Throughout the human life, it is evident that people need thehelp of others.

Whether it is the assistant of an adult to a child or an adultto another adult or even a child to an adult, people need peoplefrom the beginning to the end.

Hospice Ministries, a non-profit organization, makes sure theterminally ill elderly and their families are taken care of inevery way during the patient’s final days.

“We care for a patient’s body, mind and soul. We meet themwherever they are in their journey and go along with them,” saidRondah Marks, director of marketing and development.

Since 1992, a non-profit hospice has been providing such lovingcare, with the help of nurses, aides, chaplains, volunteers andsocial workers, to the elderly in the Brookhaven area.

Hospice Ministries was formed after a merger between WhisperingPines Hospice and Hospice of Central Mississippi, which had a localoffice, in 1997.

The organization will celebrate its relocation to 397 BrookhavenStreet, beside the new post office, from 2-4 p.m. Wednesday with aribbon cutting and open house.

As a non-profit organization, Hospice Ministries stands apartfrom others providing similar services in the area because of theadded benefits it brings to the community.

“Everything that we are reimbursed or given through donationsgoes directly back to hospice. No one profits from our servicesexcept the patients and families,” said Marks.

Families of elderly residents usually seek the assistance ofHospice Ministries during the last few months of their loved one’sjourney.

Hospice is able to help families and patients cope during thedifficult time of life by helping them make the most of their timeleft.

“We try to help the patient and family focus on living duringthe process of dying,” said Marks. “The focus is living every dayto the fullest.”

She explained how terminal illnesses often allow patients andfamily members to share final words that they may not have had thechance to share with a sudden death.

Hospice also impacts patients and families by easing some of theburden of having proper medical assistance on a regular basis.

“Hospice has been a blessing from God. If there’s something Idon’t understand or if her condition changes, I call the nurse andthey always call me back immediately or come right out,” said JoanCase, whose 97-year-old mother-in-law, Kceal Case, is a HospiceMinistries patient.

At least twice a week, or more if needed, a nurse visits KcealCase in her home to check on her condition. The family enjoys thein-home benefits Hospice Ministries gives them, allowing Kceal Caseto be surrounded by her family every day.

“I don’t know what we would have done without hospice. Weprobably wouldn’t have been able to keep her at home,” said AubreyCase, Kceal Case’s son.

Besides the assistance from the nurse, a nurse’s aide visits thehome every day to provide personal care, while social workers andchaplains visit when the family needs counseling and emotionalsupport. Volunteers also appear in the home frequently, ready tohelp in any way.

Hospice Ministries has been able to continue providing carethrough medical reimbursements, generous donations and fundraisers,such as selling cookbooks and benefiting from an annual fishingtournament.

“The Brookhaven Bass Club holds the Jimmy Foster Bass Tournamentevery year and the proceeds benefit Hospice Ministries because wetook care of him and that’s how they show their appreciation tous,” said Jean Berch, branch operations coordinator for HospiceMinistries.