Hospice care treats the 5 types of pain- physical, psychological, financial, spiritual, and social- through an interdisciplinary team approach. St. Anthony’s Hospice knows pain! We surround each hospice and palliative patient with a team of experts who work together to develop a personalized care plan for each patient’s need.
Our palliative interdisciplinary team consists of a nurse practitioner, registered nurse, and social worker. This team ensures the patient’s needs are being met and provides medical, emotional, and social support the patient requires. Our patient’s goals are our goals! We work with our patient, their provider(s), and their specialist(s) to develop a care plan to provide relief of the symptoms and stresses that the patient may face; we do not take the place of the patient’s physician(s). Additionally, we provide education to help our patients understand their disease process and treatment options.
Our hospice interdisciplinary team consists of our medical directors (physicians), nurse practitioner, nurses, nurse aides, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers. Also, a patient can keep his/her own physician, should their physician choose to remain a part of the care team. Each member of the patient’s care team is expertly trained to meet all needs of the patient. Your care team assists with pain and symptom control, medication management, bathing, companionship, wound care, and so much more.
Our hospice nurses will fill pill planners, educate caregivers on how to administer medications, provide wound care, and educate on the disease process. Our aides will assist in bathing the patient, as well as any grooming or everyday needs the patient may have. Our chaplains and social workers will help you work through any stress or negative emotions you might have. Our social workers can even help with funeral arrangements and legal documents such as Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Do Not Resuscitate orders, etc. These are only a small bit of the benefits of the interdisciplinary team!
The longer the patient is in hospice or palliative care, the more the patient will benefit from the interdisciplinary team approach. The patient will be comfortable on all 5 levels and he/she will maintain their dignity and independence for as long as possible.
Hospice care does not mean you are giving up on your loved one. It is extra help to ensure your loved one is comfortable and both you and your loved one have all the help and support you need.
If you or a loved one could benefit from St. Anthony’s expert hospice or palliative care, call us today at (270) 826-2326 or make an online referral, and see how we can help you! Anyone can refer someone to hospice or palliative care, just make the call and we will help you with the rest.
