Some of the services that Hospice care offers include:

1. Skilled nurses trained in pain and symptom management
2. On-call nurse available 24 hours a day
3. Home Health Aides that provide personal care and light housekeeping
4. Chaplain – provides spiritual support to the family and the patient
5. Bereavement Coordinator – provides emotional support, counseling and materials to assist the patient and family in dealing with grief
6. Social Worker – provides assistance in obtaining resources, financial assistance benefits, completion of advanced directive, durable power of attorney and counseling related to end-of-life issues
7. Volunteers – provides assistance to the patient to provide time relief to family and caregivers
8. Rehabilitative therapies – Physical, speech and dietary services are available as needed
9. Grief Support Groups – Facilitated by the Bereavement Coordinator and/or Bereavement Assistant. The Grief Support Groups are open for anyone to attend. Call 580-379-6900 for more information

To be considered for Hospice care, a patient must:

1. Want to remain in their home setting for the remainder of the illness. Home setting may be a retirement center, nursing home or a patient’s home.
2. Desire comfort care only.
3. Be certified as terminally ill with a prognosis by medical physician.
4. Have a primary caregiver in the home setting if the patient requires 24-hour attendance.

Yes, there are three options for support groups:

• The B&B Group meets at 8:45 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month at the Hospice offices at 1204 East Tamarack Road in Altus.
• The Lunch Club meets at 11:30 a.m. at The Hamburger Inn in Mangum on the fourth Friday of each month.
• Journeys meets at 6:30 p.m. at the Hospice offices at 1204 East Tamarack Road.

JCMH Hospice is dedicated to providing the most appropriate and highest quality care so that those we serve are treated with dignity and spend their final months in comfort and peace. Hospice neither hastens nor postpones death, but rather accompanies and supports the patient and the family on the end of life journey. Hospice also provides Bereavement Support and Services to the family for one year after the patient dies.

Payment for Hospice is made by Medicare or private insurance. If a Hospice-appropriate patient has no insurance to bill for Hospice services, a JCMH social worker will do a financial assessment to see if the patient qualifies for our memorial fund. No Hospice appropriate patient is ever denied Hospice services due to inability to pay. Memorial funds are available to pay for the service.

Anyone may refer to Hospice services. Feel free to inquire if you think you or someone you care about could benefit from Hospice. Hospice will ask you some questions and get information to you about the program requirements. The attending physician does have to certify that a patient is terminally ill before Hospice services can be provided.

1. At least 18 years of age
2. Drug Screen, healthcare orientation and application
3. Completion of JCMH Hospice training program
4. Willing to commit for at least one year
5. Ability to work well with others in order to support a team approach to total patient care
6. Ability to communicate well with others to include active listening
7. Must fulfill education requirements of attending 4 out of 12 inservices/year
8. Completion of annual health screening
9. Call the JCMH Hospice office and ask to speak to the Volunteer Coordinator. We will be happy to inform you about the volunteer program. JCMH Hospice is always looking for volunteers who are willing to invest in our patients and the Hospice program. 580-379-6900.