Some of the hardest decisions a person has to make are decisions about end of life care for their parent or other loved one.

But care of a loved one doesn’t have to be alone. Hospices in Limestone County helps families dealing with a painful time with physical, mental and spiritual care.

Patients are eligible for hospice care when a doctor and family of the patient agree the patient has a terminal illness and will stop treat3ment.

“That is the point where we begin providing care for that patient,” Suzanne Paysinger, director of Hospice of Limestone County, said. “We are there to provide comfort for both the patient and the patient’s family.”

That comfort can be given in many different ways. There are nurses on call who can provide pain medication if needed and nurses also come to the patient at least two days a week to check on him or her. There is also a home health aide available if the family wishes, which can assist the patient with things such as bathing or feeding. Social workers and even chaplains are available for home visits as well.

“To me, that’s the part of hospice that sets us apart from another care model,” Paysinger said. “Our chaplains come from various churches in Limestone County and volunteer their time to visit with patients and family members when they want them. To me, that’s a big thing. It is comforting for not only the patient, but for the (family) caregivers as well. I think it’s a relief for them that there is somebody there to support them.”

While many hospice patients are in their home, Paysinger said they also serve patients in hospitals, nursing homes or assisted living facilities.

“We work with all of those facilities because just having hospice care doesn’t mean they can definitely stay at home,” Paysinger said. “Sometimes that warrants them being in a nursing home or assisted living. We work with all of them to add additional services to what they are doing. When it comes to hospice care, we can keep the patient in any living situation they’re in.”

Because hospice patients have a terminal illness, Paysinger said a hospice’s main goal is to make sure he or she is as comfortable as they can be in their final days.

“Our main goal is to focus on helping the patient become comfortable,” she said. “And that’s not always just giving them pain medicine. Sometimes that’s helping them spiritually or helping the family cope with their grief process, too. We’re there for everybody involved. It’s much more than just giving them pain medicine.”

Once the patient dies, hospice care still continues for the family, Paysinger said.

“We continue to reach out to family members for a year after that happens, just to check on them,” she said. “Everybody grieves in different stages. It’s different the day after the passing to months after.”

Paysinger said it takes a special person to be a hospice nurse or volunteer, and she is grateful there are plenty of those that work with patients in Limestone County.

“It takes a person with a lot of compassion and a caring heart,” Paysinger said. “We get so close to some of these patients, even if we just have them for a couple of days. It’s not just a patient, we’re taking care of someone we truly care about. We are honored to do that for our residents in Limestone County.”