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Forbes Hospice Committed to Dignity in End-of-Life Care United Way Designation Code: 909605 - Forbes Hospice-WPAHS
Mother's Day/Father's Day Tribute Tree This May, our Mother’s Day/Father’s Day Tribute Tree will once again be placed in the inpatient unit at Forbes Hospice. For a gift of $35 or more, we will place your loved one’s name on a pastel flower and hang it on the Mother’s Day Tribute Tree, an inspiration to families on the unit (see example on attached Giving Form.) If you wish, we will send your honoree a letter notifying her or him that a gift has been made in her/his name. It’s a warm tribute to the women and men who taught us the meaning of life and nurtured us along the way. Click here for the Tribute Tree Giving Form
Click here for "Guidelines for Doing Good Grief Work" This sheet by Kevin Henry, Bereavement Coordinator of Forbes Hospice, offers practical advice for dealing with the sensitive aspects of the grieving process.
Always Dedicated to the Patients and Their Families Although Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers now reimburse many hospice-related costs, some hospice patients are uninsured or have insurance that does not fully reimburse the cost of their care. Nevertheless, appropriate services are never withheld because of inadequate coverage. For those individuals, services are offered on a sliding-fee scale. Programs such as music therapy, respite care, bereavement counseling, and chaplaincy services, which make Forbes Hospice unique, receive no reimbursement and can only continue through the contributions of thoughtful donors. Forbes Hospice is a department of The Western Pennsylvania Hospital - Forbes Regional Campus.
Families Ask for "11th Hour" Volunteer Program Hospice recently designed an “11th Hour” program to enhance the services available to hospice patients who have expressed the desire to spend their final days at home. In addition to the expertise of nurses, counselors, chaplains, and nurses aides, newly trained volunteers will provide extra service to the family. This help will range from cooking meals for family arriving from out of town, to baby sitting, to providing patient selected music or prayer.
Forbes Hospice Continues to Open Doors Forbes Hospice opened the doors of a new facility in The Residence on Fifth, adjacent to Central Catholic High School in Oakland in 2004. Our generous donors made this possible with contributions of $1.4 million. The location is much more efficient, patient and family friendly. The inpatient unit has 12 beds, a 4-bed increase from the previous 8-bed unit. We now have the ability to accommodate patients who require a stay longer than a few weeks. The unit is more centralized and visible with more comfortable common areas. There is an eat-in kitchen where family members gather as well as a children’s play area for visitors and patients with young children. The administrative area has a more efficient flow and increased storage for more cost effective supply management. There is a patient spa room, a meditation room for patients, families and staff. A “Great room” was included for patients and families to interact and reflect. A new shower area accommodates family members spending the night with a patient. In six short weeks we have seen how our new facility has enhanced our programs and expanded our patient base.
The Call for Care Increases The hospice facility census has doubled since the program moved to Oakland. With the addition of four beds (12 total), the hospice is now able to serve patients who need a stay for a few months.
Teaching Others the Value of Hospice Care In the past year, another 200 medical students/residents came to Hospice and competed a curriculum designed by Dr. Gene Hirsch, a volunteer hospice physician and physician educator. Dr. Hirsh is now writing an article for submission to JAMA on the results of the first 4 years of his program.
Donors Add New Beds for More Comfortable Care Through the support of generous donations from friends and grateful family members, the hospice facility has purchased 12 new beds for our patients. These beds are wider that the typical hospital bed, have improved controls, a comfortable mattress, and wood head and foot boards that makes them look like a bed you might have in your home! A new chaplain position was recently added to the hospice staffing. This position allows for a chaplain to be specifically dedicated to serve the patients in the facility.
United Way Designation Code: Click here to visit our "Forbes Prayer Wall". For more information, please call (412) 858-4472 |
