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MANN-SLONAKER FUNERAL HOME, INC.

WHAT IS HOSPICE?

Hospice is a special concept of care that families can choose to enhance life for a dying person when a life-limiting illness is no longer responding to cure-oriented treatments. This care neither prolongs or hastens death. The goal of hospice care is to improve the quality of a patient's last days by offering comfort, counceling, dignity.

The word "hospice" comes from the Latin word "hospitium" meaning guesthouse. It was originally used to describe a place of shelter for sick and weary travelers returning from religious pilgrimages. During the 1960's, Dr. Cicely Saunders, a British physician, began the modern hospice movement by establishing St. Christopher's Hospice near London, England. St. Christopher's organized a team approach to professional caregiving and was the first program to use modern pain management techniques to compassionately care for the dying. The first hospice in the United States was established in 1974 in New Haven, Connecticut.

For more information and local agencys offering hospice care, Please click on "WHAT IS HOSPICE?" above.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY SURVIVORS BENEFITS IF A LOVED ONE DIES.

If you are not currently receiving social security benefits when a death occurs you should apply for survivors benefits promptly. If you wait, in some cases, benefits may not be retroactive. You can apply by telephone or in person at any Social Security office.

Certain documentation may be needed to process your application. Original documents or copies cerified by the agency are required. It is helpful if you have all the nessessary documentation with you when you apply. Do not delay in applying because you are missing any of the nessessary paperwork. The Social Security office can tell you what documentation is needed and will assist you in obtaining any missing documentation.

For more information please click on "WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY SURVIVORS BENEFITS IF A LOVED ON DIES" above.

HOTELS

There are several nice hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts in the Upper Perkiomen Valley area.

Please follow the "HOTELS" link above for Names, addresses and telephone numbers of these establishments.

GRIEF

Grieving is a normal and necessary response to the loss of a loved one. Whether the loss is sudden or expected, you need to go through the process of grief to heal.

Please follow the "GRIEF" link above to learn more about grief and for more links on grief and bereavement.