The Hospice Team: Who We Are and How We Care

by Chaim Wender D.Min. FLBC (Editor), Patricia Morrison (Editor)

This singular work offers a truly interdisciplinary team perspective on caring, presented by 21 veterans of hospice service representing the array of disciplines in effective teams―physicians, nurses, certified nurse assistants, social workers, chaplains, music therapists, bereavement counselors, a volunteer coordinator, and a volunteer of more than 26 years. Contributors share professional and personal experiences that encompass the medical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, interpersonal, social, cultural, and economic dimensions of dying and bereavement. These are brought together through a person-centered approach that champions knowing each person being cared for to create the necessary opportunity for communication and trust that are the hallmarks of high-quality hospice care.

200 pages, Paperback

Published May 21, 2019

Reviews

[Shira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite a background working with the geriatric population as an occupational therapist, I was unfamiliar with what encompasses hospice care until I read this very meaningful book consisting of a compilation of heartfelt and beautifully written essays by contributors from the various disciplines that make up a hospice care team.

Each professional outlines what life experiences led them to a career with hospice, cite specific eye-opening patient encounters that have made lasting impressions upon them and illustrate their role in the overall hospice experience. In doing so, each provides helpful insights into the nature of hospice care. It was so interesting to read about the team approach utilized, the various services offered and the value in such strategies as active listening, reminiscence, life review, the playing of familiar and soothing music to ease the patient's mind, and individualized treatment planning so that the overall experience of end of life is one that accommodates each patient's needs and desires and which provides much needed support to the patient's family.

This book truly helps to alleviate concerns that may surround this sensitive subject matter. As a healthcare professional, I highly recommend this book as a personal and professional resource.

[Naomi Milliner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This outstanding compilation of essays is as unique as it is compelling. Twenty-one men and women with diverse backgrounds, and back stories, come together to share their experiences in the world of hospice. Doctors focus on comfort rather than healing; on the quality of days, rather than the quantity. A nurse describes care-giving as "a type of hurricane that can range from 1 to...5", and a certified nurse assistant shares the emotional investment she experiences with each patient - and the grief she feels with each loss. Chaplains come together, regardless of the patient's religion, to ease the soul and spirit in this sacred time, and to comfort the families. Music therapists help create legacy projects, to "weave the fabric" of the patient's life into a story, for them as well as the ones they leave behind. Although the team is composed of disparate backgrounds and occupations, they all write of the privilege and humility they feel to to be part of this final journey. A must-read to dispel misconceptions and alleviate fears: "Hospice is where people go to live."

[Sharon Hofmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hospice Team: Who We Are and How We Care shows different perspectives on hospice from the people who work there. From doctors to social workers to music therapists, these people explain why hospice is so beneficial. I love how genuinely these carers talk about their jobs and the difference they make to people who are at the end of their lives. I think this book could be very comforting to those deciding on whether hospice is the right place for their family member. They will get a sense from the book that hospice will give their loved one peace and solace in their dying days.