When you hear the word, “Hospice care” whatis the first thing that pops in your mind?
“What is it?”
“Who is eligible?”
“Is it for someone who is dying?”
“How does hospice works?”
“Do they provide hospice care at home or in an institutional setting?”
With so many questions, you may feel confused.
Inspiration Hospice is dedicated to helping patients understand hospice. We strive to educate patients and their loved ones to help them enjoy their lives to the maximum. We understand that finding the right hospice care can be an overwhelming and difficult journey, especially if you are new to hospice.
We helppatients and families receive care and services when they need it the most.
People often have a misconception that hospice is a place or an institution. However, the true is that hospice is not a physical place; rather, it is a holistic care approach that focuses on improving the patient’s life quality. Hospice care is not only provided to the patient but to the family members as well.
What is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is for terminally ill patients for whom curative treatments are no longer working. Hospice care is also known as end-of-life care and is often recommended to a patient who has 6 months or less to live.
Unlike other medical care, the goal of hospice care is to support the highest quality of life possible and give the patient relief from pain, shortness of breath and other symptoms.
Where is Hospice Care Provided?
Hospice care is often provided in the comfort of the patient homes with a family member serving as the primary caregiver.
Alternatively, hospice care can also be provided in an assisted living facility, nursing homes, hospitals, or dedicated hospice facilities.
The Hospice Team
Hospice care is provided by a multidisciplinary team. The team consists of spiritual professionals, highly trained doctors, registered nurses, and volunteers working together to provide complete comfort to the terminally ill patient and care and support to family and friends.
- Primary CarePhysician
The primary care physician is your current trusted doctor. The primary physician is responsible to determine the patient’s needs and candidacy for hospice. The doctor should refer the patient to a hospice program. The primary care physician can stay on to help provide care to the patient in the comfort of his home. - Registered Nurse Case Manager
The registered nurse case manager will visit the patient twice or thrice a week, more if required. The RN ensures that the patient’s needs and the needs of the family members are being met by the hospice professionals. The RN is also responsible to supervise the care provided to the patient and his family. - Hospice Medical Director
The hospice medical director is responsible to create the patient’s plan of care. He ensures that the patient’s goals are met by the care team. The hospice medical director works with the patient’s primary care physician to offer the best care to the patient. - Social Workers
Hospice social workers set up a plan of care for thepatient’s psychological needs while working in close association with the patient’s loved ones, family and caregivers. They provide emotional support, counseling, and help the family members navigate through the paperwork. - Bereavement Counselor
The bereavement counselor helps the patient’s family understand and process the feeling of grief that comes along with a terminal illness diagnosis. According to Medicare regulations, bereavement services are provided throughout the period when the patient is in hospice care and up to 13 months following the death of the patient. - Chaplain
The chaplain is the spiritual care leader of the hospice team. He helps the patient’s loved ones navigate the spiritual end-of-life- journey. - Hospice Volunteers
Hospice volunteers help the patient and his family members by assisting in household tasks, preparing meals, running errands, and providing companionship. - Home Health Aide
Hospice home health aides help the family with light around-the-house tasks. They help educate the caregiver on how to provide the best end-of-life care to the patient. - Caregiver
One of the family members acts as the primary caregiver and has an important role in providing the best level of care at home.
How Care is Providedfor Patient At Home?
Hospice care aims at providing a comfortable and pain free environment to the patient. Hospice professionals strive to help the patient enjoy the last few months of his life to the fullest.
- Pain Management
As your loved one’s disease progress, management of pain and symptoms is required. The hospice care team will closely monitor the patient’s needs and create a treatment plan to provide optimal comfort while considering the patient’s end-of-life preferences. - Psychosocial Counseling
A terminal illness diagnosis can have a heavy psychosocial toll in the patient’s mental health. More than 60% patients who are diagnosed with a terminal illness often experience anxiety and depression. Hospice care team employs skilled psychosocial counselors who make it easy for the patient to understand the end-of-life process and provide restoration of emotional and social health. - Specialized Therapy Sessions
Hospice care professionals often plan specialized therapy session like art therapy sessions, pet therapy visits, and other forms of beneficial therapies to maximize patient’s spiritual, emotional, and physical comfort.
- Assistance With Activities of Daily Living
As the terminal illness progress, it becomes difficult for the patient to perform activities of daily living such as bathing, getting dressed, eating, and toileting. The hospice care team consists of highly skilled nurses and aides who help the patient perform the daily living activities in the comfort of the patient home with dignity. - Emotional and Spiritual Counseling
When a person is on end-of-life care, the feelings of regret, grief, anger, and sorrow are a common occurrence. Many people want to mend their relationships, restore the broken relationships, and draw closer to their friends and family members. Hospice caregivers provideemotional and spiritual counselingto help the terminally ill patient achieve peace of mind prior to his death. - Nutritional Care
As the illness progress and the body begin to die, the patient may not be able to digest their normal intake of food. Hospice caregivers provide both the patient and the caregiver, with the assistance and information to know what diary intake is correct and how to make the adjustments accordingly.
With earlier referral to a home health program, patients may receive care that results in better management of symptoms, leading to stabilization of their condition and prolonged survival.
