Hospice Care Team: Our Caregiver
Caring for one's self or a loved one is very often emotionally painful and physically demanding. Our Hospice Care Teammates are experts at managing the challenges you're facing and their singular purpose is to help. Be assured that asking for help is absolutely the right thing to do - there is no honor in becoming an exhausted caregiver or "going it alone."
We know how important it is for a patient to be comfortable with their caregivers. We also know how important it is that dignity be maintained in the most sensitive circumstances. For those reasons (among others), Freedom Hospice empowers patients and families to tailor their own care to their comfort level. That way, the mechanical and mundane elements of care cause less stress, so that each patient and family can focus on making the most of every day.
Meet our Hospice Care Team:
Freedom Hospice care team visit each patient according to a care plan designed by a patient's hospice physician, the patient and the family. Depending on the physician's orders for clinical care and the patient's and family's desires for psycho-social, spiritual and personal care, all or a sub-set of the following disciplines may make up your caregiving team:
Medical Director
Freedom Medical Directors are the experienced physicians who supervise the medical aspects of each patient's hospice plan of care. Our Medical Directors participate in bi-weekly meetings with your entire team where they review your plan of care and modify it as needed. If you or your loved one experiences a change in condition at any time that requires medical attention, our Medical Directors are on-call and will be consulted as necessary so that the plan of care is modified accordingly.
Your Physician
In instances where you or your loved one is receiving medical attention for non-hospice diagnoses, the physician responsible for supervising that care will remain the responsible party. In some instances patients and families and your pre-hospice physician may agree that your physician should be engaged in your hospice plan of care. We encourage their participation and collaboration with our Medical Director and your hospice caregiving team.
Case Manager
Your case manager is our registered nurse (RN) that leads your caregiving team. Your nurse is a specialist in palliative and hospice care and your "go-to" person whenever medical needs arise. Your nurse assesses your condition regularly and implements your hospice plan of care. While there is no typical plan of care and therefore no typical visit schedule for your nurse, as a guideline for moderate acuity patients two visits every ten days is a reasonable expectation. Changes in condition will generate additional visits and visit frequency increases with increased acuity. Your nurse is the communication bridge to our Medial Directors and directs the rest of your hospice team.
Certified Nursing Aide (CNA)
Our CNAs are the people who will, in most cases, visit you most frequently. Your CNA has been trained to report any changes in your condition to your Case Manager. Your CNA can provide a variety of personal and hygienic care services, from bathing, combing your hair, brushing teeth, helping with toileting matters, to watching a TV show with you, playing your favorite music, telling stories and just generally being a friend. Some of our patients request that their CNA visit them once or twice a week and others prefer a CNA visit five days a week - in any case - we are happy to provide care according to your needs.
Social Worker
Your social worker is an experienced hospice professional who will attend to any social, emotional and bereavement needs you, your family and other care givers may have. Your social worker is your counsellor and confidant for all non-clinical matters related to coping with life-limiting circumstances and this stage of life in general. If you are able and would like to go to a movie or have another request that would add to your quality of life, discuss your interests with this valuable ally. Your Social Worker is a great resource to help you and your family with life issues related to your hospice circumstances, such as finding long-term care, or helping you navigate Medicare or Medicaid, finding an attorney to help with your Will or planning final arrangements. Your social worker will visit according to your needs. After passing, your Social Worker (or your Chaplain if you request one), will help your family and caregivers (as they wish), through the first thirteen months of the bereavement and healing process, all as part of our comprehensive service.
Chaplain
Should you wish, a non-denominational Freedom Chaplain will be available to you and your family to provide spiritual counseling, comfort and companionship. Our Chaplains, experts in hospice spiritual care, have benefited many of our our spiritual and non-spiritual patients as they come to terms with the anxiety and worries that arise during this time in life. Support is tailored to each patient's wishes, whether that be a spiritual conversation about beliefs or your choice of prayer or meditation or otherwise - whatever form of support brings you comfort. Our Chaplains will not replace your spiritual leader if you have one, but they are available to assist with your religious rituals and they will help plan or even conduct a funeral or a memorial service. If you'd like, a Chaplain will visit you at least once every two weeks, or weekly if you request and of course, according to your needs. After passing, your Chaplain or Social Worker will help your family and caregivers (as they wish), through the first thirteen months of the bereavement and healing process, all as part of our comprehensive service.
Volunteer
Freedom Hospice Volunteers are carefully screened individuals with incredible hearts for giving of themselves in service to others. Our Volunteers are available upon request to provide companionship, to assist with errands, to do light housekeeping and similar support services. Click here to learn more about our incredible Volunteers or to become one.
To learn more about Freedom Hospice Care Team call (817) 265-0151 Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. Or, if you wish, click on the "Contact" tab at the top of this page or the bold "Click here" below and send us an email. We're here to help. Freedom Hospice currently serves the Dallas Fort Worth area and Granbury Texas. Intending to grow within Texas and beyond, Freedom is currently licensed in the more than one hundred Texas counties.
