Once a senior must move from assisted living to journey through the higher level of care received in a skilled nursing facility, there may come a transition from attempting to cure illness and prolong life to preparing for dignity at the end of life. Today, Hospice is the leading medical care provider for maintaining or improving quality of life for someone whose illness, disease, or condition is unlikely to be cured.
While residents and their families often know what Hospice is, they may not know exactly how it helps them as well as skilled nursing care providers at this time of life.
The primary way Hospice helps is the medical provision for the individual. Most nursing and medical care providers are trained and experienced in prolonging life, but Hospice staff and processes look mainly at quality of life for the duration of a terminal condition. Because of that, Hospice provides an experienced team of healthcare providers who help their patients live their best life possible during the time they have remaining.
Also important to Hospice’s mission is the emotional and spiritual care of everyone involved in this time of grief. While the facility’s staff is focused on the resident, Hospice provides both staff and counselors to help the loved ones of the resident as well. This extra care is an important role as a family enters into the grieving process that comes with the loss of a precious loved one.
Finally, Hospice provides additional resources and experience during a critical time of life. The last moments of a person’s life are often moments an entire family will treasure for a long period of time, and Hospice excels in protecting the precious moments a family has left through physical, emotional, and spiritual care.
Our staff, residents, and residents’ family members all benefit from our relationship with Hospice care. Call Sherry at Pacific Care Center (636-271-4222) to ask about how to work with our care providers and with Hospice to provide improved quality of life for yourself or a loved one who is facing a terminal condition.
