Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Hospice Hels Families Heal

By JOHN MILLER

Pam McBride delivered a message not of hope, but of peace and closure to the Gurdon Rotary Club.

McBride, who works with the Baptist Hospice program, told the Rotarians how the program works with terminally ill patients. In order to qualify for the program, she said, a doctor must tell the patient they have less than six months to live.

When the hospice services are sought, the workers literally become members of the family in question. McBride said the patients call the shots, and if they are physically able, can be taken outdoors or even shopping.

Hospice workers also allow families time to themselves, away from the dying member of their group.

According to McBride, aides stay in the home up to 30 hours a week, working for individualized care for the patient.

She said Medicare pays 100 percent of the hospice costs, but once a patient is on the hospice program, they lose their normal Medicare benefits. Medicaid, she added, will pay a portion of the costs as well.

The hospice program provides all necessary equipment and medication for the comfort of the patient.

Medicaid, McBride said, will pay a specific daily amount. Should the patient's needs exceed this, the program writes it off and does everything possible to take care of the patient.

Charity patients, she told the club, are also accepted.

The services don't end with the death of the patient. McBride said the program has a 12 month bereavement program following the death.

"We become part of the family," she said. "We're there to help after the loss as needed."

The program also helps with wills and financial problems which are incurred in such cases, working with the family and area agencies as needed.

"It's a wonderful program," she said. "We can treat as a holistic approach (physical, mental and spiritual), with the patient calling the shots."

At this time there are eight patients in the hospice program. McBride said there have been as many as 30 at one time.

Baptist Hospital, she said, has the only hospice program in Arkadelphia. As a private institution, it receives no federal funds. However, families give memorials many times after the death of a loved one in lieu of flowers.