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Hospice is specialized care for people with terminal
illness as well as support for their loved ones. This philosophy of care
addresses physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Hospice recognizes
that all of these needs are important, and they can be different for each
person. It is our belief that people can and should make decisions about
their own care whenever possible. We view dying as a natural and manageable
process, full of challenges and possibilities.
The Hospice program in Addison County is available through the cooperative efforts of two separate agencies:
- Addison County Home Health and Hospice (ACHHH) provides
medical services.
- Hospice Volunteer Services (HVS), a nonprofit agency founded in 1983, provides a variety of volunteer supports services to hospice patients and their families.
A multidisciplinary hospice team offers an array of services from which a patient may choose on the basis of his or her individual goals and needs.
Our primary purpose is to train hospice volunteers and coordinate their
placement. Volunteers usually serve in the patient’s home, but are
also available to serve in nursing homes, community care homes and hospitals.
Hospice volunteers provide a wide range of services that support both
patients and their families, including respite, personal care, companionship,
transportation, and bereavement follow-up.
We offer a variety of bereavement services to the people of Addison County. These services include individual consultation as well as support groups, special programs, and access to our library and resource materials. We serve individuals, groups and businesses dealing with issues of loss and bereavement.
An important part of our mission is to provide education,
outreach and resources about end-of-life, death and bereavement. We sponsor
several educational opportunities throughout the year and are available
to talk with community groups, businesses and schools.
Hospice Volunteer Services of Addison County is a non-profit agency providing
terminally ill people and their loved ones in Addison County with physical
and emotional support. We train and coordinate the placement of hospice
volunteers. We offer a variety of services to those who are grieving and
promote a healthy community understanding of death, dying and loss.