Medi Hospice Fredericksburg publishes fifth issue of their community newsletter!!

                  

All hospices have Medical Social Workers. They are an integral part of the hospice care team.

Hospice social workers provide comprehensive medical and psycho-social services to individuals and caregivers affected by serious and life-limiting illnesses. Professional social workers fulfill an essential role in these programs, as evidenced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requirement that hospices employ professional social workers to address the psycho-social needs of their patients and caregivers and the requirement by the Joint Commission that program teams include social workers.  The social work profession has developed a well-established body of knowledge that informs social work practice in hospice and palliative care as well as a set of complex skills that are required of social workers in this field of practice. 

 

Social work in hospice and palliative care can be defined as the discipline that provides a professional continuum of services that address the psycho-social needs of patients and families affected by serious and life-limiting illness in order to maintain, or improve, their optimal quality of life. Social work activities are focused on the bio-psycho-social components of health and mental health from a strengths-based perspective, and intervention is based on an evolving plan of care that is developed in the context of, and contributes to the interdisciplinary team’s comprehensive plan of care. 

In addition to providing direct services to patients and their families, social workers provide leadership in their organizations through community education and the development of resources, services, and programs to meet patient and caregiver needs. Social workers also advocate for policies that promote equal access to care for all populations and ensure high quality and state of the art social work services in all communities. In carrying out their roles and functions in this specialized arena, social workers adhere to the NASW Code of Ethics, meet NASW Standards for Social Work Practice in Palliative and End of Life Care and comply with NASW Standards for Cultural Competence. 

From: www.naswdc.org NHPCO

Medi Hospice is pleased to present one of our highly regarded Medical Social Workers, Jennifer Stanger, MSW. She originally joined our organization in 2007 as a hospice volunteer. She returned as a medical social worker in 2012.

Through her experience as a volunteer Jennifer fostered an interest in becoming professionally involved in hospice work. She went to Virginia Commonwealth University and graduated in 2012 with her Masters in Social Work. She also received a post baccalaureate Certificate in Aging Studies. During her clinical internships with Medi Hospice Richmond she decided that this field of caring for the terminally ill was where she wanted to serve.

 “Working in hospice has given me a deep sense of gratitude for every

person in my life, every day and every

minute they are with me. It has

profoundly changed how I live my life”

 Jennifer Stanger, MSW

Previous experience includes working with Autistic Spectrum Disorder children at the Faison School of Autism in Richmond and owning her own business for five years. She graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts with Honors from University of Richmond.

Jennifer is also our Medi Hospice Bereavement Coordinator. She maintains contact with the bereaved loved ones of deceased patients for a period of 13 months. Bereavement services offered include personal counseling, phone call support, written correspondence and group support.

• Call Medi Home Hospice if you are considering hospice care for yourself or a loved one.
•  Hospice care is a choice and so is whom you choose to provide your care!

 

 

 125 Olde Greenwich Dr. Suite 150

 Fredericksburg, VA 22408

Office: (540) 361-7696 Fax: (540) 361-1403

 Medi Hospice needs volunteers!

Volunteering in hospice is a choice that creates rewards for patients and families. The ultimate surprise is the growth a volunteer develops from learning more about themselves with every visit to their patient. You learn to communicate in ways that increase your own appreciation of life. Your views of daily situations take on a holistic perspective. Nothing will ever be the same in your personal or professional life if you are correctly trained as a hospice volunteer.

 

1. Must be 18 or over to volunteer.
2. Weekend and evening hours are available.
3. Maximum requirement is two to four hour per week.
4. Locations will vary.
5. Personal transportation required.

  So would you consider joining others on their last journey? 

We are actively growing our hospice volunteer program and we would like you to know that if you have a desire to become involving in making a difference in the lives of the dying we will give you that opportunity! Medi Hospice is located in Fredericksburg, Virginia. We have a Volunteer Coordinator who will meet and discuss with you our volunteer opportunities. Should you desire to join our team call during normal business hours and ask for the Volunteer Coordinator.

Call 540-361-7696 and ask for the Volunteer Coordinator!