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 When you or someone you love is seriously ill . . . .It is easy to feel overwhelmed when you or a loved one is facing a medical crisis. While nothing can make this time easy, there are free services available to help patients and those close to them, both during hospitalization and at home after discharge. The Supportive Care Program and The Family Caregiver Center are resources that can help in the face of serious illness.
A serious illness is any condition that might shorten your life or has a major effect on your ability to function and live your life.
Both of these programs share the goal of helping patients live with their illness to the best of their abilities, by working together with patients, their families and their doctors. Our focus is on relief of the physical problems that accompany many illnesses, like pain and symptom management and emotional problems, like feeling worried or depressed. We can help with the adjustments that are necessary when living with a serious illness and its effects on a person's ability to do what is important to him or her.
The Supportive Care Program
The Supportive Care Program is a specialized, home-based program for patients and families facing serious illness. Our staff of nurses and social workers, together with spiritual and mental health professionals, works with patients to navigate the course of their illnesses. We visit patients and families in the home and in the outpatient setting and will remain in contact with people whose illnesses require a hospital stay. Our focus is on helping people live with their illnesses in the best way possible, by attending to physical and emotional concerns. Since care outside the hospital can be complicated, we can help coordinate services patients need or currently receive. Our professional staff will help access additional services as the patient's needs change.
Many patients enrolled in the program face life-threatening illnesses. We work with them and their families for the duration of their illnesses and help loved ones access bereavement resources when needed. Sometimes, patients utilize our services at a crisis point in their illness. When the services are no longer needed, they are discharged from the program.
When a death is anticipated or when a loved one dies, feelings of grief and loss can be very difficult. Bereavement support services are available through one-to-one counseling, telephone support and bereavement support groups.
To request Supportive Care Program services, or for more information, please call 212-604-7508.
The Family Caregiver Center
The Family Caregiver Center is a place where patients' families and loved ones can come to get help, information and individual support or join an ongoing support group. A staff member may meet with family and friends on the unit or at the center.
We can help family members with the issues that come with being a caregiver and the effect of illness on the family. Caregivers often experience stress and have found it helpful to talk to someone who can support them as they cope with their loved one's illnesses.
Making a referral
Anyone can make a referral. Patients and their physicians need not be affiliated with St. Vincent's Hospital. For more information or to make a referral, please call:
- The Supportive Care Program - 212-604-7508
- The Family Caregiver Center and the Bereavement Program 212-604-7332
The United Hospital Fund has created a website to help family caregivers and health care providers to work more effectively together to ensure safe and smooth transitions between care settings. Please click here to access this very useful site.
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