For Children and Families

The goal of Noah’s Children is to deliver comprehensive, compassionate care for mind, body and spirit to both the patient and the family. Care can be provided concurrent with curative efforts or as the main focus of care, depending on the trajectory of the illness and the wishes of the patient and family. Through an interdisciplinary team that includes physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual care experts and volunteers, Noah’s Children staff closely assess the multiple needs and desires of the child and family and then develop a comprehensive plan of care.

A combination of therapies is used to comfort and support the child, family members and other significant people in the child’s life. Therapies are aimed at fulfilling physical, psychological, social and spiritual goals while remaining sensitive to personal, developmental, cultural and religious values, beliefs and practices. This approach is aimed at improving quality of life, minimizing suffering, optimizing function and providing opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.

Our caring staff is available to help you with:

• End-of-Life Planning & Care
• Pain & Symptom Management
• IV Therapy Services
• Disease Management & Education
• Wound Care Treatment & Education
• Medication Management & Education
• Social and Emotional Support
• Spiritual Support Services
• Therapeutic Play
• Illness and Bereavement Support

Some of life’s most difficult moments are experienced during times of serious illness or loss. Children and adults often are overwhelmed by the life-altering changes and may exhibit varying degrees of confusion, anxiety and helplessness. Normal life often fades with the uncertainty and isolation these changes bring.

Noah’s Children offers an extensive Illness and Bereavement Support program to meet the special needs of all family members. Specialized counselors help:

• create safe and separate environments for children, adolescents and adults to express their feelings and concerns;
• provide age-appropriate understanding of the changes that are occurring;
• strengthen coping skills;
• decrease isolation with peer support from others who are facing similar challenges; and
• offer non-denominational spiritual support to children and adults.

Services, which are available free of charge, include counseling (individual, family and group) and a resource center (lending library) and community outreach services for schools, professionals and businesses dealing with illness, end-of-life issues, sudden death and bereavement.

Eligibility & Referrals

Noah’s Children serves children from birth through 17 years of age with a life-threatening condition, regardless of race, religion, disability or financial resources. Any child needing hospice services who meets the eligibility requirements will not be denied care regardless of their ability to pay.

We encourage pediatricians, specialists or family members to contact us as soon as a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Anyone can refer a patient, but the child’s primary physician must provide written orders for the services provided by Noah’s Children.

Once the referral is made, Noah’s Children follows up with the physician for clinical information and to clarify the child's needs. An initial home visit is set up, and the family is then given the option of enrolling. If the family chooses to do so, we conduct an assessment in the following areas: nursing, spiritual care and social work.

Children are referred by pediatricians, specialists, intensive care units and health departments from all three major health care networks in Central Virginia, including HCA Richmond Health System, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System and Bon Secours Richmond Health system, as well as from different pediatricians and pediatric sub-specialists.

For more information, please contact us by phone at (804) 287-7686.