The Mountain States Foundation continues to generate support for our hospice programs in Tennessee and Virginia. This year we began preparing “comfort baskets” to families in our hospitals when their loved one was expected to pass away while residing there under hospice care. These baskets were designed to help provide some essential items that might be helpful to families staying at the hospital with their loved ones. Included are toothpaste, toothbrushes, crayons and coloring books, bottle of water, notepads, tissues, gum, snacks and some other items that might be useful to a family staying at the hospital a few days. The Foundation provides financial support to purchase the baskets and the items within them. Families have already expressed appreciation for the extra touch of care we are providing.

The Foundation has helped hospice offset the expenses of caring for charity patients. A number of Mountain States Hospice patients have no form of insurance. Hospice continue to pay for their medications, DME costs, nursing visits, chaplain visits, CNA visits and medical supplies at no cost to the patient and family when the patient is approved for charity.  Hospice desires to ensure that anyone needing end-of-life care receives it regardless of their financial situation.

The Foundation has also helped Hospice in providing staff education and training equipment needed to keep the hospice staff up-to-date on the latest trends and education. Hospice-specific webinars were purchased for staff to view and obtain needed CEUs through the generosity of donors to the Foundation. Foundation monies helped staff to attend regional seminars and conferences on hospice and palliative care.

This fall, Mountain States Hospice and the ETSU School of Social Work are sponsoring a free forum for the community on death, dying and grief. The Foundation is helping to underwrite the costs of this event for those in the community desiring more information and education regarding the grieving process.

Hospice focuses on offering the best quality of life while focusing on comfort and education for the patient and their loved ones. It is a privilege to serve the most precious patient population - the dying - in their greatest time of need and to provide them the opportunity to die with dignity in a home environment when possible.

• Hospice helps families that are perhaps in shock and disbelief from the news that their loved one has a terminal illness.
• Hospice prepares patients and families, and relieves their fears, by helping them know what to expect from the end-of-life experience and how to provide care and support.
• Hospice provides palliative care in the home that patients would normally receive in the hospital, enabling patients to spend their last days at home.
• Hospice provides sitters to families.
• Hospice helps with patients' home repairs and the building of wheelchair ramps.
• Hospice sponsors families for community assistance programs to help with heating and electrical bills.
• Hospice will advocate for families that need government assistance such as Meals on Wheels.
• Hospice can acquire housing, furniture, clothing and food in case of a tragedy such as a house fire.
• Hospice delivers meals, toys, etc. during the holidays to families with limited or no income.
• Hospice can provide pet, massage and music therapy.
• Hospice bereavement programs offer help to grieving families for more than a year after their loved one dies.
• Hospice volunteers provide companionship, run errands, offer brief periods of respite for families, call bereaved family members, bake birthday cakes for patients, and more.
• Whatever a patient needs, we try to provide, and if we can't, we try to facilitate it through other services in the community and throughout the country.

For more information on Medical Center Hospice Services, please call Karen Cober at (423) 431-7699 or coberkh@msha.com.
             

Funding Priorities

• Hospice House  Our goal is to build and operate the first residential hospice house in Northeast Tennessee. The proposed 12-bed facility will expand hospice services to those who cannot practically stay in their home. A residential hospice house offers opportunities for additional services such as massage therapy, art therapy or a beauty parlor. Attention is paid to the surrounding area with gardens and fountains, adding peace and tranquility to the setting. Volunteer opportunities are greatly expanded.