AseraCare Hospice Overview

Hospice care is suitable when a patient with a terminal illness no longer benefits from medical treatment, and has a prognosis of living six months or less. It’s best to talk to your family member’s doctor to determine when hospice care may be appropriate.

It is our objective to help reduce the stress and pressure on our patients and their families, allowing them to make the most of their remaining time together. Professionals from AseraCare Hospice help manage the entire spectrum of challenges and needs related to a terminal diagnosis.

A person facing the end of life has many of the following concerns:

• Saying good-by to loved ones
• Reflecting on their life lived and the future to come
• Resolving any unfinished business (emotional, spiritual or financial)
• Pain or discomfort that changes hourly

When family members cannot be present, AseraCare Hospice staff and volunteers provide the following to our patients:

• Companionship
• Spiritual support
• Emotional support

Just as terminally ill patients need support, so do their families and loved ones. AseraCare Hospice works with those closest to our patients, helping them understand the needs of their loved one as well as their own grief process. Our Bereavement Services continue for up to a year following the patient’s death, the time most critical for processing the loss and returning to the flow of daily life.

Quality of life can mean different things to different people. In general, it focuses on both the physical and psychological aspects of living. The physical aspects include things such as health, diet and freedom from pain and suffering. The psychological aspect includes minimizing stress, worry, and other negative emotional states, so patients can savor their lives to the end, resolve any unfinished emotional issues and share the love of family and friends.