Desert Health Publisher Lauren Del Sarto recently shared the unimaginable experience of a family unprepared to handle the passing of a loved one at home. She asked that we provide guidance to readers on end-of-life resources, a topic that is understandably rarely discussed.

When a patient is admitted to hospice, families are asked to complete a mortuary agreement. This is a very important step in determining whether a mortuary has been selected. To support families who have not yet done so, hospice provides a list of local options, typically included in the admission binder. Hospice also offers social work assistance to families with limited financial resources, helping them find affordable options.

Family education begins at admission and continues throughout care, focusing on what to expect when a loved one passes away. This is especially important if the choice is made to do so at home. Hospice groups maintain contracts with organizations that provide durable medical equipment, supplies and medications, and hold ongoing in-services and meetings to ensure high quality standards.

As a patient begins actively transitioning, daily visits from the nurse and social worker are provided to ensure comfort and to support loved ones during this critical time.

At the time of death, the family is instructed to contact hospice and an on-call nurse is dispatched to assess the patient, notify the coroner for clearance, contact the selected mortuary, provide post-mortem care, and answer any questions the family may have. Hospice support during the final days and hours is essential for reassuring and guiding loved ones.

Regarding mortuary services, we strongly recommend reputable local mortuaries such as FitzHenry-Wiefels, known for professionalism, strong communication, timely response and maintaining their own dedicated post-mortem removal team. Few realize that there are independent body removal services unassociated with funeral homes that may fall far below the standard of care you would hope and expect for your loved one.

Hospice professionals also conduct spot checks to ensure mortuary teams handle patients with dignity and professionalism. When concerns arise, complaints are filed on behalf of families to maintain high standards of care.

To ease transitions and create a smoother experience for families, FitzHenry-Wiefels conducts mortuary educational services for health care professionals throughout the year. Guided tours of their mortuary facilities help hospice personnel better understand what families experience when planning funeral services, and their goal is to collaborate with as many local health care organizations as possible.

The next educational event will take place at Wiefels & Sons Mortuary, located at 690 S. Vella Road in Palm Springs on August 26 from 6:00–7:00 p.m.

We strongly encourage families to meet with mortuary liaisons prior to making final arrangements to ensure their loved ones are treated with dignity, compassion and respect in their final days and beyond.

Patrick Chirwa is owner of Tranquility Sands Hospice and welcomes your questions. He can be reached at (760) 565.1774 or Patrickc@tranquilitysandshospice.com.