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Catholic Community Hospice offers special services to address the needs of seriously ill patients in nursing facilities and to complement care already being received by the facility.
Hospice care is for patients who are focused on comfort and can be most helpful to patients who have a prognosis of months, rather than weeks. A plan of care is designed for each patient, customized to meet the patient’s needs and improve quality of life.
A registered nurse offers specialized care and also organizes services with the facility staff and with the other members of the Catholic Community Hospice team. Chaplains, home health aides, social workers, volunteers and other therapists are available to visit the patient and family and provide support.
Services includes:
- Frequently assessing and reviewing the patient’s situation and comfort.
- Dealing with pain and other symptoms and revising medications when needed to increase comfort, energy conservation and improve the quality of life.
- Aid with nursing procedures and other technical help.
- Teaching the patient and family about care needs, the disease process, nutrition, medications, physical changes and emotions.
- Family updates, especially those who live out of town.
- Organizing services and communicating with the patient’s physician.
- Medications, equipment, oxygen and other needed items.
- Offering support to ease emotional and spiritual distress for the patient and family.
- On-call nurses 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for questions and visits.
- Assistance assembling further resources if necessary.
- Help with bathing, dressing and other personal care.
- Collaborating with the patient, family and facility staff to jointly resolve any issues that may arise.
Working in Partnership with Nursing Facilities
A very important part of what Catholic Community Hospice does is act as a team with the facility staff to assist in meeting the patient’s needs and to offer added encouragement for family members.
Hospice care does not take the place of the facility’s services but brings extra support and hospice knowledge to the patient’s side. Our staff specialize in working with patients who have life-limiting illnesses, allowing nursing homes to focus on their specialties, which include rehabilitation and the prevention and treatment of disease and disability in later life. We can provide additional support to the facility staff as well.
Personalized Care
As a patient’s needs change, the Catholic Community Hospice team adjusts visits and care accordinggly, corresponding with the facility staff.
Patients and families also can find support through Catholic Community Hospice’s 11th Hour program, in which volunteers and staff offer peaceful companionship to patients who are in their final hours of life. The program is for patients and family who need extra support or have no loved ones nearby.
How Service Begins
Service starts with a phone call from the patient’s doctor, a nursing facility staff member, hospital staff member, a family member or the patient. Call 913-621-5090 to schedule an informational visit to see how Catholic Community Hospice can help and whether hospice or another program is right for you. Or, contact us online.
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th of May. Her full-time job is on-call nurse during the week for all of our patients. Due to several nurses being out due to illness in May Kathy graciously agreed to also work during the daytime hours and make patient visits. Kathy is a very compassionate and caring nurse to all the patients she sees. Thank you Kathy.