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Rice HospiceRice Hospice is a clinical service that brings comfort-oriented care to wherever the patient resides. Hospice provides care to patients and their families who have medically diagnosed terminal progressive disease. It neither hastens nor postpones death, but affirms life and regards dying as a normal process.
A Hospice Plan of Care is developed for each individual patient and family. The patient and family are encouraged to express their priorities so their unique needs can be met. The patient is encouraged to stay at home if the family is able and willing to be the caregiver. All efforts will be made to help them reach their goals.
The patient and family will be working with the Hospice Team which consists of the Primary Physician, Hospice Coordinator, Nurse Clinician, Home Care Nurse, Social Worker, Chaplain, Medical Director, Volunteer Coordinator and Volunteers. All work together to provide care and support for the patient and family.
Hospice care is available to Hospice patients 24 hours a day. Though Hospice professionals and volunteers are there to help, they encourage the patient to be active and to do as much for himself or herself as possible.
Each family is followed after the death of their loved one for approximately one year. The objective of the Hospice Bereavement Program is to help the family work through its period of grieving. We offer bereavement volunteers, support groups, supportive mailings and memorial services.
The Grief Center at Rice also provides one-one-one counseling to persons of all ages who may be experiencing grief and loss. The central office for the Grief Center is located at Rice Memorial Hospital but outreach services are available at the other 7 Hospice locations:
For more information on the Grief Center, contact David Rivers, Grief Center Coordinator, driv@rice.willmar.mn.us or 320-231-4714.
Volunteers are screened before being accepted into the Hospice Volunteer Program for training. They are trained to offer their presence as support for both the patient and their family. They also learn to be objective listeners. They share their skills with others and help with tasks such as running errands, providing transportation, reading and writing letters. Hospice volunteers become special friends and provide as special kind of caring.
For more information on becoming a Hospice Volunteer, contact Evy Hatjistilianos, Hospice Volunteer Coordinator, ehat@rice.willmar.mn.us or 320-231-4433.
