Health & Fitness
Blog: C.A.R.E.S Provides Support for Families with Terminally Ill Children
Carroll Home Care's new C.A.R.E.S program is designed to help children in our community facing a terminal diagnosis. The addition of a child life specialist is unique for Maryland.
One of the worst moments in a parent’s life is hearing the words “your child has a terminal illness”. Carroll Home Care and Carroll Hospice have developed a program called C.A.R.E.S. (Children’s Advance Relief and Encouragement Support) to support families during this stressful time.
This program is designed for children that are diagnosed with a terminal diagnosis but are not ready to enroll in a hospice program. Hospice programs are traditionally designed for patients that are no longer seeking treatment, but the Carroll Home Care C.A.R.E.S program combines the best of hospice with the home health program that is designed to support active treatment. The goal of the program is to provide symptom management, as well as emotional and spiritual support for the patient and caregivers.
The services include skilled nursing, home health aides, social workers, chaplains, bereavement counselors and unique to Carroll Home Care C.A.R.E.S program, a child life specialist.
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The child life specialist is focused on providing communication between the child, the family members and the health care providers. The child life specialist uses age appropriate activities that assist the patient in understanding the disease and the care that they are receiving.
The focus is also on communication and assisting the patient to verbalize his or her feelings and wishes that are often difficult for children. Through the use of play, the child often can verbalize the scariest thoughts and feelings. The child life specialist also works with siblings to help them understand the changes that are occurring in the family unit and with the sibling.
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Carroll Home Care and Carroll Hospice are very proud to offer the child life specialist program in our pediatric home care services, our C.A.R.E.S program and our hospice program. The services of the child life specialist and the C.A.R.E.S program may not be covered by insurances or the reimbursement is less than the cost of the program. Carroll Home Care and Carroll Hospice have received grants, donations and community support for the program and will continue to require community support in the future to provide this needed community benefit.
For additional information contact Carroll Home Care at 410-871-8000
