by Stephanie Croston

    When people think of hospice, the first thought is usually something to do with the elderly. But that's only part of what hospice does.
     "We help care for terminally ill patients and their families," Stacey Rowse of Seward, an employee of AseraCare Hospice of Nebraska, said.
     Hospice is designed to allow a terminally ill patient to remain in his or her home, whether it's their home, an assisted living facility, a nursing home or a hospital, Rowse said.
     "A large percentage of our patients are in skilled nursing facilities," she said.
     Tabitha and AseraCare both offer hospice services in Seward.
     Once a patient is approved for hospice care, a team is assigned to that patient. Team members include a nurse, who can help control the symptom's of the patient's disease, a social worker, who can help with financial, emotional and placement issues, and a chaplain, if the patient wishes.
     Rowse said the spiritual aspect of hospice is something people don't think about but that is important to the patients.
     In addition, home-health dates are scheduled during which activities like baths, manicures and pedicures are done.
     Tara Stahl of Seward, a nurse with AseraCare, said she started out working in a hospital as a medical surgery nurse.
     "It was hard to take care of the whole person," she said.
     Some patients may not want to get better, she said. With hospice, "we treat the whole person, not just what we see.
     "Dying is as much a part of life as being born. We're not adding days to life but life to days."
     Statistics do show that patients who are part of hospice live an average of 29 days longer than those who are not, Rowse said.
     The hospice program works to make the end of a person's life as dignified as possible, according to Casey Brecka of Seward, AseraCare volunteer coordinator.
     "We recognize who they are and where they're at," she said. "We don't make them better. We make them feel better."
     As the volunteer coordinator, Brecka pairs volunteers with patients. There is no age limit for patients or families interested in the hospice program.
     Brecka has first-hand experience with hospice because she and her family used it when her two-year-old son Cameron died.
     "Cameron's whole person was his family, as well," she said. "It enabled me to be a mom again."
     Each hospice program is different, and Rowse encouraged research to see which best fits a given situation.
     She said hospice is coming into its own as an end-of-life option, especially as the Baby Boom generation ages. The number of hospice patients increased five percent last year, she said.
     "The population is getting older and more knowledgable about their health," she said. "They're evaluating their options."
     Hospice volunteers do go through training to help prepare them for what could happen. Volunteers must be 18, although the SPROUT program is available for those younger who want to help.
     "It's important for children to know," Brecka said. "Death is sad but it doesn't have to be scary. It's important to be honest with children."
     She said a group like a 4-H club or Girl Scout troop could adopt a patient, but an adult would have to take the training and be responsible for the paperwork.
     The training includes an application, letters of reference and a required drug screen. During the six to 10 hours, potential volunteers go through what hospice is, the roles of a volunteer and each discipline, including medical, spiritual and psychosocial.
     "They come out with a lot of knowledge," Brecka said.
     One of the most important things is learning to be an active listener and focusing on the patient. Some patients, though, can't talk or choose not to.
     "It's OK just to be a presence," Brecka said.
     Volunteers are accountable for their activities, submitting reports following their visits, said Cheryl Kroger of Seward, a hospice volunteer.
     Some volunteers have regular contact with the hospice patients. Others may participate as on-call volunteers who will "sit with the patient while they're actively dying," Brecka said.
     "Our philosophy is no one should die alone," Rowse added.
     Other volunteers write letters, bring their pets or provide music for hospice patients, all of which are important opportunities.
     In addition to end-of-life services, AseraCare also offers a bereavement program that works with the bereaved for up to 13 months after their loved one's death. Support groups are also available.
     Sunday through Saturday, April 15 through 21, is National Volunteer Week. Brecka said AseraCare will be offering the first part of the volunteer training Monday, April 16, beginning at 6 p.m. in room 2 of the Civic Center.
     "You see so much negative," Brecka said. "This restores my hope in mankind."