Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

Avery County Hospice and Palliative Care—

Serving the Needs of Avery County and Beyond

Story by Ron Fitzwater

No one wants to think about having to handle a chronic disease. The many questions about what to do and where to find assistance can seem overwhelming. However, patients in Avery and surrounding counties have a priceless resource to help them with their search, Avery County Hospice and Palliative Care [ACHPC].

In its 25th year of service, the ACHPC provides for the needs of patients with chronic life-limiting illnesses who are receiving aggressive treatment. ACHPC provides physical, spiritual and emotional support while working with the patient’s physician and medical team to ensure the highest quality of life possible.

“The palliative care program started because we had a lot of people calling who were going through chemotherapy and radiation therapy and were still seeing their pulmonologist and getting what we call aggressive therapy. But, because of Medicare guidelines, hospice could not take them. You have to have a diagnosis of six months or less to qualify for hospice, so there were all kinds of people who needed help with pain management and symptoms and nobody to help them,” said Carol Phillips of Lincks Palliative Care [LPC].

The program operates three days a week, Monday through Wednesday. “Patients are initially seen for an assessment and then once a week for eight weeks,” said Phillips. If a problem is identified during the assessment, LPC staff contact the patient’s physician so the issue can be addressed. LPC staff may not provide any treatment or care without a doctor’s permission.

Treatment for symptom management lasts for eight weeks, “more of which is emotional than physical,” said Mary Ellen Shea, executive director of Hospice of Avery County. After that time, LPC hopes to “have their symptoms under control,” said Phillips. Some patients graduate from the program, and some move to hospice care. Patients not moving to hospice care can remain on the program longer than eight weeks under special circumstances. “Say we have a patient whose eight weeks is up, but we know they are going into chemotherapy next week, we carry them for emotional care and support,” Phillips said.

One of the major benefits of palliative care is an emotional transition into hospice care. According to Phillips, “Many of our patients may be hospice eligible from the start, but the word hospice is scary to most people who don’t know what the program does.” Palliative care acts as an emotional bridge. It is the only program of its kind in the High Country and it is offered at no charge to patients. “Doctors are highly supportive of the program because they don’t have to use the word hospice with their patients,” said Phillips. “They can use LPC to ease the patient into acceptance of their condition and prognosis.”

While all patients are equally important to LPC, special emphasis is placed on younger patients “who all of a sudden are blown out of the water with this new cancer diagnosis and are unable to work,” said Phillips. Patients need assistance to navigate through the system looking for answers, and that is where LPC’s social worker comes in. “Our social worker does an excellent job in aiding patients with medical insurance claims and obtaining unique resources such as air conditioners for patients with breathing problems,” said Phillips.

LPC also aids families with the decisions and the emotions surrounding care for a loved one with a life-limiting disease. “Many times the patient and the family are not in agreement with what needs to be done,” said Shea. “The social worker and Carol [Phillips] work with the families to be supportive no matter at what stage the patient is in the process.”

As of April, LPC is offering an additional service. Volunteers are available to “sit with patients in their homes for companionship or to allow family members to get out of the house to run errands or just relax for a while,” Phillips said.

LPC sees patients at the Avery County Hospice, in hospitals and in their homes. LPC has treated patients in Avery, Watauga and Mitchell counties.

Phillips said that the staff loves doing what they do at LPC. Speaking for herself Phillips said, “I don’t feel like my job is a job; it’s a mission and I feel blessed to do this because I think it’s one of the greatest things to have a family allow me into their home when they are going through these difficult situations.”

Grants, private donations and endowments from former patients currently fund the program, and LPC hopes to continue providing services free of charge.

Because of the success of the program and the identified needs in the area for more availability of services, LPC has applied for a grant to fund the program five days per week.

Individuals interested in information about services available from Lincks Palliative Care or to make a donation may contact the Avery County Hospice and Palliative Care at 828-733-0663 or visit the facility at 351 W. Mitchell Street, Newland.