August 2017: Choosing a Hospice Provider or Facility - What To Look For, Questions to Ask
Knowing when it’s time for hospice—for yourself or a loved one—is one among many difficult decisions to make at the end of life. But, making the right choice of a hospice provider or residence can make a tremendous difference in how a patient and one’s family and friends experience this very significant phase in one’s life.
As we’ve written in a previous post, people usually enter hospice once it is determined that further medical treatment or procedures will not provide a cure and lifesaving measures will not be pursued. Accepting that recovery is not possible opens doors to a new phase of care, with hospice’s holistic approach to providing quality time for as long as that person has.
There are several ways to access hospice services—in the home, in a healthcare environment such as hospital or nursing home, or in a hospice residence. Regardless of the setting, of vital importance is that the patient finds peace of mind with immediate availability of trained medical practitioners and supportive services such as pastoral counselors or various integrative therapies (e.g., music therapy, canine therapy, massage or aromatherapy are examples of these).
What to look for when looking for hospice care
Whether you’ve received a referral from a medical provider or social worker, a family member or a friend, it’s important to know what to ask when you are exploring hospice care and providers. With the patient’s comfort and safety at the top of the list, you should ask these questions:
At Center for Hope, we offer a range of hospice services that are focused on providing the utmost comfort and care for each and every patient we serve. For information about hospice in our residences or in the community, contact us at (908) 889-7780.
The Center for Hope Hospice & Palliative Care
Peggy's House & the Center's Administrative Offices: 1900 Raritan Road, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
Center for Hope - Elizabeth: 111 DeHart Place, Elizabeth, NJ 07202
The Hope Chest: 26 Prospect Street, Westfield, NJ 07090
908.889.7780
Copyright © Center for Hope. All rights reserved.