Gifford Health Care’s COVID Candle-Lighting Ritual.

Palliative Care

Palliative care is patient-centered, specialized medical care for people living with serious illness. It is not based on age or prognosis, but focuses on providing patients with relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. Palliative care strives to provide the highest possible quality of life. Palliative care can help with medical decision-making. It is often received alongside curative treatments and provides an additional layer of support.

Gifford’s palliative care team will work with your primary care provider and any specialists involved in your care to get to know you and develop a customized plan that supports your treatment goals, personal wishes, and values. The team can provide education on illness progression and treatment options.

Services typically include:

• Continuation of appropriate and desired treatment and therapy services for your illness
• Advanced symptom management, including pain management
• Support and counseling for the patient and their family
• Assistance with and discussion of advance care planning to aid you in understanding your illness and your treatment options and assistance with defining your goals of care and values
• Assistance with resources for care needs and care costs
• Ongoing care coordination

To learn more about Gifford’s Palliative Care program and team, call Gifford Outpatient Palliative Care Coordinator Emily Young, MSW, LICSW, at 802-728-7310. To learn more about end-of-life care and the Garden Rooms at Gifford, call 802-728-2230 or 802-728-2210.

End-of-Life Care and Last Mile

Gifford provides exceptional end-of-life care in two unique Garden Rooms. The Garden Rooms are special rooms at Gifford where patients may choose to live out their final days.

The Last Mile fundraising event at Gifford was created by nurse and motorcycle rider Lynda McDermott to support the Garden Rooms, symptom management, and special additional services for patients with serious illness and at the end of life. These special additional services may be received while in one of the Garden Rooms, or may be provided to those coping with serious illness and/or end of life in their own homes.

Special additional services include comfort measures, such as massage and acupuncture. Family services, such as meals for those staying with their loved ones in the Garden Room, bereavement support, and professional photos of a loved one are often provided. Funds raised through the Last Mile, as well as one-time financial gifts to the cause, support a huge variety of individual end-of-life wishes. Past wishes have included a trip to a Red Sox game, construction of an ADA-compliant ramp, a life celebration including transportation, gas cards for travel to doctors’ visits, and a lift chair.

To learn more about end-of-life care at Gifford, call 802-728-2230 or 802-728-2210.

If you are interested in learning more about Last Mile, visit giffordhealthcare.org/lastmile, email Ashley Lincoln at alincoln@giffordhealthcare.org, or call 802-728-2380.

Chapel

Gifford’s chapel is located on the first floor of the hospital next to the hallway that takes you to Howell Pavilion. It is a quiet sanctuary for reflection, meditation and prayer.