Author Archives: nlucsummit

Social workers play a critical role in hospice care, acting as an advocate for the patient and his family throughout the care process. Without them, hospice would be an entirely different specialty than what it is today. 

End-of-Life can be an overwhelming experience for many patients and their families. Vantage Hospice is dedicated to providing care and services that address needs such as support, reassurance, counseling, education, and resources that will guide and assist the patient and family through this journey.

Hospice is used when a physician has noted that an individual’s illness is terminal and the prognosis for life could be six months or less. The physician will discuss comfort care with the patient and/or the family and a decision is made to either continue various treatments such as blood transfusions, chemotherapy etc. or to choose comfort care.

With the CDC’s recent announcement stating that vaccinated individuals can now return to what were “normal” everyday activities before the start of the pandemic without using a mask, you may be wondering what this means for your immunocompromised friends and family. Here’s what you need to know about visiting immunocompromised individuals outside of healthcare settings. …

Continue reading “What the COVID-19 Vaccine Means for Visiting Immunocompromised Friends and Family”

By planning your own funeral, you can ensure that your service is exactly how you’d want it, while also taking the burden off of your loved ones.  Though the task may sound daunting, this simple guide will help you through it. 

Regardless of how long ago the loss took place, spending Mother’s Day without mom may never feel easy or any less difficult than the earliest months after her passing. As counterintuitive as it may be, finding ways to celebrate and honor her life may be just what you need to make it through the day. Here are some ideas:

Okay, we know we’re still technically in Spring, but it sure feels like Summer here in Houston, Texas. With temperatures climbing and outdoor events starting back up, be sure you’re prepared for the heat with these hot weather safety tips. 

If you’ve determined that you or another family member cannot take care of your ill or aging loved one, an outside caregiver may seem like the best option. Often, however, it can be difficult for our loved ones to accept the need for outside care. If this is a struggle you’re currently facing, here’s what we recommend: 

Headache, chest pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, irritability…
These are all possible symptoms of a natural reaction to external factors – stress. While some stress may aid us to perform quicker under pressure or move out of harm’s way, stress left unchecked can negatively affect your mental and physical health.

Hearing loss affects one in eight people in the United States, and over half of those aged 65 or older. Severe hearing loss can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. Yet, so few people are aware of the signs and symptoms of hearing loss that they allow their hearing to get increasingly worse before seeking treatment.