Alerts Sign-up
VITAS Healthcare is dedicated to providing culturally sensitive hospice care tailored to the needs of Jewish patients. The care respects Jewish teachings, beliefs, rituals, and traditions, with a focus on offering hope and honoring core principles.
Charlotte Goldberg, RN, BSN, a home care nurse and Jewish educator for VITAS in South Florida, emphasizes the importance of understanding the varying levels of observance among families. "We know that families practice their faith along a spectrum of observance to Jewish traditions," she says.
The care teams at VITAS strive to be mindful of Jewish rituals and traditions. They respect patient concerns about artificial nutrition and hydration and consider Jewish ethics related to life and death.
"As hospice professionals, we gather information and create compassionate care plans that address expectations and respect each patient’s and family’s traditions around end-of-life care, grief, burial, and mourning," Goldberg states. She adds that VITAS works with patients practicing Reform, Orthodox, or Conservative Judaism as well as Secular Jews with the goal of providing personalized care that values life.
During the admissions process, key questions are asked to understand how patients practice their faith and what preferences they have regarding prayer practices, food preparation, holiday observances, memorial services, mourning customs, burial preferences, bereavement support needs as well as any personal connection to the Holocaust.
VITAS chaplains play an integral role by supporting families in choosing preferred prayers and rituals. They can collaborate with the family's rabbi or connect them with a volunteer community rabbi if needed.
"The goal of hospice care is to provide hope for a peaceful patient-centered end-of-life experience," Charlotte says. Some VITAS teams seek additional accreditation from the National Institute for Jewish Hospice for sensitively informed care.
All team members strive to understand Jewish patients' needs while upholding VITAS's commitment to culturally appropriate care.
