Hospice stands as a specialized form of care tailored for individuals confronting terminal illnesses that no longer respond to medical treatment. Instead of pursuing a cure, our focus centers on managing pain and symptoms, providing emotional and spiritual support, and offering assistance to families and caregivers.

Certainly. Hospice services are typically accessible wherever the patient considers home. Alongside the standard services provided by nursing homes or similar facilities, residents receive specialized visits from hospice nurses, aides, chaplains, social workers, and volunteers.

In most instances, a family member assumes the role of the primary caregiver, aiding in decision-making for their loved one. Collaborating with the caregiver, the hospice care team devises a care plan encompassing treatment, pain and symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, personal care, and specialized services for both the patient and family. Hospice staff remains available 24/7 to address your needs.

Patients should consider hospice when medical interventions can no longer cure their illness or when the burden of treating symptoms surpasses the benefits of treatment. Although discussing end-of-life care can be challenging, initiating conversations about hospice early on enables informed decision-making and understanding of a loved one's preferences before crises emerge.

When all avenues of treatment for a disease have been explored or are ineffective, hospice offers individuals an opportunity to experience comfort, tranquility, and dignity without pursuing curative measures. Hospice isn't synonymous with relinquishing hope, but rather with enhancing a patient's quality of life by ensuring freedom from pain, surrounded by loved ones, and in the familiar setting of their home.

Very high. Using a combination of medications, counseling and therapies, most people can attain an acceptable level of comfort to improve quality of life during end-of-life care.

Patients may opt to withdraw from the hospice program for a variety of reasons, including a decision to resume aggressive, curative treatments or to explore experimental measures. Additionally, some patients experience improvement while receiving hospice services, as the focus shifts to enhancing comfort, pain relief, symptom management, and overall quality of life. Although they may still have a terminal illness, their symptoms may improve to the extent that they no longer meet the criteria for hospice services. In such cases, a hospice is required to discharge the patient if their underlying disease or condition is no longer deemed terminal. Patients retain the ability to revoke hospice care at any time and for any reason, with the option to return if needed, provided their doctor recertifies their eligibility.

Hospice volunteers constitute a unique and dedicated cohort who generously offer their time and skills to support patients and their families. They provide companionship and can lend a hand with various tasks, such as running errands or assisting with daily activities. Additionally, they may engage in activities like reading, singing, writing letters, or simply sharing memories with patients and their loved ones. Their presence not only enriches the quality of life for patients but also alleviates some of the burdens typically shouldered by caregivers.

In most instances, a family member assumes the role of the primary caregiver, aiding in decision-making for their loved one. Collaborating with the caregiver, the hospice care team devises a care plan encompassing treatment, pain and symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, personal care, and specialized services for both the patient and family. Hospice staff remains available 24/7 to address your needs.

Indeed. Hospice extends ongoing assistance to caregivers and families for up to 13 months following the loss of a loved one. Additionally, we facilitate bereavement support groups, organize memorial services, and offer support to anyone in the community grappling with the loss of a friend or relative.

Home health care aids individuals in recovering from illness or injury, fostering self-sufficiency. Visits typically decrease as the patient's condition improves. In contrast, hospice care prioritizes patient comfort as symptoms of terminal illness progress. Services typically expand over time to address evolving patient needs.

Both hospice and palliative care concentrate on enhancing quality of life and alleviating uncomfortable symptoms. However, palliative care may commence earlier, such as at diagnosis, and may coincide with curative treatment. Hospice care commences after curative treatment ceases, aiming to enhance comfort and quality of life as the patient nears the end of life. While hospice care encompasses all services provided by palliative care, palliative care typically does not include the entirety of services offered by hospice care.

The initial step to initiate hospice care involves requesting a hospice evaluation, which typically incurs no cost. This request can be made by anyone, and a physician may either refer the patient or present several options, allowing the patient or their family to decide. Subsequently, the physician must certify to the hospice provider that the patient meets eligibility criteria and has a prognosis of approx. six months. Upon referral, the hospice provider meets with the patient and their family. During this meeting, an admissions nurse conducts an assessment of the patient, addresses any queries from family members, and collaborates to devise a care plan aligned with the wishes of the patient and their family. If the discussion progresses positively and the family is prepared, they proceed to sign admission paperwork.

Based on assessment and care plan the team determines how often visits from hospice is required to adequately address patient's needs and provide necessary support- depending on factors such as patient's medical condition, level of symptom management required, and preferences of the patient and family. It's important to note that hospice nurses are available to make additional visits beyond the scheduled ones if the need arises, ensuring that patients receive timely and comprehensive care whenever it is needed. This availability extends 24 hours a day, seven days a week, emphasizing the commitment of hospice staff to provide continuous support and assistance to patients and their families throughout their hospice journey.

Although hospice aims to provide pain management and symptom control outside of hospital environments, patients retain the option to seek hospital care if needed. Under the Medicare hospice benefit, short-term general inpatient care in a hospital is covered when a patient's symptoms become unmanageable in other care settings. However, for this to occur, a written agreement between the hospital and the hospice provider is necessary. Additionally, it's advisable for the patient and/or their family to communicate with the hospice nurse before proceeding to the hospital, ensuring coordinated and informed decision-making regarding the patient's care.