Hospice care is a person and family-centered approach that includes a team of doctors, nurses, home health aides, social workers, chaplains, counselors and volunteers. They work together focusing on the patient’s needs whether physical,
emotional, or spiritual. The hospice team develops a care plan that meets each person’s individual needs for pain management and symptom control.
The attending physician and the hospice medical director may work together to coordinate the patient’s medical care. The hospice medical director is also available to answer questions the patient or loved ones may have regarding hospice medical care. In many cases, family members or loved ones are the patient’s primary care givers. As a relationship with hospice begins, hospice staff will want to know how best to support the patient and family during this time.
Counseling or grief support for the patient and loved ones are an important part of hospice care. After the person’s death, bereavement support is offered to families for at least one year. Services available are telephone calls, visits and written materials about grief and support groups.
Our interdisciplinary hospice team provides the following services:
- Manages the patient’s pain and symptoms
- Emotional support
- Necessary medications, medical supplies, and equipment
- Coaches loved ones on how to care for the patient
- Delivers special services like speech and physical therapy when needed
- Makes short-term inpatient care available when pain or symptoms become too difficult to manage at home, or the caregiver needs respite time
- Provides grief support to surviving loved ones and friends. Support can include conversations with the patient and family members that include teaching care giving skills, religious outreach and how to communicate with loved ones during this time.