What is Hospice Care
Hospice care: Care designed to give supportive care to people that are suffering from a terminal illness and focus on comfort and quality of life, rather than cure. The goal is to enable patients to be comfortable and free of pain, so that they live each day as fully as possible.
Hospice provides several different methods of pain control. Hospice programs are home-based, but they also provide services away from home -- in freestanding facilities, in nursing homes, or assisted living communities. The philosophy of hospice is to provide support for the patient's emotional, social, and spiritual needs as well as medical symptoms as part of treating the whole person.
Hospice programs generally use a multidisciplinary team approach, including the services of a nurse, doctor, social worker and a spiritual counselor in providing care. Additional services provided include medication to control pain and manage other symptoms; physical, occupational, and speech therapy; medical supplies and equipment; dietary and other counseling; continuous home care at times of crisis; and bereavement services. Volunteer services are also part of the circle of hospice care.
Although hospice care does not aim for cure of the terminal illness, it may treat potentially curable conditions such as pneumonia and bladder infections, with antibiotics if necessary. Hospice programs also offer respite care within skilled nursing facilities, who take over the patient's care so that the family or other primary caregivers can attend to other family matters or simply take a few days to rest.
Who Pays for Hospice?
Graceland Hospice bills directly to Medicare, Medicaid, and/or private insurance for hospice in Orange and Los Angeles counties. These benefits usually cover 100% of all aspects of hospice care, including medications, supplies and equipment related to the terminal illness. Hospice encourages referrals early on, so that the patient and family may receive maximum benefit from the comprehensive services that we provide.
The Hospice Team
Hospice and Palliative Care Board Certified Medical Director Offer their expertise in pain and symptom management and oversee the patient’s hospice care
Registered Nurse Manage patient's symptoms, provide education to patients and caregivers and coordinate care with the rest of the hospice team.
Certified Home Health Aide Provide compassionate personal treatments such as bathing, nail and skin care, and grooming. Patients benefit from gentle hands offering a light massage.
Social Worker Conduct psychosocial assessments and provide counseling, education and other skilled interventions to enhance patient and family coping.
Spiritual Counselor / Chaplain Offer spiritual care in accordance with the wishes of the patient and family, often coordinating with the patient's clergy or religious leader.
Bereavement Counselor Offer individual and group grief support and counseling to patients, families, and caregivers. Services are offered throughout the duration of hospice care and are followed by thirteen months of bereavement support.
Trained Hospice Volunteer Provide companionship and a calming presence to the patient. They may also offer short periods of respite to the caregiver to allow them to run an errand or keep an appointment.
