SCH Home Health
Dear Editor: As many already know the passing of my father, Teofilo Agne Sr., my family would like to extend our thanks to the community of Sitka for their love, support, contributions and cards these last few weeks. He truly loved Sitka and we can see and feel the impact he has made living here since 1977.
What some people may not know is that he was under the care of Home Health Services from Sitka Community Hospital the last couple months. This provided him with a team of nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and more in order to give the best quality end-of-life care at home.
I have been a critical care nurse for two and a half years and have seen various patients pass, whether it was sudden or utilizing comfort care measures. However, I have never experienced someone pass at home, let alone one of my own family members. The moment my father passed, I went from being a nurse to a family member, which is why it was wonderful to have Audra and Lou there to help us with what we needed to do next.
Our family has built a strong rapport with these two nurses from day one and I cannot emphasize enough the importance of continuity of care especially for end of life. Our family is very private and to bring familiar people to our home put us more at ease. It is so hard to provide continuity of care these days, but their team has made it very seamless and Sitka is very privileged to have this. Audra and Lou were not only extremely patient, but were very resourceful in a sense of what supplies he may need, who we should contact, as well as provide what we should anticipate after he passes.
I know not everyone may have the opportunity to choose home health due to various factors. However, if the opportunity arises, I would highly recommend it as it allows you to have more family time with your loved ones and more memories with them at home than say at a hospital.
Our family is not only beyond satisfied with this experience, but I truly believe he had the best quality of care up until his passing. We are now left with wonderful memories of him, like celebrating his birthday the day before, and are transitioning within the bereavement process smoothly.
Shannon Agne, Sitka
