Hospice Care Services
When a person has a life-limiting disease, loved ones are not simply faced with the prospect of loss; they must also address the frightening question of how to care for their loved one in his or her final days. This is one of the most difficult and emotional situations a family ever experiences.
The primary goal of hospice is to provide comprehensive care and support for the patient through the end-of-life stage until death and to continue with bereavement support for the family after the patient dies. Hospice services are available to people diagnosed with all forms of life-limiting diseases, such as cancer, end-stage cardiac or lung disease, and end-stage Alzheimer's disease.
Palliative Care
Hospice care neither prolongs life nor hastens death. Hospice care is frequently referred to as palliative, or comfort, care. "Palliative care" is the medical phrase used to describe the comfort that a patient achieves through adequate pain control and symptom management. A patient in pain is usually incapable of focusing on anything other than that pain. Effective palliative care improves a patient's quality of life to the point at which the hospice team is able to provide significant emotional, spiritual, and family support. In this way, the patient and family can concentrate on the quality of life. Hospice focuses on living.
The Hospice Team
Hospice programs provide families with a team of professionals who join in a common effort with the patient and loved ones by controlling pain, managing symptoms, and creating an atmosphere of emotional and physical comfort.
- The Patient is both the focus and the most important member of the hospice team.
- The Medical Director works with the patient's physician and the hospice team to develop the optimal plan of care. HHHC's Medical Director is one of the few Board Certified hospice and palliative care physicians in the region.
- Hospice Nurses are also certified in hospice and palliative care. They provide the day-to-day oversight of pain management and monitor the patient's overall condition, offering guidance and instruction to the patient, the patient's primary caregiver, and other family members.
- Licensed Nursing Assistants and Homemakers help with the patient's personal care and perform light household tasks.
- Medical Social Workers provide supportive counseling to help cope with the emotional, social, and financial stresses resulting from the illness and impending loss.
- Spiritual Care is available for those who wish it, giving support to both patients and families. Hospice care does not impose any religious or philosophical beliefs.
- Hospice Volunteers perform a variety of functions, which may include providing companionship to patients, giving respite time to caregivers, and providing transportation.
- Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapists provide the specialized services to counteract the loss of mobility, muscle strength, and the ability to perform the routine activities of daily life.
- Bereavement staff provide support to family members after the death of a loved one. Assistance is given through counseling, volunteer visits, educational materials, and support groups.
Where is Hospice Care Provided?
The location of the service is based on the patient's needs, the support services available to the person from family, friends, and caregivers, and the recommendations of the team overseeing the patient's care. The goal of hospice care-to provide comprehensive care to the patient and support services to the family-remains the same, regardless of the location.
The preferred place for hospice care to be provided is in the patient's home. Surveys have shown that 90% of the population would prefer to remain at home if faced with a terminal illness.
Home Care to Hospice Bridge (or Special Care) Program
Our Hospice Bridge (or Special Care) Program provides home care services to patients with potentially life threatening illnesses who are not appropriate, or not yet emotionally ready, for hospice care. An example would be a cancer patient receiving life-extending treatments or undergoing aggressive therapies to fight the disease. The primary goals of the program are to alleviate pain and other distressing symptoms and to offer a support system for the patient, who may face a terminal prognosis in the future.
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