Hospice Care

What is Hospice?

Hospice care is personal medical care for the terminally ill. Our hospice team understands the needs to have the final moments of a family member or loved ones life to be as comfortable and compassionate as possible. This is why we focus not only on the medical needs of the patient but their mental and emotional states as well. Hospice care can include a number of medical professionals working in tandem. Hospice teams can include the patient’s doctor, nurse, caregiver, bereavement, and support staff. The team approach to hospice care makes certain all of the needs of the patient as well as the family are met. Many illnesses can have a need for hospice at a crucial point in a patient’s development. These illnesses may include Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, AIDS, Parkinson’s, and other terminal diagnoses.

Hospice Team Approach

Assisted hospice care provides compassionate comfort care to persons with a life-limiting illness. A team of dedicated doctors, nurses, counselors and volunteers offers physical, emotional, and spiritual support.

Hospice care works best when there are months rather than days to establish relationships and support. You might want to consider hospice care when one or more of the following occur:

• Progressive Loss of Function
• Repeated Hospitalizations
• Current Medical Treatment Outweighs the Benefit
• Decline Despite Curative Treatments
• Decision to Stop Curative Measures

Our State Licensed, Medicare certified hospice team brings this care to you—wherever you are:

• Your Own Home
• A Loved One’s Home
• A Skilled Nursing or Long-term Care Facility
• A Residential Care Facility or Assisted Living
• A Retirement Community or Independent Living Facility

Hospice services are offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, because we understand that questions can arise and symptoms can occur at any time. Benefits of hospice care include:

• Relieving Pain and Discomfort
• Managing Symptoms Such as Shortness of Breath, Weakness or Loss of Appetite, Nausea, Difficulty Sleeping, Constipation, Anxiety and Depression
• Ordering of Medication, Medical Supplies and Equipment
• Helping with Personal Hygiene, Meals and Errands
• Providing Information, Support and Counseling for You and Your Family

Recognizing needs may change during the course of hospice care, Assisted has four levels of care:

• Routine Care – Home Visits and Visits for Urgent Concerns 24 Hours a Day
• Continuous Care – In-home Short Term Crisis Care
• General In-patient – Nursing Facility Short Term Crisis Care
• In-Patient Respite – Relief Care Up to 5 Days

Assisted’s Hospice employees and volunteers treat patients and loved ones with exceptional warmth and skill. You can trust us during this very special and important time.

A physician’s order is not required to receive information about hospice care. Have questions about hospice services or insurance coverage? Call us at 800-949-6555.

We’ll help you to get the answers—and the hospice care—you need.