Who are the Quality of Life Care Providers within Fayette Regional Health System?
Caregiver Support
The Quality of Life Care Program is about providing palliative care to help patients and families who have serious or complex illnesses. Palliative care is a medical specialty devoted to caring for the seriously ill by using a team approach to improve the quality of life by providing:
- Relief from pain and other physical symptoms
- Support to the seriously ill, as well as the family and friends who love and care for them
- Assistance to the patient, family, and staff with difficult medical decision-making, while respecting each patient’s values and choices
This specialty care is provided through a team of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, and therapists who will help manage the patient’s physical symptoms. Social workers and pastoral care volunteers will help to meet the emotional, social, and spiritual needs of patients and their families.
Palliative care aims to guide and assist patients and families in decision-making that focuses on individual goals, values and priorities. For patients with a terminal illness, it helps them and family members cope and plan for care that respects the patient’s choices for end-of-life care.
Palliative care supplements a patient’s usual medical treatment. Patients can choose to receive palliative care (at any stage of their illness) to help manage symptoms of their treatment and/or to seek help with making difficult decisions.
Hospice services are a continuation of palliative care when a patient has a prognosis of six months or less (given the usual course of an illness). Hospice care is often provided at the patient’s home, with the patient’s family serving as the primary caregiver. The hospice team of professionals visits the home to help with pain and symptom management, assist with personal care of the patient, and provide emotional, social and spiritual support as needed.
The Quality of Life Care Program will help patients and families understand the Hospice benefit under Medicare or other insurance plans that might be helpful to them at home.
Uniontown Hospital staff members work closely to coordinate patient care in the hospital and help prepare for care outside the hospital setting.
- Palliative/Oncology Care Coordinator (with expertise in palliative and cancer-supportive care) assists the patient and family in meeting their goals and needs.
- Medical Social Workers in the Patient Care Management Department coordinate the discharge plan with the team of professionals.
- Pastoral Care Volunteers are available 24 hours a day to provide support to patients and family members.
- Rehabilitation Staff comprised of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists is available as needed.
- Respiratory Care and Nutrition Services departments are also involved in patient care as needed.
- Primary Care Physician will collaborate with other members of the team to provide palliative care.
Fayette Home Care and Hospice can also provide palliative care services for patients in their own homes, extended care facilities, and assisted living or personal care homes. Palliative care outside of the hospital aims to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. The staff of Fayette Home Care and Hospice is available 24 hours a day and will assist the patient’s doctor in providing pain and symptom management.
Before leaving the hospital, all family members and caregivers are invited to attend a group meeting on caregiver advice. This group meets at 4 PM every Thursday in the fourth-floor conference room at Uniontown Hospital. If you can’t attend, call (724) 439-1610 for a free video discussing caregiver issues and advice.
For more information, contact:
Barbara Mulich, RN, CRNP
Palliative/Oncology Care Coordinator
(724) 430-5515
