When people discover that Beth Williamson works on a daily basis with people who are dying and their families, they frequently ask, &uot;Isn’t that depressing?&uot;

As community educator for the Selma office of Wiregrass Hospice, Williamson is glad to set the record straight.

Wiregrass Hospice is a non-profit organization that provides home healthcare to people who are dying. Most patients are considered &uot;hospice appropriate&uot; at the point when they are expected to live six months or less.

Addressing the total needs of both patients and their families during that time is what hospice is all about.

Hospice nursing staff and home health aides attend to the medical and personal needs of the patient. Medical social workers and pastoral staff provide counseling and spiritual support. Bereave-ment support is also available to those who desire it.

Arrangements can also be made for medical equipment and supplies and medications. Hospice volunteers are even available to help run errands.

Hospice care is provided at no cost to the patient or family. Patients are accepted for hospice care based on health needs, not their ability to pay. The services are most often paid for through Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance.

Contributions and memorial gifts from the family and friends of hospice patients are also a significant source of funding.

Wiregrass Hospice is licensed in Alabama and Georgia and serves more than 60 counties. &uot;Last year, we provided $1.7 million dollars in unfunded patient care,&uot; Williamson said.

To be accepted for hospice care, a physician must agree that a patient is hospice appropriate, the patient and family must understand and accept that the patient is not being treated for a cure, and a caregiver must be available to assist the hospice team.

Patients are most often referred to Wiregrass Hospice by doctors or hospital discharge staff. But referrals can come from just about anywhere.

In addition to attending to the needs of the patient, the hospice staff helps family members to handle the emotional stress of having a loved one die.

Hospice staff members encourage open communication between patients and their families. That might consist of something as simple as asking family members, &uot;Is there anything you want to do with your mother before she dies?&uot;

(To find out more about the services offered by Wiregrass Hospice or to schedule a hospice volunteer to talk to your group, contact Beth Williamson at 875-2120.)