Mission Statement
Quality Patient Care
Hospice "is a philosophy of care, not a place of care." The focus is on the quality of the remaining life; therefore, it is a comprehensive approach which attends to the physiological, sociological, educational, spiritual, and emotional needs of the client/family unit.
Hospice provides support and care for persons in the last phases of incurable disease so that they may live as fully and as comfortably as possible. The focus is on caring, not curing. Hospice affirms life and neither hastens nor postpones death. Our team of professionals and volunteers provide expert pain and symptom management, psychosocial and spiritual support for our patients and their families. In most cases, care is provided in the patient's home. Hospice care is provided anywhere a person calls home, e.g., an assisted living facility, an adult family home, a skilled nursing facility, etc.
Description
Typically, a loved one serves as the primary caregiver and, when appropriate, helps make decisions for the terminally ill individual. Members of the hospice staff make regular visits to assess the patient and provide additional care or other services. Hospice staff is on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The hospice team develops a care plan that focuses on the patient's well-being and the need for pain management and symptom control. The plan outlines the medical and support services required such as nursing care, personal care (dressing, bathing, etc.), social services, physician visits, counseling, and homemaker services. It also identifies the medical equipment, tests, procedures, medication and treatments necessary to provide high-quality comfort care.
The hospice team usually consists of:
• The patient's family/caregiver
• The patient's personal physician
• Hospice physician (or medical director)
• Nurses
• Home health aides
• Social workers
• Bereavement counselors
• Clergy or other counselors
• Trained volunteers
• Massage therapists
• Speech, physical, and occupational therapists, if needed
Our services include:
• Case management and coordination with attending physician
• Skilled nursing care with expert pain and symptom management
• Inpatient acute care for symptom management related to hospice diagnosis
• Massage and other therapies
• Medications
• Medical equipment and supplies
• Physician services
• RN on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Emotional and spiritual support to patients as well as families
• Chaplaincy services
• Home health aides and homemakers to assist with personal care, such as bathing and light homemaking services
• Respite care
• Specially trained volunteers providing emotional support, special friendship, respite visits, and errands
• Medical social services
• Bereavement care for families both preceding and following the death of a loved one
• Community bereavement support groups
• Coordination with community services and resources
• Palliative care services
