Linda was a VNA of Ohio hospice patient for most of 2017. In the presence of her family and loved ones and in the comfort of her own home, she died in January, 2018. We were honored to meet her in October, 2017, where she talked about “the girls” who took care of her and how they made her feel part of a team.
When asked about the care she received from VNA of Ohio, Linda said, “I’m very satisfied, I know my whole family is very satisfied with the girls and the work that they do. And, it’s not just business, it’s personal, too. We’ve become family.”
Margaret Bohn-Galas has been a social worker for almost 30 years and for 24 years at VNA. She said she never meant to become a hospice social worker but, “I kind of got into it by chance.” Hospice, she says, “is a beautiful experience. I think being with families and patients at this most intimate time in their lives is a really beautiful gift.”
When Linda first entered hospice care, Margaret recalls that she was so symptomatic and very uncomfortable. She told them that she was done suffering and just wanted to die.
With the help of her nurse, Michelle Hollingsworth, a case manager for VNA of Ohio hospice, the team was able to help Linda get her symptoms under control. Once she was feeling a little bit better, Margaret said, she blossomed.
“I’ve changed my mind,” Linda told us. With a focus on maximizing her quality of life in hospice care, Linda was able to go to an Indians game with her family, swim in a pool and simply spend more time with her family.
“I just think this team is a really good team,” she said. “Everybody on the team is very respectful and you know that makes me feel part of a team and I like that feeling.”
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Our compassionate staff is dedicated to developing a one-on-one relationship with every patient and family. Call today to learn more about VNA of Ohio’s hospice services at 1-877-698-6264.
Photo credit: Thien Nguyen