06-21-2023 Primetime Living - Flipbook - Page 18
18 A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, June 21, 2023
HOSPICE
A peaceful end
Regina Bodnar, Assistant
Vice President for
Hospice and Palliative
Care for LifeBridge Health
D
BridgingLife delivers
compassion and expertise
to those in hospice care
By Margit B. Weisgal, Contributing Writer
ennis and Graham knew it was the end. Sabina’s godchildren called her
and said, “Come now. It’s time.” So she did. They took turns sitting with
Ally, but she felt no pain. She was peaceful and at peace. And then it
was over.
Ask anyone who has used hospice
for a loved one’s end-of-life care, and
all you’ll hear is how peaceful it was. It
is probably nothing like whatever you
imagined. Many people think hospice is a
place similar to a hospital or nursing facility. Sometimes it is, usually comprised of
a number of dedicated beds in a special
section of a hospital or in a stand-alone
facility. However, most often it takes place
in the setting that’s appropriate for your
loved one, surrounded by familiar artifacts
of a life well lived, where family and friends
can provide additional support.
What is hospice?
According to the Hospice Foundation
of America (https://hospicefoundation.
org), hospice is “Medical care for people
with an anticipated life expectancy of
six months or less, when a cure isn’t an
option, and the focus shifts to symptom
management and quality of life.” It is
“provided primarily where a person lives,
whether that is a private residence, nursing home, or community living arrange-
ment, allowing the patient to be with
important objects, memories, and family.”
Hospice is about someone receiving compassionate care and having as
peaceful an end as possible and that’s the
point. You don’t want someone you love,
someone about whom you care deeply, to
be in pain, or to suffer needlessly as their
lives come to a close.
When that need arises, BridgingLife,
a LifeBridge Health partner, will provide
exactly what you need. It is available at its
various facilities or where your loved one
resides in the Greater Baltimore Region, in
Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties,
Baltimore City as well as York and Adams
counties in Pennsylvania.
In 2015, Carroll Hospice, nationally
recognized and long respected for providing quality end-of-life care, became a
part of LifeBridge Health. Regina Bodnar,
Assistant Vice President for Hospice and
Palliative Care for LifeBridge Health, truly
believes in its mission: to care for patients
and families who are navigating a serious
illness in a personalized and respectful
way. “Our teams of interdisciplinary professionals and volunteers bring this commitment to each and every experience,”
Bodnar says.
In 2021, Carroll Hospice became
BridgingLife to better reflect the care and
the geography it serves. “We changed the
name because we offer a continuum of
supportive care,” explains Bodnar. “At the
early stage of a serious illness, such as
heart disease, we can offer palliative care
for those undergoing treatments. Patients
can receive pain and symptom management while also receiving curative treatments. Then there is hospice, provided to
those with an illness no longer considered
to be curable, and with a life expectancy
of 6 months or less; after that, there is
grief support for those mourning their
losses. We are here for family members,
caregivers, whomever is feeling the loss
and for as long as they need us.”
BridgingLife is also certified to provide
Jewish Hospice, fulfilling all the religious
requirements of Judaism for end-of-life
care.
“With all that,” says Bodnar, “our goal
is to consistently exceed expectations.
You only have one shot at providing quality end-of-life care, so you have to get it
right.”
When you first contact BridgingLife
about care and services, there is an expert
team, certified in hospice and palliative
care, who will work with you throughout
the process. “We do life reviews,” Bodnar
explains, “in order to tailor care for your
loved one. And, no matter what your circumstances, we are a non-profit organization dedicated to providing quality care to
everyone regardless of insurance coverage or financial circumstances.”
BridgingLife is a Level 5 partner in
We Honor Veterans (www.wehonorveterans.org), a pioneering program of the
National Hospice and Palliative Care
Organization (NHPCO) in collaboration
with the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA), recognizing the unique needs of
America’s Veterans and their families.
“We are striving to provide a continuum of supportive care to all the communities we serve,” says Bodnar. “One
hospice experience is one hospice experience; every story is different, but our goal
is always the same: to provide personalized and respectful care to achieve the
greatest comfort for all those involved.
That is the commitment we bring to you
and your family.”
Learn more about our compassionate
care and available services.
Visit bridginglifecare.org or
call 410-871-8000.