What Is Hospice And How Can They Help You? Rockford’s Mercyhealth Is Here To Explain

What's Up, Doc? is a weekly health segment on WROK sponsored by MercyHealth. Each week they highlight a different doctor/healthcare professional to come on our show and talk to us about their specialty. It has turned into one of our favorite segments. All of our doctors have exhibited a "human" side that people don't always get to see with their physicians. We encourage you to check out some of our past episodes here. We've done about 30 of these segments highlighting everything from Lyme disease to hernia repair to finding a health care plan and everything else in between. We've learned a lot and hope you can too.

Our guest this week on What's Up, Doc? was Alison Lawhorn, a licensed social worker through Mercyhealth. Alison works with Mercyhealth's hospice program and hopped on the show to explain what exactly their program is and how they help families.

The end of life stage is very difficult for everyone involved. Emotions are high and a loved one's needs often are more than a families abilities. This is where hospice steps in to help. The overarching philosophy of Mercyhealth's hospice program is comfort at the end of life. People that have received a terminal diagnoses with less than 6 months to live are eligible for hospice.

When enrolled in Mercyhealth's hospice program, families will have access to 24/7 help with caring for a dying family member. This could include, nurse visits to the home, training to care for someone, and even someone to come stay with your relative if for some reason you cannot be there.

Their hospice program is filled (I have personal experience with them, and they are excellent) with caring, dedicated individuals and Alison is absolutely one of those individuals. It takes a strong person to do what they do and it can make all the difference in the world to a family at wit's end.

We thank Alison for joining the show and look forward to our next guest on What's Up, Doc?

A new What's Up, Doc? can be heard every Thursday morning at 8:35 on 1440 WROK.