Comfort Care Hospice of Andalusia received national recognition as being in the top five percent of hospice caregiver satisfaction, and director Mitzi Butler said that it was made possible by the amazing staff at Comfort Care of Andalusia.

“Each of our staff members have contributed to this achievement,” Butler said. “It takes courage and bravery to ‘be’ with the dying. They open and share their hearts knowing they will likely feel the sting of grief.”

The award was based on surveys returned by families and caregivers of patients that Comfort Care Hospice served during 2017. The surveys were then returned to Strategic Health Partners for data collection as required by CMS/Medicare.

The hospice was scored on hospice team communication, getting timely care, treating family members with respect, getting emotional and religious support, getting help for symptoms, getting hospice care training, overall rating of hospice and recommend hospice. Comfort Care Hospice of Andalusia scored 100 percent on treating family members with respect and recommend hospice.

“That is huge for us to score 100 percent on those two categories,” Butler said. “If we respect the family members then all of the other things fall into place.”

Butler said that she gives a lot of the credit to the nurses at Comfort Care for this award.

“Many of our nurses have traveled many miles over the last year,” Butler said. “During the hot and humid ‘dog days’ of the south Alabama summer and over freezing roads during ice storms to deliver words of encouragement and hope to weary family caregivers.”

Butler said that not only the staff, but volunteers as well have worked hard all year.

“We have several volunteers that help us,” Butler said. “We have people that come and sing to the residents at Andalusia Manor and other volunteers that help on a regular basis. Many have voluntarily given of your time and talent to bring joy, peace, comfort and assistance to others.”

Butler said that one of the main reasons that they work so hard is because they do not have a second chance with their patients.

“In our line of business we are dealing with people on the edge of death,” Butler said. “So we don’t get a do over. We have to work our hardest to make sure our time counts.”

Four of Comfort Care Hospice’s offices received this award.