What Is Hospice
What is Hospice?
Definition: Hospice is a coordinated program of palliative (comfort, rather than aggressive) care and support services designed to meet unique needs of patients and families facing a limited life expectancy.
Services are provided through a medically-directed interdisciplinary team of professionals physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, aides, therapists, and volunteers. Bereavement services are available to families, up to one-year following the patients death.
Refer a Patient to Hospice care in San Diego.
How hospice differs from other types of healthcare:
- Hospice offers palliative, rather than curative treatment
- Hospice treats the person, not the disease
- Hospice emphasizes quality, rather than length of life
- Hospice considers the entire family, not just the patient, the unit of care
- Hospice offers help and support to the patient and the family on a 24 hour/day, seven days/week basis
- Hospice care is provided through an interdisciplinary, medically directed team. This team approach to care for dying persons typically includes a physician, a nurse, a home health aide, a social worker, a chaplain and a volunteer.
The hospice nurse makes regularly scheduled visits to the patient providing expert pain management and symptom control techniques. Throughout the time that the patient is under the care of hospice, the nurse keeps the primary physician informed of the patient’s condition.
Nurses provide the complete spectrum of skilled nursing care and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Hospice Aides provide assistance with the personal care of the patient.
Social workers provide assistance with practical and financial concerns as well as emotional support, counseling and bereavement follow-up. They evaluate the need for volunteers and other support services needed by the family and facilitate communication between the family and community agencies.
Chaplains provide spiritual support to patients and families, often serving as a liaison between them and their religious community. Chaplains often assist with memorial services and funeral arrangements.
Avalon Hospice & Palliative Care is located in San Diego, California. People in need of Hospice care in San Diego County, as well as the surrounding community will be served faithfully in their homes, skilled nursing facilities, as well as board and care facilities.
