Practical, Spiritual & Emotional Support
Pathways Program provides:

	Access to safety and mobility equipment, incontinent supplies and other helpful items from our abundant loan closet.
	Respite care and companionship by well-trained, compassionate volunteers.
	Family meetings and individual counseling services for patients and caregivers and a weekly walk-in caregiver support group at Hospice House.
	A visiting Chaplain for non-denominational spiritual comfort, pastoral care and the opportunity for meaningful conversation.
	Family Grants, for those in financial need, to help with paid caregivers, utilities, groceries, transportation, medications and special equipment not covered by insurance. (intended for those whose basic needs cannot be met due to the burden and expense of coping with a life-limiting illness)
	A Nurse Educator to teach caregivers how to navigate the physical aspects of caring for a loved one through life-limiting illness, helping caregivers feel less burdened, less isolated and more comfortable and confident.

Coming Home
Talbot Hospice provides helpful items and equipment like lift chairs, wheelchairs, hospital beds and more when patients with limited life expectancy are discharged from a hospital or care facility to home health care or hospice care at home. We work with hospital care managers, discharge planners and facility social workers to make sure everything needed for safety and comfort at home is in place.

Nurse Educator, a unique and valuable service of Pathways
Adapting to the changing physical needs and limitations resulting from a serious illness can be overwhelming. Our Nurse Educator is an invaluable resource for individuals and families wanting to know more about the practical aspects and physical demands of patient care.  Available to visit in your home, the Nurse Educator can recommend the right equipment and appropriate supplies, help you to organize medications, demonstrate personal care and transfer techniques to help ensure the comfort, confidence and safety of both caregiver and patient, and talk with you about the illness and treatment options.  Educational services supplement rather than replace the medical care of your doctor or home health nurse or aid.

Nurse Educator – Topics of discussion for in-home services:

	Personal care skills: bathing, toileting, grooming
	Safe transferring techniques
	Hands-on healing: touch, massage
	Home safety evaluation
	Self-care & stress management for the caregiver
	Feeding and nutritional needs at the end-of-life
	Patient advocacy: communicating with health care professionals
	Organizing medications, record keeping
	Pre-hospice care: palliative treatment options
	Hospice care: aggressive comfort treatment and quality of life
	What to expect as death approaches

For more information about our Pathways Program, contact our Family Services Coordinator at 410-822-6681, or visit our Resources page for online resources, books and more helpful information.

“Thank you so much for all your help from Pathways. We sincerely appreciate everything you’ve done for us during a very trying time. Reverend Crouse and the volunteers have helped us so much!”