Hospice care addresses the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their loved ones, focusing on comfort and quality of life. Our support service provides care to patients wherever they reside: a personal home, the home of a loved one, an assisted living facility or a nursing home. Visits are made on a weekly basis, with a 24-hour, on-call nurse available for emergency needs or concerns.

The Hospice Care Team

• The registered nurse (RN) is often referred to as the “case manager.” Visit frequency varies from once per week to daily visits according to patient condition and needs, but typical visits are one to two times per week, lasting about 30 minutes to an hour. The RN is in frequent communication with the physician.
• Home health aides (HHA) address the personal care needs of the patient (such as bathing, dressing and grooming) and visit one to five times per week for about 45 minutes to an hour.
• Social workers (SW) address the psychosocial and non-medical needs of the patient and family (such as advance directives, community resources and grief/bereavement support) and visit at least once per month.
• The chaplain addresses spiritual needs, and visits are determined by the patient and chaplain.
• Referrals to music and massage therapy are determined by the hospice team.
• Our medical director, Dr. Jeffrey Marsh, and hospice physicians Drs. Laurie Hanne and Julia Provchy oversee care. House calls and telehealth visits are available.

The members of the hospice team visit, but they do not stay 24 hours per day.

Meeting Day-to-Day Care Needs

The patient’s day-to-day care needs are met through the following means, either individually or used in conjunction:

• Family, friends or loved ones: If a patient is at home, hospice staff make visits to support the patient and family and help to provide tools and tips to ensure needs are met.
• Private duty or paid help: If family or friend help is not available or increased assistance is needed, private duty or hired help may be necessary. Hospice can provide a list of agencies upon request.
• PASSPORT Program: This Medicaid-based program arranges home health aides to stay longer hours with the patient to provide care (this could be in addition to hospice home health aides). Speak with your hospice social worker if you are interested in applying.
• Veterans Administration (VA): The agency arranges home health aides to stay longer hours with the patient to provide care (this could be in addition to hospice home health aides). This is available to veterans who are established with VA services; if a veteran is not established, the hospice social worker can assist with this process.
• Assisted living and long-term care facilities: For patients whose needs exceed the abilities of family members and hired help, these types of facilities may be utilized. Private pay and Medicaid are accepted. Speak with your hospice social worker for how to begin this process and for a list of facilities in the area. Hospice care will follow the patient in this setting to coordinate with facility staff to ensure comfort needs are being met.