Support for Families and Caregivers
When someone you love is living with a serious illness – or has passed away – you carry so much. You may be making decisions, providing daily care, or simply trying to stay strong for others. At Delaware Hospice, you don’t have to do it alone.
You’ll find support, guidance and care designed to help you – whether you’re planning ahead, caregiving in the moment, or grieving a loss. Whatever your experience, we’re here to walk alongside you.
When Caring for a Loved One
If you’re caring for a family member with a serious illness, you’re likely balancing so much – emotions, decisions, logistics and love. Our team is here to help make that journey easier and less overwhelming.
Depending on the program that’s right for you, you’ll have access to:
- 24/7 on-call hospice and palliative care teams
- Dementia-specific support and resources
- In-home visits from nurses, social workers, aides, chaplains and volunteers
- Respite care when you need a break
- Grief and emotional support – before and after your loved one passes
Patient and Caregiver Resources
Grief Support
Grief touches every part of your life, and no one experiences it the same way. Whether you’ve just lost someone close to you, are anticipating a loss, or are still grieving months (or years) later, you deserve support, compassion and space to heal.
At Delaware Hospice, you’re not alone. Our grief support services are here to help you move through this difficult time with care that meets you where you are, emotionally, spiritually and practically. Whether your family member or loved one received care from Delaware Hospice or you are a member of the wider community, there are resources available to help you cope with loss.
Grief Resources to Help You Cope
Sometimes you may want to grieve in private – or you may not feel ready to talk to someone. That’s why we offer a library of free grief resources you can explore anytime, at your own pace.
Losing someone can leave you feeling heartbroken, lost, overwhelmed or all of the above. You might be wondering if what you’re feeling is normal or struggling with how to move forward. Our trained bereavement counselors and volunteers are here to walk alongside you with care and compassion.
You can access:
- One-on-one grief counseling
- In-person and virtual support groups/workshops
- Memorial events and seasonal services of remembrance
- Community and workplace grief education
You don’t need to have received hospice care from us to access our grief support programs – they’re open to anyone in the community.
When a child experiences the loss of someone they love, it can be difficult to know how to help. Grief looks different at every age – and young people need a space where they feel safe, understood and supported. That’s where the New Hope Program comes in.
New Hope is a nationally recognized grief support program created specifically for children and teens ages 6 to 17. Whether a child is coping with the death of a parent, sibling, grandparent or close friend, New Hope offers tools to help them express their feelings; make sense of what they’re experiencing; and begin healing in healthy, age-appropriate ways.
Through New Hope, your child can receive:
- One-on-one counseling with trained bereavement specialists
- Peer support in small group settings where kids realize they’re not alone
- Creative, therapeutic activities designed to help them process emotions
- Grief education and support for parents, caregivers and school professionals
- Camp New Hope, our annual two-day summer day camp for children and teens, is a highlight for many families. At camp, kids enjoy outdoor activities, build friendships with others who “get it,” and explore their grief through group sessions – all in a supportive, nurturing environment. Learn more about Camp New Hope!
Whether the loss happened recently or years ago, New Hope meets your child right where they are. And because every child deserves the chance to heal, these services are available at no cost thanks to the generous support of donors.
If your workplace is coping with the death of a colleague or client – or if you’re a manager supporting grieving employees – Delaware Hospice offers on-site grief education, group support sessions and guidance tailored to your organization’s needs. We offer a variety of in-services on topics such as Sudden and Unexpected Death, Grief 101, Normal vs. Complicated Grief, Grief and Children, and How to Deal with Changes in Your Life.
Learn more about how to help your employees. Call 800.838.9800.
Dementia Care and Support for Families
If your loved one is living with dementia, you may be feeling a range of emotions – confusion, grief and exhaustion among them. Our Dementia Care Program offers you education, resources and compassionate support tailored to the specific challenges of dementia caregiving.
You can also join one of our dementia support groups where you’ll connect with others who understand what you’re going through.
Care Planning
It’s not always easy to talk about advance care planning, but having those conversations now can give your family clarity, comfort and peace of mind down the road. Whether your loved one is facing illness or simply wants to put their wishes in writing, we can help guide the process with compassion and care.
Advance care planning support includes:
- Guidance on living wills and healthcare power of attorney
- Help discussing preferences with family and providers
- Tools and documents to make the process easier
Definitions and Documents
Advance Healthcare Directives are written legal documents that outline your healthcare wishes if you should become unable to speak for yourself. They’re easy to complete and can be modified at any time. In fact, we recommend updating your Advance Healthcare Directives every two to three years, or sooner if your health changes. Anyone 18 or older can and should consider putting Advance Healthcare Directives in place. Without an Advance Healthcare Directive, someone else will be appointed to make medical decisions for you if you should become incapacitated. An Advance Healthcare Directive can be a Living Will, a Healthcare Power of Attorney, or a combination of the two.
A Living Will is a legal document that spells out the types of medical treatment you want in the future if you should become incapable of communicating your wishes. It can be as specific or as general as you want. A Living Will can outline your wishes regarding your healthcare in specific situations and for specific services, such as whether you want CPR, dialysis, a feeding tube, IV hydration, a ventilator, pain relief or antibiotics. Most Living Wills include a general statement that in effect says: “If I suffer an incurable, irreversible illness, disease or condition, and my attending physician determines that my condition is terminal, I direct that life-sustaining measures that would serve only to prolong my dying be withheld or discontinued.” A Living Will may also include a provision indicating whether you want to donate your viable organs to others when you die.
A Healthcare Power of Attorney is a legal document designating any person you choose to make medical decisions for you if you should become temporarily or permanently unable to make those decisions for yourself. Your healthcare “agent,” as this person is called, has the same rights to request or refuse treatment that you would have if you were capable of making and communicating those decisions. One advantage of having a healthcare agent is that they can make medical decisions based on the most up-to-date treatment information. It’s important to note that a Healthcare Power of Attorney is different from a Durable Personal Power of Attorney. In Delaware, a Durable Personal Power of Attorney allows an individual to make bank transactions, sign Social Security checks, apply for disability, or simply write checks to pay bills. It doesn’t grant authority to make healthcare decisions. In Delaware, you can designate whether your Durable Personal Power of Attorney becomes effective immediately or only if you become incapacitated. Each state has its own laws about Advance Healthcare Directives, including how they are prepared, when they go into effect, and even how your instructions will be applied. Some states require Advance Healthcare Directives to be witnessed, some require them to be signed before a notary, and some recommend a standard form. Legal forms for Advance Healthcare Directives are available at your doctor’s or lawyer’s office, hospital, health department and your state’s department on aging. You can change or cancel Advance Healthcare Directives at any time provided you are considered competent and able to clearly indicate your desires. Any changes or cancellations need to be signed and notarized according to your state laws. Whenever you make, change or cancel your Advance Healthcare Directives, it’s important to give copies to your family, caregivers and healthcare providers.
A DNR can be helpful if you have a terminal condition and do not want to be resuscitated if your heart stops beating or you stop breathing. Rather than a legal document, a DNR is a medical order from your doctor that tells medical staff that you do not want CPR. Even though your Advance Healthcare Directives may indicate this, a DNR order becomes part of your medical record and may help reduce confusion in an emergency. Some states issue DNR bracelets, wallet cards or other identifiers to help EMTs and medical staff recognize individuals with DNR orders. Separate DNR orders for in-hospital and out-of-hospital situations may be needed or available depending on the state.
The DMOST (Delaware Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment), PA POLST (Pennsylvania Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment), or more generically the POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) are portable medical orders signed by both a patient and their physician. They clearly state the patient’s specific wishes for medical treatment at the end of life, based upon a detailed conversation between the patient and physician. The form should be updated regularly as health conditions change. The DMOST / PA POLST/ POLST are not a replacement for an Advance Healthcare Directive and can be changed by the patient’s healthcare agent if needed. In Delaware, the DMOST form stays with the patient at all times in the provided pink envelope. In Pennsylvania, the PA POLST gets printed on specific pink paper.
Delaware Residents
Delaware Advance Healthcare Directive
Directrices Anticipadas de Asistencia Médica DE
Delaware Catholic Advance Healthcare Directive
*DMOST will go in a special pink envelope
Pennsylvania Residents
Pennsylvania Advance Healthcare Directive
Pennsylvania Catholic Advance Healthcare Directive
PA POLST (English)*
PA POLST (Spanish)*
*PA POLST gets printed on 110# Pulsar Pink card stock
Questions about your care planning?
