"When we enter this world, we are surrounded by love, comfort and care. 
Don’t we deserve the same when we leave?"

Philosophy

Hospice of Central Georgia provides support and care for persons in the last phases of an incurable disease so they may live as fully and comfortably as possible. Hospice of Central Georgia recognizes dying as part of the normal process of living and focuses on maintaining the quality of remaining life. Hospice of Central Georgia affirms life and neither hastens nor postpones death. Hospice of Central Georgia exists in the hope and belief that through appropriate care patients and their families may attain a degree of mental and spiritual preparation for a death that is as dignified and as peaceful as possible.

How to get Hospice Care

Hospice care is a covered service of Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance companies. As a not-for-profit organization, Hospice of Central Georgia provides services regardless of the patient’s ability to pay as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.

Individuals are eligible if they: have a limited life expectancy certified by the attending physician and the hospice medical director, have a physician who agrees to work with the hospice team, have chosen hospice care and live in our service area.

Our experience shows the sooner we are involved, the more effectively we can serve the needs of the patient and family. For this reason we encourage any patient/family to contact us as soon as the treatment goal changes from cure to comfort care so we may be of assistance.

Services

Our mission is to support the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of our patients and their families in order for them to achieve the highest quality of life. Our team of qualified, compassionate and dedicated individuals works together towards this goal. Hospice of Central Georgia provides comfort care for the patient and supportive care to the family during and after the death of their loved one.

The patient’s attending physician continues to direct the medical care, approve the hospice plan of care and certifies eligibility. The hospice medical director acts as a consultant to the hospice team. Our registered nurses make visits to the home to provide pain and symptom management. They also teach family, friends and caregivers about hospice, coordinate care with the patient’s attending physicians and offer 24-hour on call services. Our medical social workers assist with insurance, finances and emotional concerns and make referrals to community agencies when appropriate. Hospice home care aides assist with personal care such as bathing, dressing and light housekeeping. Our chaplains coordinate with the patient’s/family’s own clergy or offer support by a trained pastoral counselor. Volunteer support and assistance offers emotional support by listening and relieves caregivers by running errands and sitting with patients for short periods of time.

Bereavement support offers individual and family counseling for 13 months after the death of the patient. Hospice offers support groups for anyone experiencing the loss of a loved one. The bereavement support group meets the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Hospice of Central Georgia office located in the Cigna Building on Arkwright Road in Macon. 

A four-year-old girl who lost her father asked a Hospice social worker, “I know my Daddy is in heaven playing with other children, but will he remember me when I get there?”

Children old enough to love are old enough to grieve.  Unfortunately, many times adults want to ‘protect’ children from death and they leave them out of the arrangements and try to shield them from what is going on.  While well intentioned, this protection can make the adjustment harder for children. That’s why A Child’s Heart, Hospice’s children’s bereavement program was formed.

A Child’s Heart provides children a safe environment to talk about death and the loved one they lost and being with other children in the same situation lets them know they are not alone. They are incredibly supportive of each other. It really helps them to be able to talk to someone who has experienced the same thing. And being able to talk about death allows them to have a better experience and not be afraid of death in the future.

Since the program’s inception in October 1999, A Child’s Heart has served more than 100 children. It is currently the only organization in the Central Georgia community that offers formal, on-going support to grieving children. Although this free program is certainly open to the children of Hospice patients, it is also open to any child who has experienced a loss. As a matter of fact, most of the children we see did not have a loved one in our Hospice program.

Parents and family members commonly express the following questions and statements when a child is facing the death of a loved one: “How old does a child have to be to grieve? I don’t want to tell them their grandfather is dying because it will scare them. Should we take the children to the funeral? They’re so young, how will they ever remember who their mother was? How can I help my children understand when I can’t understand? Help, my child is acting out all over the place!” A Child’s Heart will help children cope with the death of a loved one and allow them to go through the grieving process in the most gentle and healthiest way possible.

Support groups for three ages groups - 4-7 years, 8-12 years and 13-18 - meet at Hospice, but the program is now branching out to conduct support groups in area schools.  Since it’s not always convenient for the children to come here, we’ve decided to take the program to them.  A Child’s Heart also has volunteers who go into the homes of children who need one-on-one help for as long needed.

No matter where we conduct a support group, we always have a lesson on grief/loss/death and an arts and crafts activity or game related to the lesson. We also have the special Spinoza grief therapy bears that we will give to any child who seems to need some extra help.

Since the program is free and the need so great Hospice is always looking for volunteers.  We have a 16-hour training course for children’s bereavement volunteers.  We are always looking for people who would like to work with children and help us provide this much-needed service.”

If you would like more information about A Child’s Heart and how it can help your family or if you would like to volunteer, please contact Hospice of Central Georgia at 478-633-5660.