Link To Family Lives Database

SNS/ Family Lives Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide professional, reliable, competent and compassionate home health care services to people who have complex health care challenges.  These services are essential to safeguarding the home lives of the people we serve and to preserving their family unit. We believe in the dignity of the human person, the positive impact of families and their expectation of superior home health care services.  SNS/Family Lives will provide home care to our clients and customers throughout Massachusetts by maintaining a working philosophy of continuous improvement in quality of care, delivery of service and cost effectiveness.  We are committed to the personal and professional development of each individual employee.  SNS/Family Lives is dedicated to the community, the maintenance of the continuum of health, and the cohesiveness of families.  We pledge to provide our services with dignity, respect and consideration for all.

• We believe that all people should be equally valued regardless of ability or disability.
• We believe that every person we serve belongs at home and has an important role in family and community life.  Therefore we support, and we work towards integrated community living for all.
• We are biased towards protecting the health and lives of the people we serve.  Therefore we will do nothing to hasten death.
• All decisions are made conservatively and towards what is life-enhancing, especially if the decision is irreversible.
• Technology that a person uses as a part of their every day care (mechanical or medicinal) shall be maintained until it is no longer helpful to preserve life or until the natural death of the patient.
• Pain medication will be used to address pain and will not be given on a regular and increasing basis to hasten death.
• All medication shall be used to address symptoms appropriate to the drug.
• Orders that determine the boundaries of emergency medical interventions are to be based on clinical realities, and not a negative presumption of “quality of life.”
• Orders that determine the boundaries of emergency medical intervention shall be written in specific and precise language (for example not DNR, rather they should be written as no chest compressions, etc.). In the absence of any orders that determine the boundaries of emergency medical intervention, “full code” is to be presumed.
• We believe the provision of food, water and antibiotics are basic care and not medical treatment, regardless of how they are administered.  Food, water and antibiotics will be withheld or withdrawn only when and if the body can no longer tolerate it. 
• Should a person served, their family or guardian request the intervention of a palliative care team, we reserve the right to counter such a decision should we determine palliation to be inappropriate and to act in accordance with our advocacy mandate.