“Many think hospice care is only for those who have cancer. Our team cares for those with cancer, heart disease, pulmonary disease, ALS, dementia, alzheimer’s disease, liver disease, renal disease, HIV and other conditions.” Dean Nickens, Director, ComfortCare Home Health & Hospice

Hospice is a specialized, compassionate approach to caring for those with serious illness who may have weeks or months, rather than years, to live. Hospice is not a place, but rather a way of caring that brings comfort to the patient, while offering support to their family.

Dean Nickens, Director of ComfortCare Home Health and Hospice, a division of South Central Regional Medical Center, said, “Our primary focus is caring for the whole person, with expert pain and symptom management and emotional and spiritual support. We are there to improve their quality of life.”

Nickens said, “Members of our team become part of the family as we care for their loved one in the comfort of their own home. The thing that concerns me most is many times a patient who should have been compassionately cared for by our hospice team for months, does not come to us until the last few days of their life.” He said that is the number one thing he wants the public to know. “When an individual’s illness is progressing despite aggressive treatments, and they want to focus on comfort and quality of life for their loved one, it is time to give us a call.”

“Many think hospice care is only for those who have cancer. Our team cares for those with cancer, heart disease, pulmonary disease, ALS, dementia, alzheimer’s disease, liver disease, renal disease, HIV and other conditions,” Nickens said.

“Our team includes physicians, nurses, nurse aides, pharmacists, medical social workers, and chaplains,” he said.

The hospice team at ComfortCare Hospice provides quality-of-life care to terminally ill patients and their families. Patients who are no longer seeking treatment aimed at curing their disease and have been given a prognosis of 6 months or less are eligible for hospice services.

“We aid the patient, family and physician in seeking comfort measures instead of aggressive, curative therapy or treatments. Our primary focus is managing pain and controlling symptoms,” Nickens said.

While everyone will face this journey, facing the end of life with assistance from qualified hospice caregivers can provide care in the home where they are close to their love ones.

For more information about ComfortCare Hospice, call (601) 422-0054.