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Q-Life
September 24, 2007
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Coping with your own illness or the illness of a loved one just got a little bit easier. In today’s Health Matters we meet a special team with Lee Memorial Health
System whose mission is to ease those moments of fear and uncertainty.
What would you do if you or a loved one came down with a life-limiting illness?
Who would you turn to? How do you make educated decisions when every second counts?
A program called Q-life may be able to help.
Bruce Lipschutz is the director of Q-Life for Lee Memorial Health System. He says
the program can play an important role for patients and families. “Where they thought
they were completely powerless or fearful of the unknown, now they are given a lot
of knowledge and power to make these decisions of end of life care and comfort and
time,” says Lipschutz.
While the attending physician is at the forefront of a patients care, sometimes
a patient needs just a little something more.
That’s when the staff of Q-life steps
in. The compassionate caregivers are able to spend extra time with patients. That
can be time to help relieve and prevent stress and discomfort. “I’m able to assess,
diagnose and treat suffering, physical and emotional, and participate in communication
and education,” says Gwen Kolegue, a Registered Nurse who works with Q-life.
Q-life’s mission is to educate, support, and comfort.
But many times the patient
isn’t the only one in need of these caring qualities. Kolegue says, “What is most
satisfying is being able to take the time with families and patients and meet them
where their needs are.”
Lipschutz says his time with patients is precious. “I get the most thank yous and
the most gratefulness of your time and efforts because you have made the most difficult
time a lot easier.”
The focus of Q-life is to achieve the best quality of life for patients and families.
Q-life stands for quality of life. If you are interested in the program your physician
can write you a referral.
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