Enriching Lives

Our staff and volunteers then use this information to customize our visits and make special considerations for patients that go above and beyond the requirements of clinical care. For example, a volunteer may sit with the patient and provide them company while watching the patient’s favorite NFL team on a Sunday afternoon. A CNA may watch a patient’s favorite movie with them or turn on their favorite musical artist during a routine visit. On one occasion, a Transitions nurse took a patient to her grandson’s wedding, something she had dreamed of doing but never thought was a possibility until Transitions made it happen (pictured below).

Overall, our goal is to help patients make the most of the time that they have left. Because at Transitions, It’s About Living!

Medical Equipment and Supplies

At Transitions Care, we take responsibility for all aspects of our patients’ care. It is for this reason that we have a strong partnership with Transitions Medical Equipment (TME), who provides all supplies and equipment for each one of our patient’s personalized care plans. In doing this, we offer the following:

Durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies at no cost to the patient or the family receiving the equipment

Delivery of the equipment directly to the patient’s location

On site set-up of equipment or machinery

Training and education on how to use DME for the patient’s family and caregivers who may be supporting the patient on a consistent basis

It is unique for a hospice and palliative care provider to have its own equipment supplier. By partnering with TME, Transitions is able to provide specialized equipment that best fits each individual’s care needs. In 2020 alone, TME served over 3,000 end of life care and symptom management patients, with continued growth into 2021.

Our medical equipment services often come at little to no cost to the patient. Transitions Medical Equipment accepts most private insurances, and is a preferred provider with the following insurers:

• United Healthcare
• Medicaid
• Molina
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Medicare
• Meridian
• IMS PPO

Volunteer Programs

With a strong commitment to volunteerism and community service, Transitions relies on support from volunteers who want to share their time and talents to help provide the highest quality of care to our patients. Volunteers are a vital part of the patient care team. They visit with patients, assist their families, and help with projects at our administrative offices. The comfort that a volunteer can bring to the patient and family is like no other. Volunteer visits offer patients companionship, boost their self-esteem, and decrease loneliness. Each gesture of kindness and compassion makes a meaningful impact on both our patients and their families. Our volunteers are also greatly impacted by their service, gaining a true feeling of making a difference, valuable experience in the healthcare field, and learning from our qualified and dedicated team members.

Opportunities are available in our volunteer program across all of our service areas and office locations, including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Contact us for more volunteer information:
877.726.6494
[email protected]

Grief and Bereavement Support

Transitions’ bereavement team specializes in a variety of grief interventions to support our patients and families throughout the course of care, providing services regardless of the stage or severity of grief someone may be experiencing. Bereavement support begins immediately after a patient is admitted into hospice care and is available for up to 18 months after the patient’s passing. Transitions provides literature to help patients and their families understand what to expect during terminal illness, resources for coping and dealing with challenges as the illness progresses, and references for additional help. In addition, we also offer Grief Support Groups and Workshops on a regular basis. These are facilitated by a Bereavement Coordinator and Social Worker, and are offered both in-person and remotely via Zoom or other video-conferencing platforms.

Above all else, we take it upon ourselves to be there for the patient and their family at their most difficult moments, even if it is simply to sit and talk. Our bereavement teams will be there every step of the way.

Vigil Volunteers

Transitions believes that no one should die alone. When our staff anticipates a patient is transitioning, they volunteer to sit bedside around the clock to support the patient and their family at the time of death. This provides the family with needed emotional and social support, and can make this difficult experience easier simply by being present.

Our Vigil Volunteers are an integral part of the care team in this sense, and their impact on our patients and families is indescribable. A Vigil Volunteer will be notified when a patient in their area is actively dying and will be asked if they are available to volunteer for a 2 or 4 hour shift to keep the patient company in their final hours. Due to the importance of this commitment, it is essential that Vigil Volunteers are reliable and fully understand the dying process. Hence, all of our Vigil Volunteers begin as Companionship Volunteers. Companion volunteers can elect to become a Vigil Volunteer after three months of service and additional training once they are ready.