End of Life Care Services in Schenectady, NY
Resource: The Joan Nicole Prince Home is a home for the terminally ill in Scotia, NY. It is free of cost to the individual; that includes all food, supplies, medicine, toiletries and anything else needed. The home runs off of donations from the community and fundraising events and has two beds available. Residents are chosen on a basis of who is in the most need when being evaluated. The home has staff members present at all times including a nurse, and volunteers. Families are allowed to visit their loved one whenever, as well as spend time in the home’s living room, kitchen or backyard. The main goal of the home is to provide a comfortable, safe place for residents and their families to spend their last days together. They pride themselves on acting as a resident’s ‘surrogate family’ and providing them with not just physical care but emotional care as well.
Who can access: In order to get a spot, individuals can be recommended by Hospice or they can call the home directly and inquire. JNPH will send a staff member out to evaluate the recommended person; the home does not take anyone with difficult behaviors, or extraordinary care needs because they are not a hospital and therefore are not properly equipped. In order to receive a spot at the home the recommended person needs to be enrolled in their local Hospice program, have a prognosis of three months or less to live, and have a DNR order.
Resource: The Community Hospice provides end of life care services to Upstate New York. The non-profit organization provides services to 8 counties: Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Montgomery, Columbia, Greene and Washington. The organization consists of professionals (nurse, social worker, chaplain, and home health aide) as well as volunteers who “provide companionship, transportation, pick-up and delivery of medications, respite and other services” (The Community Hospice). A plan of care is developed for each individual based on the particular needs of the patient and their family. They deliver care at patient’s homes, hospitals or nursing homes, whichever is the best fit for the individual. The organization also provides free grief and bereavement support to family members as well as the general public.
Who can access: They are able to service 4,500 seriously ill patients per year and all cost is covered by Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance companies; “patients and their families rarely have to pay out-of-pockets costs for hospice care, and no one is ever turned away due to an inability to pay” they state on their website. They serve patients of any age, as long as they have a prognosis of 6 months or less to live by their physician. They are also able to service more advanced patients making it a good option for people facing any disease, including heart disease, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, cancer, kidney disease, Parkinson’s, ALS, MS, liver disease, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s and dementia (The Community Hospice).
Taken from The Community Hospice website: http://www.communityhospice.org/
Resources:
http://www.communityhospice.org/
https://www.joannicoleprincehome.org/
