Concordia Hospice of Washington

Concordia Hospice of Washington (CHOW) is a hospice agency in Washington, Pennsylvania. The agency's focus is on end-of-life quality, compassionate care for patients in our communities facing a terminally ill prognosis. The care is provided by a team that includes volunteers, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, social workers, home health aides, chaplains, bereavement counselors and medical directors. A plan of care is written for each patient and is followed by the interdisciplinary team to ensure that the agency is complying with federal regulations while providing the highest level of quality care for the patients and families. CHOW is part of a large continuum striving to care for people in their homes, avoid rehospitalizations, provide compassionate support to their families and improve their overall quality of life while on their end-of-life journey. Each person in our care has individualized needs and requirements, so our approach to end-of-life care focuses on a patient specific plan of care. During fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 CHOW provided care through 25,779 days of care in the community. CHOW has provided care to 455 patients and their families in their home. Making the decision to elect hospice is a challenging one for families. It is a decision that requires a combination of clinical education and spiritual and emotional support. The CHOW Reflection of Care helps families by providing those required elements to make this difficult decision. COVID-19 continued to weigh on the operations of Concordia Hospice of Washington. Throughout the COVID-19 PHE, the organization provided focused education on various related topics. These topics included what COVID-19 is, how to prevent the spread, how to care for patients that are positive for COVID-19, mitigation efforts, Personal Protective Equipment utilization and other infection control practices. This education was provided through varying platforms such as secure messaging, at virtual staff meetings and through the Learning Management Software, Elsevier. Staff have also been educated on COVID-19 vaccinations and the importance of vaccinations as a tool to help end the PHE. CHOW works with a home health agency and hospital system to facilitate a strong palliative care program that fosters compassionate transitions from nursing to hospice care as diseases or conditions progress. Hospice doctors and nurses are up to date on the latest medications for pain and symptom management. Hospice care is another level of care that concentrates on treating symptoms and ensuring comfort. The organization believes that emotional and spiritual pain is just as real and in need of attention as physical pain and so addresses each. We provide clergy and counselors to help patients and families with emotional and spiritual needs. One on one bereavement counseling sessions are provided to families for those who we serve, as well as many families who have not been on our service. We get calls from the community asking if we are willing to provide counseling to those who had a death in the family but the individual was not on hospice and we are more than willing to assist. Concordia Hospice of Washington believes that receiving quality hospice care should not be dictated by whether you have health insurance or not. CHOW is always willing to take on patients without insurance when needed. Additionally, CHOW has been willing to write off sums of money when financial concerns raise even when a patient is fully insured, but is responsible for a significant number of co-pays. Over the last fiscal year, we have provided $642 worth of charity care. CHOW utilizes volunteers to go wherever the client calls their home; that could be a nursing facility, their house, or inpatient unit. These volunteers assist with various tasks and activities throughout the fiscal year. Over the course of this past fiscal year, the volunteers at Concordia Hospice of Washington have provided 87 hours of service. Volunteer recruitment has been a challenge over the last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however CHOW has attempted to target specific volunteer needs like playing music, pet therapy, spiritual support, beautician needs and various other specific needs. Many volunteers donate their sewing and craft making skills to provide items of comfort to patients and families by creating prayer shawls, blankets, lap quilts and rosaries. The agency provides education in the local community by discussing hospice care as it relates to a terminal disease. Volunteers help us with marketing and recruiting other volunteers. They help us when we go to health-related functions in the community and are available to discuss hospice services and volunteer opportunities with the public. CHOW takes its role in the community very seriously. During the COVID-19 pandemic, long-term living facilities and personal care homes have drastically limited visitation. This prompted the staff of CHOW to develop and launch the Cardinal Project to help enhance the lives of their residents during this challenging time. During the last fiscal year roughly 273 bird houses have been donated to local facilities and have been placed outside of patient rooms. 483 bird houses have been donated since the inception of the program. During the holiday season CHOW participated in two different Mission Events that benefited its local community. During Thanksgiving 2021 CHOW participated in the Bags of Love through the City Mission that provided 20 local families with turkeys, sides and board games. During Christmas, CHOW staff provided 40 different residents on a dementia unit by with Christmas gifts so they can celebrate the season. The following organizations have received direct financial support from CHOW through sponsorships of events: Washington Health System Foundation for two fundraising events - the Sporting Clay Shoot and the Charity Ball; Concordia Lutheran Ministries Foundation - items for a gift basket for the Golf Outing. Total donations and sponsorships made during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 were $2,465. Employees of CHOW were given the opportunity to participate in several mission events organized by the sister company Concordia Community Support Services. These are part of an ongoing Mission Committee that was formed to organize opportunities for employees to serve the community. The Thanksgiving Mission Event in October/November 2021 was an effort to allow the BHS Food Institute to continue its mission to help our neighbors in need. Butler Health System, a partner of Concordia Visiting Nurses and Good Samaritan Hospice, has developed the BHS Food Institute in an effort to provide struggling community members with access to affordable and nutritious food. This event was be done completely remotely through Amazon.com and BHS's website. The BHS Food Institute created a Wish List on Amazon that includes kitchen utensils for patients. Concordia employees were encouraged to buy directly from Amazon or donate a monetary gift. In March 2022, The Concordia Family of Pennsylvania partnered with a company out of Moon Township called DTCare. This non-profit agency shipped much needed supplies to support those who have sought refuge in Poland as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. Employees purchased supplies such as toothbrushes, soap, diapers, socks and first aid supplies. Concordia Medical Equipment employees used their trucks to transport everything gathered to Moon Township. Concordia Hospice of Washington held its fourth annual Butterfly Release event on Saturday August 28, 2021. This memorial event was open to anyone who wanted to honor and celebrate the memory of their loved ones, whether or not they were ever on service at CHOW. Over 500 butterflies were sold during the event and was attended by roughly 200 people.

CHOW also offers inpatient care for help in the assessment and management of acute, complex or uncontrolled symptoms such as pain or shortness of breath. CHOW provides end-of-life inpatient hospice care services at an eight-bed Inpatient Unit (IPU) called the Donnell House where patients can be placed for severe symptom management and hopefully return home when stabilized. Analgesic needs that cannot be managed at home, such as complicated delivery mechanisms i.e., subcutaneous, frequent dose titration, and skilled nursing care with frequent monitoring can be provided in the general inpatient setting. CHOW provided this level of care to 172 patients and their families during this fiscal year end. CHOW provided care through 1,721 days of care in the IPU. The hospice staff are available at the Donnell House inpatient location around the clock to consult and provide support to families as they journey through the progression of the disease. Short-term respite care is also provided by nursing staff to alleviate the burden on family caregivers. COVID-19 continued to weigh on the operations of the in-patient unit. Throughout the COVID-19 PHE, the organization provided focused education on various related topics. These topics included what COVID-19 is, how to prevent the spread, how to care for patients that are positive for COVID-19, mitigation efforts, Personal Protective Equipment utilization and other infection control practices. This education was provided through varying platforms such as secure messaging, at virtual staff meetings and through the Learning Management Software, Elsevier. Staff have also been educated on COVID-19 vaccinations and the importance of vaccinations as a tool to help end the PHE.