoms like pain and shortness of breath. The facility has spacious patient rooms with accommodations for one family member. Temporary five-day respite care is also available.

Pine Pointe opened in 1982. The first hospice organization to serve central Georgia, Pine Pointe remains the only not-for profit hospice located in Macon-Bibb County. If you know of someone who may benefit from hospice services, call 478- 633-5678.

About Atrium Health Navicent

Atrium Health Navicent is the leading provider of health care in central and south Georgia and is committed to its mission of elevating health and wellbeing through compassionate care. Atrium Health Navicent is part of Advocate Health, which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Navicent provides high-quality, personalized care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region. As part of the largest, integrated, nonprofit health system in the Southeast, it is also able to tap into some of the nation’s leading medical experts and specialists with Atrium Health, allowing it to provide the best care close to home – including advanced innovations in virtual medicine and care. Throughout its 125-year history in the community, Atrium Health Navicent has remained dedicated to enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. It is also one of the leading teaching hospitals in the region, helping to ensure viability for rural health care for the next generation. For more information, please visit www.NavicentHealth.org.

About Advocate Health

Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health serves nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs nearly 150,000 team members across 67 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides nearly $5 billion in annual community benefits.