Hospice Care & Palliative Care

Definition of Palliative Care:

The definition of palliative care is care that provides relief from symptoms of a serious illness and side effects of treatments. Palliative care is an option before there is a need for hospice. Patients can receive palliative care when they’re first diagnosed with a serious illness. They can also receive care while working toward a cure or transitioning to end-of-life care. With the support of palliative care, patients may be able to feel better, continue working and doing daily activities, and recover.

Here are some important facts about the definition of palliative care:

The main goals of palliative care are helping patients feel better and improving their quality of life.
Palliative care is a consult-based program with nurse practitioners who help patients and families manage chronic illnesses such as cancer, dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and kidney, heart, and lung diseases.
Some of the services commonly offered in palliative care are pain and symptom management, goals of care discussions, advanced care planning, family meetings, education, and support.
Patients can transition from palliative care to hospice care as their disease progresses toward the end of life.
Some of the professionals that may be on the palliative care team are doctors, nurses, dietitians, social workers, and chaplains.

Definition of Hospice Care:

Hospice is defined as care for people in the later stages of serious illness who are expected to live months rather than years. People often choose hospice care when treatment is no longer working or they don’t want to continue treatments to try to cure a terminal disease. Hospice is for people who want to maximize the time they have left, surrounded by what matters most to them.

Here are some important facts about the hospice definition:

The focus of hospice care is the comfort and quality of life.
Hospice includes palliative care, plus added services.
Hospice services may include regular visits from nurses, nurses’ aides, social workers, chaplains, and trained volunteers.
Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans cover hospice costs for qualifying patients.
Hospice can be provided wherever the patient calls home. This includes a private home or facilities like a nursing home, hospital, or hospice center.
Family caregivers get a lot of support while their loved one is on hospice. This may include education, respite care, and bereavement support.

What is Hospice Care and What Function does it Serve?

Hospice Care provides palliative treatment for patients with a terminal illness who are approaching the end of their lives. Interest comfort care focused on improving the quality of life of patients after they have chosen to seek curative treatment no longer, usually six months or less.

Hospice is integrative. It addresses the clinical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the patient. Hospice care respects the patients’ objectives and wishes for end-of-life care. In doing so, hospice patients often can live the remaining days, weeks, and months with affection, comfort, and dignity. In many cases, for a more extended period than they would if they were to continue seeking curative treatments until death.

Although hospice care focuses on patients with advanced disease, Nevada Hospice Care ensures family members of patients and caregivers also get support throughout this entire ordeal:

We can provide family members or loved ones with all the day-to-day care and activities
We offer opportunities for hospice respite care
We offer 24/7 intensive in-home care
We have excellent and effective emotional, spiritual, and long-term grief support teams.

Four Levels Of Hospice Care

Hospice Home Care

Most hospice home care provides you with comfort in your own home or a family member’s home or wherever the patient calls home. It could be a private residence, the family member’s home, nursing facilities, or assisted living facility.

24/7 Home Hospice Care

When 24hr medical care is necessary, Nevada Hospice Care has a knowledgeable staff that can manage your needs. Wherever the patient chooses to live, our team will work in shifts to provide 24hr care seven days a week so the patient can avoid hospitalization.

Inpatient Hospice Care

If the patients’ needs cannot be contained at their respective homes. Nevada Hospice Care will be able to provide inpatient beds at local facilities. Here, constant care and the ability to manage uncontrolled symptoms will be delivered until the patient can be discharged to return home.

Respite Hospice Care

Respite care provides a brief “respite” for the primary caregiver of the patient. Limited to five days by admitting patients to an inpatient setting or an existing residence without fulfilling the criteria of hospitalization pain and symptom management.