news-record.com

A company has begun providing in-home hospice care to residents in six counties in central North Carolina.

Tender Loving Care Hospice will serve patients in Alamance, Guilford, Caswell, Orange, Person and Rockingham counties.
Amedisys is the parent company of Tender Loving Care Home Health and Hospice and more than 500 similar businesses in the country.

Last year Amedisys, which is based in Baton Rogue, La., bought the home health business, which focuses on rehabilitation. In April, the Burlington-based Tender Loving Care expanded to include hospice care.

“We’re growing by leaps and bounds,” said Bettie Lea Knight, social worker and volunteer coordinator.

Hospice is for patients who have terminal illnesses and doctors have predicted have six months or less to live. Some patients continue to live much longer.

The staff at Tender Loving Care wants more people to understand hospice’s role and when to call.

“There’s a need,” said JoAnn Wingate , director of operations for the hospice. “The problem remains that referrals come in too late to really benefit the patients.”

Potential hospice patients can refer themselves to Tender Loving Care, or their neighbors, family members or fellow church members could do it. Staff will come to the patient’s house to evaluate or talk to the patient.

Hospice services are meant to bring peace, comfort and dignity to people at the end of life, and help them with physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

Registered nurses and certified nursing assistants help to care for patients in their homes and coordinate with the patients’ physicians.
A medical director oversees Tender Loving Care. Also, a chaplain provides support for the patients and their families. The staff will grow as the number of patients increases.

Tender Loving Care is looking for volunteers in all six counties to do projects such as knitting blankets or planting flowers around patients’ homes or providing companionship for patients or running errands. Clerical help also is needed.

Tender Loving Care has contracts with hospitals and other facilities in case a patient decides to leave his or her home.

Hospice staff follows up with patients’ families for 13 months after the patient dies and provides bereavement counseling.

Tender Loving Care staff will come speak to churches or other organizations that want to learn more about hospice.

For information call 584-4440 or (866) 478-4644. Tender Loving Care Hospice’s offices are at 1111 Huffman Mill Road.

Contact Jamie Kennedy Jones at 449-4610 or jamie.kennedy@ news-record.com.