Hospice Care

Your loved one is slowing down. She may be needing significant help with her daily activities. He may need continuous oxygen or have difficulty swallowing. As you consider these changing realities for you and your family, know that hospice care is here to lift some of the heaviness so that you can be wholly present to enjoy the time you have together. Signs it might be time for hospice care include:

• A Decline in Overall Physical/Mental Status
• A Need for Help With Most Daily Activities (Bathing, Dressing, Toileting, Eating)
• Continuous Use of Oxygen
• Difficulty Swallowing
• Frequent Hospitalizations or Emergency-Room Visits
• Multiple Medical Problems or Diagnoses
• Profound Weakness or Fatigue
• Recurrent Edema/Swelling
• Repeat Infections (Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Urinary Tract Infections)
• Shortness of Breath or Chest Pain at Rest
• Significant, Unintentional Weight Loss in the Last Six Months
• Uncontrolled Pain or Vomiting

When the time comes for you to engage hospice care for your loved one, you will not be alone. We will be here, marking the moments with you and doing all we can to make sure that you have the emotional support you need to mark them, too.

As a caregiver motivated by love and compassion, you somehow manage to do it all. It's emotionally and physically exhausting, but you wouldn't have it any other way. Let us help. Once your loved one enters hospice, your hospice care team at AdventHealth will work with you in providing day-to-day care. Your team will include your loved one's primary physician, a hospice physician, nurse case manager, social worker, volunteer coordinator, chaplain, hospice aide, and a bereavement counselor, all of whom stand ready to provide quality-of-life-focused care. The hospice services we provide include:

• 24-Hour On-Call Medical Staff and Nurse Support
• Advanced Care Planning
• Caregiver Support
• Care Levels
• Grief Support
• Hospice Care Services
• Hospice Care Team
• Inpatient Unit
• Medication, Supplies, and Medical Equipment
• Resources

We know that this is the most difficult transition that you and your loved one will face, and we offer an array of hospice services, education, and support, as well as a team of loving and compassionate volunteers to guide your family through this important time. It is our mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ, and our honor to provide whole-person care, not just for your loved one but for you, that envelops the body, comforts the mind, and nurtures the spirit throughout this time of your life.

Just because your loved one has entered hospice care, it doesn't mean they've stopped being present in the world. As long as she's talking, she can still sing. As long as his eyes are open, he can still enjoy the beauty of life. The nurses and volunteers in our hospice care program are dedicated to adding life to your loved one's days, not just through pain management, but by creating an environment that fosters beautiful and meaningful moments. In everything we do, our desire is to show God's love in both the most practical and exceptional ways. We want to provide care that makes your loved one feel truly alive. We are here to support you and your loved one whenever you need us.