While most hospice care is home-based, Good Shepherd Hospice can provide increased flexibility of treatment to meet the short-term needs of many patients through the comfort of our two inpatient facilities devoted exclusively to end-of-life care. Good Shepherd Hospice operates two inpatient facilities in Polk County.
- The George C. Forsythe Hospice House is a 12-bed, freestanding facility on beautiful Lake Ariana in Auburndale.
- The Good Shepherd Hospice House at Palm Terrace is a seven-bed wing of Palm Terrace Nursing Home in Lakeland. Our inpatient units provide short-term care that offers the same level of acuity as a hospital, in lieu of a hospital stay.
Admission Factors
•The patient has a life-limiting illness. - The patient meets one of the following criteria:
•Treatment is focused on palliative care (to ease or reduce the symptoms of a disease) rather than curative care.
•The patient is under the care of a physician who may continue to be responsible for the patient's medical care or care is transferred to the hospice physician.
•The patient care manager and medical director are responsible for accepting hospice patients for admission to the inpatient unit.
•Patient is in the active dying process and does not want to remain in the home.
•Patient is in need of pain and symptom management.
•Patient requires a brief period of transitional care such as frail caregiver shift to appropriate level of care
•Patient/family education is needed on the disease process and care for the patient at home
The hospice house facilities provide families with a relaxing, homelike atmosphere where the emphasis is placed on personal dignity and a positive quality of life without the many restrictions often found in healthcare institutions.
Because the needs of hospice patients vary daily, we have designed the houses to provide space when company and companionship are desired or privacy when residents desire to be alone.
In addition to professional services, volunteers provide comfort and companionship to the patients. Visiting hours are anytime, day or night, with no limit to the number of visitors.
Services Available
•24-hour-a-day care by our highly trained nurses, certified nurse assistants, social workers, chaplains and volunteers. •Regular visits by our medical director.
•Medical equipment, medications and medical supplies.
•Flexible menu and meal schedule based on individual preference or dietary restrictions.
•Excellent care without a sterile, clinical atmosphere.
•Family counseling and support.
Hospice House Staff
•In-house physicians/ARNPs
•Around-the-clock RNs, LPNs, CNAs and home health aides
•Full-time medical social workers and multi-faith chaplains
•Dietary manager
•Trained volunteers
Admission Criteria
Patients must be under the care of Good Shepherd Hospice and their current living arrangements are no longer possible.
Care Cost
Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance reimburse Good Shepherd Hospice for traditional hospice care services (medical equipment, medications and medical supplies related to the patient's terminal diagnosis). Room and board costs are the responsibility of the patient. Good Shepherd Hospice does admit patients regardless of their ability to pay. A care plan is developed to meet the special requirements and wishes of each patient and family. Community contributions help us provide care to all who need it.
Accredited by the Joint Commission, Good Shepherd Hospice is Medicare and Medicaid certified and is licensed by the State of Florida Agency on Health Care Administration.
Accommodations
Designed to create a homelike setting, each room is tastefully decorated with its own bathroom, television, stereo and VCR. Rooms are also equipped to accommodate a family member who wishes to stay with the patient. A shared living room accommodates visits from family and friends.
The hospice house also features a nurse station, meditation room, kitchen and dining room. If patients prefer a little fresh air, glass doors provide access to a large covered deck with serene views of our beautiful gardens and Lake Ariana.
Patients are encouraged to surround themselves with special items that will make them feel more at home, such as photos, knick-knacks, quilting, hobbies or reading material.
Skilled, professional social workers trained in hospice care issues offer supportive counseling to patients and those who share their lives. A hospice chaplain is also available for spiritual counseling if desired and will work with a patient's chosen religious community to provide comforting spiritual support.
Licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants provide personal care for patients, including bathing, shampoos and linen changes. Massage therapy is also available.
Trained volunteers provide companionship and friendship to patients and families. For those times when a patient feels the need for companionship, whether in the middle of the day or the darkest hours of the night, there is always someone who cares just a few steps away. Each patient has a call button that can be used 24 hours a day to summon assistance.
At Good Shepherd Hospice, we understand that taking time to fluff a pillow or quietly hold a patient's hand is a small but important detail of the care we provide. The support goes well beyond the physical. Although we understand that there truly is "no place like home" for our patients and their families, we strive to provide the next best thing.
Meals are prepared by a professional kitchen staff with special consideration to dietary restrictions. Patients may take their meals with fellow hospice patients in the dining room or in the privacy of their own room.
Our nursing and support staff provide exceptional care to each patient. Patients are not only cared for, but also pampered. Special activities and celebrations including birthdays, anniversaries and holidays are planned and celebrated with patients and families alike. Services are covered 100% by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurances. Good Shepherd Hospice offers care based on medical need, regardless of ability to pay, race, religion, lifestyle or illness.
If you would like more information on our hospice houses, please call (863) 297-1880 or 1-800-753-1880.
- Resource library with computer access
•On-site laundry facilities for personal items
•Chapel
•Children’s play area
•Screened lanais
•Quiet room
For more information on the Good Shepherd Hospice Houses, call 1-800-355-8170 or ask your primary care physician.
Good Shepherd Hospice Residence (8 Beds)
Opened September 2001, the eight-bed Residence House in Sun City Center is designed to provide a warm, homelike environment for our patients who either have no caregiver or whose caregiver is no longer able to care for them.
Good Shepherd Hospice staff and volunteers fill the caregiver role with special understanding and care. The Good Shepherd Hospice House is a home just like yours and mine, but with eight bedrooms.
Patients are encouraged to bring treasured mementos from home, tape their grandchildren's drawings to the mirror, listen to their favorite music or savor their privacy. Family and friends may visit and stay with their loved ones in rooms with soothing art on the walls, flowers on the dresser and a comfortable sofa. The house also features a family room, a library and a residential-style kitchen where families and friends can talk or share a cup of coffee with a Good Shepherd Hospice counselor.
Home Setting
Designed with warm, homelike qualities, the Hospice Houses feature many high-tech amenities in a non-institutional setting. Spacious, private rooms allow families to spend quality time with their loved ones in beautiful, peaceful surroundings.
The Hospice House also includes:
•In-room accommodations for family members
•Common living rooms
•Kitchenette and dining area