“Working in hospice is a commitment, not just a job, to positively influence the lives of our patients the families we serve.”
-Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the first modern hospice
What is
hospice care?
Hospice is a way of providing end-of-life care to patients with terminal illnesses that is compassionate and caring. It provides comfort and individualized care to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient, their families, and caregivers. Hospice does not cure the illness, hasten or prolong life; instead it looks to bring together life, dying and what comes next for family members after a loved one has died.
Making the
decision to being
hospice.
Hospice care is typically recommended when the prescribed treatments are no longer able to control or cure a life-threatening disease. This is usually when the patient has 6 months or less to live and hospice care will greatly improve the quality of their lives and the lives of family members and caregivers.
Discussing the decision with a doctor and other family members helps you come to terms with the decision and move forward knowing it’s in the best interest of your loved one.
While some people feel choosing hospice care means they have given up hope, the truth is the decision is made out of compassion and the wish for your loved one to live out their remaining days with dignity and grace.
What does hospice care provide?
Palliative care and symptom control
Often part of hospice care, palliative care is an extra layer of support to help provide relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. By managing the discomfort, pain, nausea and other side effects, palliative care works to improve the quality of life of the patient and by extension of the patient’s family as well.
The palliative care specialists work with doctors and look at the well being of the patient from a mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual perspective.
Home Care and Inpatient Hospice Care
Typically hospice care keeps patients at home but there are certain times when inpatient hospice care is necessary. When this is the case patients may be placed in a hospital, extended care facility or an inpatient hospice center. Stays of this nature are short term lasting 5 days or less.
Spiritual Care
Spiritual care helps people understand and cope with the impending death of a loved one. We recognize that it is a personal experience based on individual beliefs and therefore spiritual care is set up to meet your needs.
Family Care Meetings
Family care meetings are an important part of hospice care and are a great source of comfort and support. It is during these meetings that family members can get their questions answered, receive updates on their loved ones and find out about the next steps. They also allow everyone to express their feelings, discuss what’s going on and what they need, and learn about death and dying.
Coordination of Care
Coordinating the care of a loved one in hospice is handled by a dedicated team who are there to ensure information is being shared with the appropriate professionals and facilities. These may include inpatient facilities, doctors, pharmacists, clergy, and funeral directors. Support by this team is always available, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Family members and caregivers need not feel overwhelmed or alone and can seek answers to questions from the hospice team at any time.
Respite Care
Our hospice services can provide respite care to patients who are living at home, allowing family and friends a bit of time away from providing care to their loved ones. Available for 5 days at a time, the patient is cared for in either a hospice facility, a nursing home with dedicated space for hospice patients or sometimes in hospitals. This time away allows families and caregivers to recharge and get some well deserved rest.
Bereavement Counseling
Our hospice services will provide bereavement counseling to the surviving family and caregivers after the loss of a loved one. This time of mourning and the services offered are intended to help ease the grieving and are often needed for up to a year after a death. In some cases, bereavement counseling may also include support groups and other medical professionals.
What Is The Difference Between Hospice Care and Palliative Care?
Hospice and palliative care both look to improve the quality of life for people with serious illnesses. They provide care to help alleviate the symptoms of the disease and meet the patient’s needs on an emotional, social, and spiritual level. Often hospice care will include palliative care. What makes them different is when the care is given and how the care teams fit into the patient’s overall care plan.
- Hospice care is made available to patients who are near the end of their lives due to an incurable illness while palliative care is provided at any stage of a serious illness.
- Hospice care is provided when there is no active or curative treatment for the patient while palliative care is provided while the patient is in active treatment for their serious illness.
- With hospice care, the majority of care is coordinated by the hospice care team who communicates with the patient’s medical team. With palliative care, the palliative care team communicates with the patient’s medical team but is separate from them.
Is hospice care
the same as
palliative care?
Hospice and palliative care both look to improve the quality of life for people with serious illnesses. They provide care to help alleviate the symptoms of the disease and meet the patient’s needs on an emotional, social, and spiritual level. Often hospice care will include palliative care. What makes them different is when the care is given and how the care teams fit into the patient’s overall care plan.
How are they different?
When care is given
Hospice care is made available to patients who are near the end of their lives due to an incurable illness while palliative care is provided at any stage of a serious illness.
What other care can be given
Hospice care is provided when there is no active or curative treatment for the patient while palliative care is provided while the patient is in active treatment for their serious illness.
What the care team does
With hospice care, the majority of care is coordinated by the hospice care team who communicates with the patient’s medical team. With palliative care, the palliative care team communicates with the patient’s medical team but is separate from them.