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Southwest Christian care provides a needed hand

By BEN NELMS
bnelms@TheCitizenNews.com

It was born from a living dream of love to conquer the nightmare of despair. This is the mission and the message of Southwest Christian Care in Union City.

Providing multiple missions from its facility on Lester Road, the 60 staff and more than 200 volunteers provide a variety of no-cost hospice services, respite services and spiritual care to residents of South Fulton, Fayette, Coweta, Henry and Clayton counties.

The ministry began in 1983 by volunteers providing hospice homecare from a Sunday School classroom at Southwest Christian Church in East Point. That effort continued, with the establishment of the current location in 1987, nestled inside seven wooded acres in Union City. Its ministry and mission made Southwest Christian Hospice the first full-service hospice in Georgia, providing both homecare and center-based care. Now nearly 20 years later, services provided by Southwest Christian Care today are composed of three major components, said Director of Communications Connie Sewell. Those include hospice services, respite services for medically fragile children and spiritual services.

Sewell said Southwest Christian Hospice cares for terminally ill patients diagnosed with three to six months to live. That care, she said, also extends to family members. Within that ministry, Southwest Christian Hospice provides two types of care, both at the center and at home.

The Hospice Care Center in Union City is outfitted with homelike rooms with a total of 12 beds. A visit to the center quickly reveals a quiet, respectful setting, one staffed by people intent on making a difference in the lives of others. The aim, said Sewell, is to provide a warm refuge where patients and their families can feel safe and supported.

The Hospice Homecare Team serves patients in South Fulton, Fayette, Coweta, Clayton and Henry counties. The goal, said Sewell, is to help each patient live as fully as possible, support the family emotionally and spiritually and keep the patient in the comfort of their own home as long as is appropriate.

The Hospice Home Care Team consists of physicians, nurses, home health aides, counselors, social workers, clergy and volunteers that work with each family to develop an individualized care plan. Services by team members include regular nursing visits, on-call nursing at all times, physician-managed care, family training for patient care, home health aid services, social services and counseling, spiritual care and respite care.

A second major aspect of Southwest Christian Care’s ministry is Hope House Children’s Respite Center, Currently serving 100 families, the respite center is located within the complex in Union City. Hope House provides respite care for families with medically fragile children ages birth to 21, said Sewell.

“These are children with such severe medical needs that their parents basically have to care for them 24 hours a day and they can’t be left with the typical babysitter. So the parents have no time for recharging their own batteries,” Sewell explained. “Parents bring the child here, maybe for a day or overnight or maybe for a week or vacation. As you can imagine, it can be very difficult to take medically fragile child on a trip. So we’re here for them to be able to do those things, to allow husbands and wives to be able to spend a little time together or for parents to be able to spend time with their other children.”

Staffed by Pediatric Registered Nurses and Nursing Assistants, the 12-bed respite center was completely designed with children in mind. The center includes 12 beds with rooms beautifully decorated in a variety of colors and patterns. The rooms arch around a central nurses station and seating/activity area. Also found at the center is a multi-sensory activity room for crafts, music and games. The activities are geared toward fostering the child’s independence, said Sewell. Also located in the area is an adapted computer.

A short distance away is a hydrotherapy room, a 500-gallon tropical fish tank and the Australian Finch aviary designed to enhance the peaceful, child-friendly environment. A walk outside reveals another wonderland, beautifully outfitted with a children’s garden and handicap-accessible playground.

Associated with Hope House is the WeCare Home Volunteer Program. The service provides care for non-medically fragile children with special needs such as developmental disorders, Down Syndrome, autism and milder forms of cerebral palsy. Children are matched with carefully selected and trained volunteers that provide care in-home with the important goal of becoming the child’s true friend. The development of true friendship, said Sewell, is remarkably important.

“WeCare provides staffing for children whose parents still need a break but for whom the center might not be as appropriate,” she said.

The WeCare Home Volunteer Program is available to families in Fayette, South Fulton, Coweta, Clayton and Henry counties.

At the heart of all the services, all the caring, is the third service component at Southwest Christian Care. Flowing from the wellspring of love is the Spiritual Care component, one that serves as the glue that binds the humanity of the caregiver to the humanity of the ones receiving the care.

Spiritual Care encompasses services that include grief support groups, short-term counseling, chaplains services and High Hopes Children’s Loss Recovery Camp. Grief support groups, including one for genetically fragile children, provide individuals with affirming fellowship with those in similar circumstances. Short-term spiritual counseling is provided by appointment at no cost to individuals and families dealing with issues related to grief, loss, trauma, family stress and other life-related issues, said Sewell.

“This counseling is for anybody in the community who would need it for any kind of situation,” Sewell explained. “This, too, along with our other services, is provided at no cost. So it’s a good resource for the community.”

Providing their own unique contribution to Spiritual Care, chaplains visit patients on a regular basis and during special needs occasions. A final component of Spritual Care is the High Hopes Camp, located in Meriwether County. Sewell said the camp offers fun and fellowship for young people who have lost a special person, either through death, divorce or abandonment.

The outreach from Southwest Christian Care is present in another form at Hudson Plaza in Fairburn. Born Again Bargains Thrift Store provides clothing, furniture, household items and appliances at bargain prices. Donations of these and other items, said Sewell, are appreciated. All proceeds benefit Southwest Christian Care.

Southwest Christian Care is a non-profit organization with 40 percent of 2004 receipts coming from individuals, 23 percent from corporate and business, 16 percent from endowments, 8 percent from churches, 3 percent from foundations and 10 percent from other sources. Fundraising events include an annual banquet, auction, golf tournament and other activities. Those wishing to contribute to the organization or obtain additional information should call (770) 969-8354 or visit www.swchospice.org.

One look at the staff of an organization can tell a lot about its passion and commitment to excellence. Southwest Christian Care was born from a dream of love and compassion to conquer a nightmare of grief and suffering and despair.