When a loved one is terminally ill, its a physically and emotionally draining time for the patient and their loved ones. A massive benefit of hospice care is that it isn’t just for the patient. The hospice team is there to support the entire family.
Hospice care begins at the referral. The Admissions Team at St. Anthony’s Hospice will ask questions to learn more about your loved one’s current conditions and wishes from the program. This is your opportunity to ask some questions and learn about the services offered by St. Anthony’s Hospice, including how we support the family.
Starting Hospice
Hospice care can be provided wherever the patient calls home- house, apartment, SNF, ALF, or the Lucy Smith King Care Center.
For patients in an assisted living facility, hospice care supports both the family and the facility staff by providing an increased level of care. Our experience in end-of-life care provides the patient and family with an extra set of eyes and ears in the home, tracking symptoms, managing them, and increasing visits as needed based on the patient’s needs. In addition to nurses and aides, the patient will also receive visits from a chaplain, social worker, an volunteers to ensure all of their needs are being met- physical, emotional,
spiritual, and social.
For patients at home, our team adds to the care the family is already providing. Hospice care does not mean that we take over all responsibilities of the primary caregiver; however we work alongside the caregiver and provide the medical care. All medication, medical equipment, and medical supplies related to the patient’s hospice diagnosis are delivered to the home at no cost to the family. That’s right, everything is included in the patient’s hospice benefit! The St. Anthony’s Hospice clinicians will provide training and education to the caregiver to ensure the patient is receiving optimal care both when we are in the home and when we are not.
We are 9-1-1 for the Hospice Patient
Caring for a loved one with a terminal illness is very stressful. Symptoms can change quickly or the patient can become restless and fall out of bed. That’s why St. Anthony’s Hospice is available 24/7 to answer questions and make visits, should an emergent situation arise.
Rather than calling 9-1-1 to get an ambulance or bundling up the patient to go to the ER, you just call St. Anthony’s Hospice. We can help keep your loved one where he/she wants to be while managing their symptoms and ensuring they have the right level of care.
Should a need arise where the patient does need hospitalization to control symptoms, that’s what the Lucy Smith King Care Center is for. Not only can a patient pay room & board to live there, but it is also used for respite care and as our “hospice hospital.”
Respite Care
Even with the extra help that hospice provides in the home, caregivers still need (and deserve) a break. St. Anthony’s Hospice offers respite care. This can be a volunteer coming into the home and sitting with the patient for an hour or few while the caregiver runs out to do errands, or take a little break. Or respite care can take place at the Lucy Smith King Care Center for up to 5 days while the caregiver goes on a vacation, has a staycation, attends a wedding or graduation ,or just simply tends to their own home and needs there.
Ongoing Hospice Family Care
Grief is a natural and healthy response to the loss of a loved one. We understand that everyone grieves differently. St. Anthony’s has bereavement support that lasts for up to 15 months after a loved one passes away, or longer should the loved one need it. And our bereavement services are completely free to everyone in the community, not just families of St. Anthony’s Hospice patients.
If you have a loved one in need of hospice or palliative care, please call us at (270) 826-2326 or make an online referral.
