Hosts: Barbara Cochran & Dr. Thomas Polucki                                                                                                      Guest:  Sondra Wollenman, Nurse Practitioner

Today, on The Senior Hour, your hosts Barbara and Dr. Polucki welcome Nurse Practitioner Sondra Wollenman in the studio.  Sondra works at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in the Palliative Care Department.  Sondra’s skills and expertise shine as she talks about her job requirements, focusing on the patient’s needs and approaching them with honesty and compassion.  Palliative Care focuses on the whole person care, meaning those patients with chronic illnesses have someone like Sondra working with them and their families to best decide the proper method of care and to offer a level of emotional support.  Sondra talks about the differences between palliative care and hospice care explaining that hospice is focused on end of life, a patient generally has 6 months or less of life, therefore the effort is to keep the patient comfortable whereas palliative care is focused on symptom management and guidance similar to a counselor.  Sondra is able to work directly under the physician and can also diagnose and treat a patient while doing so.  She says she mostly enjoys the rewarding results of meeting all different people and that no two patients are the same, even if they carry the burden of the same diagnosis.  She loves empowering patients with knowledge and emotional support as well.  The Senior Hour is sponsored by Providence Holy Cross Medical Center and Comfort Keepers In-Home Care.  Go to providence.org for more information on their Palliative Care Program.

Previous Episode: The Senior Hour – Make The Most Of Senior Health– January 24, 2024

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