What is Hospice Care
Hospice is a philosophy of care that helps reduce clinical, emotional and spiritual suffering for the patient and family near end of life. Hospice embraces a holistic approach of interdisciplinary care that upholds and respects the patient’s wants, needs and traditions and helps the patient and family focus on what is important to them.
Evercare’s interdisciplinary team includes physicians, nurses, certified nursing aides, chaplains, social workers and trained volunteers who provide clinical care as well as emotional and spiritual support to patients and their loved ones. This team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, should needs or questions arise.
Different levels of hospice care are provided depending on the patient’s and family’s needs.
- Routine home care. This is provided where the patient lives and there is no time limit associated with it, as long as the patient continues to meet hospice eligibility criteria.
- Respite care. This care is limited to a five-day stay per occurrence and is provided to give a break or rest to the caregiver.
- Continuous care. For this type of hospice care, a skilled nursing need exists, and the continuous care is then provided where the patient lives. A nurse and a nursing assistant typically will split the 24-hour care provided for the patient. This care is usually only provided occasionally, as needs arise.
- General inpatient care. This care is provided for brief periods to manage acute symptoms that cannot be handled in other settings. It may be required for procedures associated with pain or symptom control, and it can be provided in a contracted hospital or skilled nursing facility.
The level of hospice care required is determined in collaboration with the Evercare Hospice team. Learn more about hospice care by reading the Evercare Hospice brochure for patients and families, or contact the Evercare near you.
