Hospice Care
There is a common myth that “hospice” means end-of-life care. We have had residents do very well and live for several months on hospice care.
Sometimes the family, resident and their doctor may choose to admit the resident to hospice care. This means that the resident will not receive care from the physician and will not go to the hospital (in most cases). The resident will now be served at home (Joy Senior Center) by the medical care team of the hospice company. Care teams of the hospice companies typically include a doctor, a visiting nurse, an aide who helps with services, a chaplain, and a social worker. The nurse is the point of contact for the family, as well as our team.
To make the switch to hospice, a consent form needs to be signed with the resident’s primary doctor. If the switch to hospice care is made in good time, it can provide a better quality life to your loved one. There are also times when residents feel better while on hospice care and the hospice team may suggest reverting the resident back to their primary care physician.
Our team has worked with several hospice companies including the largest national companies and some excellent local Hospice teams.
Once a resident is in hospice care, Joy Senior Center will meet with the hospice company’s nurse and the family to devise the perfect care plan for your loved one. This will lead your loved one to live their life to the fullest! Sometimes the condition of your loved one may change swiftly, and when this happens we communicate with the hospice team as well as their family, immediately. Usually we need extra support and time from the family, especially when the resident approaches the end-stage of their life.
Hospice care involves extra care for the resident. This results in significant documentation, communication and involves visiting the resident in bed by multiple individuals. We strongly recommend residents to be in a private room if they are going on a hospice plan.
