Ventura County Medical Center’s Palliative Care Dream Team
The Palliative Care team at Ventura County Medical Center consists of doctors, nurses, a psychologist, and a leader of faith, collectively dedicated to providing holistic support for patients with terminal diagnoses of life-altering diseases or conditions. The team recognizes that medicine alone cannot reach all aspects of patient suffering; hence, they strive to offer hope, comfort, and spiritual solace in addition to medical treatment.
Their approach is comprehensive, recognizing the importance of addressing both the physical and emotional aspects of patient well-being. By attending to the heart and soul of each patient, the Palliative Care team creates a nurturing environment where patients can find strength and resilience in the face of life’s most challenging moments.
Driscoll’s Employees’ Gesture of Compassion
VCMC’s Palliative Care team recently received an outpouring of love and support from the compassionate employees of Driscoll’s. Through their generous donations, the employees showed their appreciation for the dedicated team and extended a helping hand to patients facing life-altering diseases or conditions. Gifts included coloring books to provide patients with a creative outlet, lavender sachets for tranquility, journals to document their thoughts and memories, paint sets to channel self-expression, phone chargers for busy family members to use while visiting their loved ones and Bereavement boxes. By addressing each patient’s needs holistically, the team fosters a nurturing environment for both patients and their loved ones. Bereavement Boxes with carefully chosen items provide support and acknowledgment for those navigating loss.
Love is Forever
Recently, the Palliative Care team shared the story of how heartfelt tokens were created for the grown children of a woman with the unfortunate diagnosis of metastatic cancer. Despite the most aggressive medical management, the disease worsened, leading her to make her own decision to transition care to focusing on comfort. Her six children were very involved in her care and brought her support and joy. A team nurse movingly shared, “Our palliative care team was able to assist our patient with doing fingerprint keychains for each of her children. During the fingerprint process, it occurred to us that we can have the patient write messages to her children on the back of the fingerprints. Shortly after we completed them, the patient became less responsive and passed away just hours later…Because of the donation, the children will have these keepsake items that will be so meaningful to them forever.”
The generosity of Driscoll’s employees showcases the power of small acts of kindness and how they can create a significant impact on those who need it most. The donations not only brightened patients’ days, comforted grieving families, but also touched the hearts of the Palliative Care team members, reaffirming their belief in the importance of their work.
Embracing Hope and Healing
Acts of giving inspire kindness, creating a ripple effect of tenderness within the community. Please join us in supporting Palliative Care at VCMC and HCA’s robust health care system. For more information, contact Amy Towner: am********@*****ra.org or call 805-652-3361.
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