A Model Hospice Provider
Hospice of Palm Beach County, founded in 1978 as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3), has cared for nearly 65,000 patients and their families and averages 1,050 patients daily throughout Palm Beach County. A leading provider of hospice care, Hospice of Palm Beach County serves as a model for other programs nationwide. Our care extends throughout the county - from Tequesta to Boca Raton and Belle Glade to the beach - encompassing all socio-economic and demographic groups. Services are provided for patients diagnosed with any advanced illness in the patient's place of residence - whether at home, in an extended care facility or a hospital. When acute care is needed, patients may be admitted to one of our six inpatient units:
- Charles W. Gerstenberg Hospice Center in West Palm Beach
- Jay Robert Lauer Hospice and Palliative Care Unit at JFK Medical Center in Atlantis
- Bethesda Memorial Hospice and Palliative Care Unit at Bethesda Memorial Hospital in Boynton Beach
- Hospice and Palliative Care Unit at Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach
- Palm Beach Gardens Hospice and Palliative Care Unit at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center in Palm Beach Gardens
- Hospice and Palliative Care Unit at Delray Medical Center in Delray Beach
Whatever it Takes
Hospice of Palm Beach County's mission is to provide premier healthcare services to people nearing the end of life. Services are designed to enhance quality of life by focusing on the specific individual needs of both patients and families. Our vision is to improve access to care, serve more diverse patients, serve individuals earlier in their illness, treat every patient as we would treat our own family, and give end-of-life care to every person who needs it. Hospice is a covered benefit by Medicare, Medicaid and many private insurers.
Hospice of Palm Beach County provides care to all who need and want it, regardless of insurance or financial status. Donations, grants and proceeds from fundraising events supplement the insurance reimbursement to ensure that cost for services is never an issue for our patients or their families. This allows us to do whatever it takes and focus on quality of life. We are always sensitive to and respectful of religious, cultural and personal beliefs.
Nearly 900 highly trained employees and more than 600 caring volunteers make this a program that excels in innovative care and quality service to our community. Support from the community and proceeds from events also allow us to provide additional services above and beyond traditional Hospice care. Music and Art Therapy, loss-specific grief and loss support, open to the community as well as Hospice patients' families, and special children's programs are just a few. Our Crisis Response Team, the only one in the country where all members are certified in critical incidence stress management and trauma-certified, is on call to respond to situations involving an accident, drowning, other sudden death, or disaster. They provide support for not only those involved and their families, but also the paramedics, police and other emergency personnel.
Multicultural Outreach
Hospice of Palm Beach County creates programs to address unmet needs in our community, such as our multicultural outreach and patient care programs that are specific to cultural needs and diversity. These programs are for the African American, Hispanic and Haitian communities as well as other ethnic/cultural groups. Our materials are available in many languages; we have translators and a dedicated bilingual Hispanic Care Team.
24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week
Based on the needs of our patients and families after normal business hours, we created our Triage/On-Call team. Staffed by RNs, LPNs and Certified Nursing Assistants, the team answers all after hours calls, providing clinical direction to address each specific situation or sends staff to the patient to personally take care of the issue. These staff members may be a nurse, spiritual counselor, social worker or bereavement counselor, based on the need. The response to this program is very positive - yet another way to improve quality of life for our patients and those with the responsibility of caring for them daily.
Interdisciplinary Team Approach
Hospice care is interdisciplinary, with a team approach to care, directed by the Hospice physician who works with the patient's primary physician. A registered nurse is assigned to manage each case, assisted by certified nursing assistants, social workers, spiritual care counselors, music therapists, bereavement counselors and volunteers. Hospice care is palliative (comfort-oriented) and individualized care plans address the physical needs of the patient as well as the psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patient and family. Bereavement support is provided for the family after the death of the patient through individual counseling and loss-specific support groups to include specialized children's programs.
John J. Brogan Horizons Bereavement Center
The John J. Brogan Horizons Bereavement Center is open to the community as well. It is the one service in our area that can be utilized by every child, teen and adult - for each of us at some point will experience the loss of a loved one. Individual, family and group counseling are available throughout the County. For those who do not desire formal counseling, we offer an informational series entitled - The Nature of Grief - as well as - Coping with the Holidays' to provide reassurance to those grieving and tools to help them through the process. Approximately eight support groups are conducted per semester in public and private elementary, middle and high schools throughout Palm Beach County, to help children get through not only this difficult period from the death of a loved one, but also the skills to deal with other life changes they will face. There is an annual weekend camp for children as well, conducted by the Horizons Bereavement Center children and teens who have participated in our other support and counseling programs. For more information, call (561) 227-5175.
