DELAWARE HOSPICE INC

DELAWARE HOSPICE WAS FOUNDED IN 1982 AS DELAWARE'S NONPROFIT HOSPICE CARE PROVIDER. SINCE THE START, WE HAVE ASSESSED OUR COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND HAVE EXPANDED OUR SERVICES, MAKING US MORE THAN JUST A HOSPICE. OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT EVERY INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY WITH THE MOST COMPASSIONATE AND EXPERT CARE FOR SERIOUS ILLNESS. DELAWARE HOSPICE SERVES NEW CASTLE, KENT, AND SUSSEX COUNTIES IN DELAWARE, ALONG WITH SOUTHERN CHESTER AND DELAWARE COUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA. CURRENTLY, 360 STAFF MEMBERS AND 315 VOLUNTEERS PASSIONATELY LIVE THAT MISSION. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.IN ADDITION TO SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND SERVICES GEARED DIRECTLY AT OUR COMMUNITY'S NEEDS, DELAWARE HOSPICE OPERATES THE DELAWARE HOSPICE CENTER IN MILFORD, DE, AND AN INPATIENT UNIT AT ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL IN WILMINGTON, DE. THESE FACILITIES PROVIDE A HIGHER LEVEL OF SPECIALIZED CARE AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT: 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK. SERVICES PROVIDED AT THE DELAWARE HOSPICE CENTER AND THE ST. FRANCIS CENTER INCLUDE ACCESS TO INPATIENT HOSPICE CARE, RESPITE CARE, AND A VARIETY OF SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES ALL IN ONE LOCATION.DELAWARE HOSPICE PROVIDES ADVANCED ILLNESS MANAGEMENT THROUGH ITS SCOPE OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING ALL THE ELEMENTS OF A HOSPICE PROGRAM (I.E., NURSES, CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, GRIEF COUNSELORS, CHAPLAINS, AND VOLUNTEERS), DELAWARE PALLIATIVE HELPS SERIOUSLY ILL PATIENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING ACTIVE, CURATIVE TREATMENT FOR ILLNESSES SUCH AS CANCER, CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, PARKINSON'S DISEASE, ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND KIDNEY FAILURE. DELAWARE PALLIATIVE OFFERS SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT SUPPORT, FACILITATES GOALS OF CARE DISCUSSIONS, AND ASSISTS WITH ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES. THE PALLIATIVE CARE TEAM CONSISTS OF A MEDICAL DIRECTOR, NURSE PRACTITIONERS, A SOCIAL WORKER, AND VOLUNTEERS. IN ADDITION TO IN-HOME CARE, DELAWARE HOSPICE AND DELAWARE PALLIATIVE IMPLEMENTED A TELEHEALTH OPTION FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES WHO WERE UNCOMFORTABLE HAVING VISITORS TO THEIR HOME DURING THE PANDEMIC.DELAWARE HOSPICE GIVES BACK TO ITS COMMUNITY IN A VARIETY OF UNIQUE WAYS. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF PROGRAMS PROVIDED WITH SUPPORT FROM GENEROUS COMMUNITY DONATIONS TO DELAWARE HOSPICE:1) PROVIDER SERVICES IS A TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS DEDICATED TO EDUCATING PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. EXTENSIVE OUTREACH ACTIVITIES INCLUDE VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS TO HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. TOPICS INCLUDE: END-OF-LIFE CARE PLANNING, LIVING WELL WITH A SERIOUS ILLNESS, SUPPORTING THE FAMILY AND WORKING CAREGIVER, AS WELL AS OTHER TOPICS CONCERNING LIVING WITH A LIFE-LIMITING ILLNESS.2) NEW HOPE, A CHILDREN'S BEREAVEMENT PROGRAM, IS A UNIQUE PROGRAM THAT BRINGS HOPE TO CHILDREN STRUGGLING WITH LOSS. FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, DELAWARE HOSPICE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH GRIEVING CHILDREN TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS AND TO LEARN COPING MECHANISMS. THIS EDUCATION IS CONDUCTED INDIVIDUALLY, IN GROUPS, IN WORKSHOPS, OR AT OUR MULTI-DAY STATEWIDE SUMMER CAMP. THE NEW HOPE COORDINATORS ALSO CONSULT WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS, SCHOOLS AND OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES. CHILDREN'S BEREAVEMENT AND GRIEF COUNSELING SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE NOT ONLY TO FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHOSEN OUR HOSPICE SERVICES, BUT ALSO TO ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NEED THEM. AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE MAJORITY OF CHILDREN ATTENDING SCHOOL REMOTELY, NEW HOPE ADAPTED ITS PROGRAMS, SUPPORT GROUPS AND CAMP TO A VIRTUAL PLATFORM, WHICH, IF NECESSARY, CAN BE CONTINUED THIS YEAR AS WELL.3) THE FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER WAS CREATED IN 2008 TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF CAREGIVERS AND THE BEREAVED IN OUR COMMUNITY. AGAIN, PROGRAMS RUN THROUGH THE CENTER ARE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE COPING WITH ILLNESS OR LOSS, NOT JUST FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHOSEN OUR HOSPICE SERVICES. OVER 100 PROGRAMS, WORKSHOPS, AND SOCIAL EVENTS ARE HELD ANNUALLY IN DELAWARE, BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON.4) RECOGNIZING THAT MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THEIR END-OF-LIFE HEALTHCARE OPTIONS. DELAWARE HOSPICE LAUNCHED HONORING CHOICES DELAWARE. THIS UNIQUE PROGRAM TO OUR AREA INFUSES NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PRACTICES AND APPROACHES TO HELP FACILITATE END-OF-LIFE DECISIONS. SINCE 1982, DELAWARE HOSPICE HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFIT HEALTHCARE AGENCY IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE THAT PROVIDES CARE REGARDLESS OF A PATIENT'S ABILITY TO PAY. TOTAL HOSPICE PATIENT DAYS ARE 113,432, WITH AN AVERAGE DAILY CENSUS OF 310 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024. IN ADDITION, DELAWARE PALLIATIVE SERVED 408 PATIENTS, AND DELAWARE TRANSITIONS SERVED 108 PATIENTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2024. DELAWARE HOSPICE HAS TOUCHED OVER 7,300 PEOPLE OVER THE PAST YEAR THROUGH ALL OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.OUR DEMENTIA CARE PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN JULY 2024, FOLLOWING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES' (CMS) NEW "GUIDING AN IMPROVED DEMENTIA EXPERIENCE OR "GUIDE" PROGRAM. DELAWARE HOSPICE'S DEMENTIA CARE PROGRAM PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE CARE THAT ADDRESSES THE MEDICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PRACTICAL NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH DEMENTIA AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. THIS PROGRAM HELPS REDUCE HOSPITALIZATIONS AND PREVENT UNNECESSARY NURSING HOME ADMISSIONS. FURTHERMORE, OUR PROGRAM STAFF ARE CERTIFIED DEMENTIA PRACTITIONERS (CDP) THROUGH THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CERTIFIED DEMENTIA PRACTITIONERS (NCCDP)."DELAWARE TRANSITIONS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2003, THIS FREE SERVICE PROVIDES REGULAR COMMUNICATION, CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES, AND VOLUNTEER ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE LIVING WITH A SERIOUS ILLNESS. THIS PROGRAM WAS TERMINATED IN NOVEMBER 2024, WITH THE ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ABSORBED THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.OUR DELAWARE HOSPICE AT SAINT FRANCIS INPATIENT HOSPICE UNIT WAS CLOSED IN JANUARY 2025.