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In
medieval times, a hospice was
a place of shelter and rest for trav-
elers who were weary or ill. Today,
hospice is a type of care rather than
a specific place. It’s the special care
given to patients with life-limiting
illnesses who are nearing the end
of their life’s journey.
North State residents have access
to this compassionate end-of-life
care through Mercy Hospice in
Redding, St. Elizabeth Hospice in
Red Bluff, and Mercy Hospice
Mt. Shasta. All three organiza-
tions are committed to providing
physical, emotional, and spiritual
support and care to patients during
their last six months of life, regard-
less of their financial situation.
What doeshospiceoffer?
“We consider hospice a continua-
tion of life,” says James Vogus, MD,
FAAFP, HMDC, Medical Director
for Mercy Hospice in Redding and
St. Elizabeth Hospice. “And we fo-
cus on meeting the patient’s goals
regarding quality of life. We often
say, ‘You can’t always cure—but
you can always care.’”
To enhance quality of life, Dignity
Health North State hospice care
always includes:
Pain management and symptom
control at whatever level the
patient desires
Care from skilled hospice nurses
Emotional and spiritual support
fromchaplains and social workers
Help in planning for legal needs
According toKristineNeel, RN, BSN,
Hospice Manager at Mercy Medi-
cal Center Mt. Shasta, “Hospice
enables people to die in the com-
fort of home—surrounded by those
they love. Hospice supports what
every person deserves: quality and
dignity at the end of life.”
Dignityat home
Hospice care usually takes place
where people are most comfortable:
at home. “It’s wonderful to see
people spending time with their
families who may not have been
able to, had their symptoms not
been controlled,” says Charlotte
Haisch, RN, MBA, Director of Home
Health and Hospice Care for Mercy
Medical Center Redding and
St. Elizabeth Community Hospital.
And even though most patients are
at home, there is always someone
from hospice they can call, 24/7.
Despite its many benefits, hospice
is frequently a last-minute choice.
“When people come on hospice
service sooner, we can do so much
more to prepare them,” Dr. Vogus
says. “Probably the most com-
mon thing we hear is, ‘I wish I had
chosen hospice sooner.’”
Beforeyouneedhospice
“Learn now what hospice is, before
a crisis,” Haisch says. “Whether
you’re in our service area or not,
please call us for information.”
HOSPICE CARE
Peace of
mind at the
end of life
Learn more
Mercy Hospice in Redding:
530.245.4070
St. Elizabeth Hospice
in Red Bluff:
530.528.4207
Mercy Hospice Mt. Shasta:
530.926.6111, ext. 455
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Dignity Health