Things to Know Before Starting Hospice Care

As someone or a loved one starts hospice care, you should know what to expect

Primary Examination

The hospice team will attentively inspect your health status, symptoms, and personal preferences in order to develop a care program that will best suit you.

Specialized Care Team

This will be done by a team of specialists in the form of doctors, nurses, social workers, counselors, aides, and volunteers who will collaborate to offer total support.

Pain Management

The key objective is to alleviate pain and the symptoms to allow you to feel as much comfort as possible. Treatments and medicines are tailored to your comfort.

Emotional & Spiritual Direction

Hospice also addresses your emotional well-being and spiritual orientation through counseling, visits by your chaplain and groups that are patient and family sessions.

Continual Care Planning

Your care plan is constantly revised to reflect your upward and downward changes in health and preference, both medical and personal, and supportive.

Whenever Needed

Paying attention is most of the work of hospice and 24/7 access to medical guidance and assistance can be requested; help is boundless.

Caregiver Assistance

There is training and guidance offered to the families and respite care may even be offered temporarily to take the pressure of caregiving off.

Equipment and Supplies Provided

Hospice supplies you with any type of equipment you need in your place, such as a hospital bed, oxygen treatments, medication, and wound care supplies.

End-of-Life Choices

Hospice fosters clear communication regarding end-of-life directives, including personal preferences, and ensures that end-of-life decisions are taken into account.

Grief and Bereavement Support

Families are not alone when a loved one dies, but they are offered support services such as grief counseling and bereavement services that help to make them through the grieving process.

Focus on Dignity and Respect

Within hospital care, everything is connected to maintaining dignity, autonomy, and adherence to the wishes of the patient.

Family Involvement

Hospice encourages family members to be a part of it by giving them education and other free communication that makes them feel part of the nursing process.