There are situations where a person – or their family – decides that pursuing ongoing treatment is no longer in an individual’s best interests; where, instead of putting someone through additional surgeries or intensive medical care, it is decided that the better solution is to allow them to live out their final days in a way that feels as comfortable and natural as possible.
That is when a person enters “Hospice” sometimes referred to as “End of Life” care. The decision to choose hospice care is never an easy one, but when it is made, the most important thing is to ensure that the individual is spending their final days as comfortable and cared for as possible.
Traditional Hospice vs. At Home Hospice Care
Traditional hospice care, at least in today’s world, tends to take place in a hospice ward of a hospital or in a dedicated hospice facility. These places can be wonderful, and there are many situations when choosing this option makes sense for the patient.
But when a patient has a place that they call home, many of them prefer the idea of living out their life on their property and spending their days at a place that feels safe – a place with memories, where friends and family can more easily visit, and where they (when physically able) can engage in activities that are personal to them.
American River Healthcare – through our American River Hospice Care company – offers this “at home” hospice care service which, as the name implies, is designed to provide hospice care services from the patient’s home, or a property that they feel comfortable (such as a family member’s). During hospice, the person will receive anything they need to be as comfortable as possible:
- Medications to ease pain and suffering.
- Help around the home.
- Spiritual counseling.
- Support with diet and wellness.
- Therapy for mental health, speech, or movement.
- Medical services, and more.
What makes this different is that all of these services take place inside of the home. Unlike when care occurs in an inpatient setting, such as a hospital, the patients in our hospice care benefit from:
- Positive Environment – Patients are in a place they know, and one where they feel safer, more comfortable, and more private.
- Fewer Interruptions – We’ll be there to attend to their needs, but the rest of the time they are free to feel and think without frequent interruption or external noise.
- Personalized Attention – During our hospice care, there are no interruptions and we are always available to focus solely on our patients.
At-home hospice care gives the patient and their families more control over their environment, along with far more comfort for those that would like the feeling of being home.
Serving the Sacramento community, American River is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our services, or to schedule some time to talk to you about a loved one.