Most patients will start their hospice journey with routine home care, and at iServe Healthcare, we understand the significance of this journey. That is why our skilled and compassionate care team strives to ensure the comfort and dignity of our patients wherever they call home.
What is Home Care?
Routine home care is the first level of hospice care and can be provided wherever the patient calls home. For example, this could be the individual private home, a nursing home, or wherever they plan to stay for the duration of their illness.
Services included in routine home care are:
- Regular nursing visits
- Social worker visits
- Spiritual and emotional support for both the patients and their families
- Physician visits
- Physical, speech, and occupational therapy
- Medication administration to manage pain and symptoms
- Medical equipment and supplies
When is it Time for Home Care?
Deciding to put yourself or a loved one into hospice care is a big decision, and you may be wondering how you know when it’s time. Some signs and conditions can help you decide if it’s time for hospice. These include:
- A terminal diagnosis with a life expectancy of six months or less
- A sudden decline in health over the past six months despite aggressive curative treatments
- Frequent trips to the ER or hospitalizations
- Physical symptoms like losing the desire to eat and significant body changes, and weight loss
- Inability to perform daily living tasks
- Decline in mental cognitive functions like alertness, mental confusion, and increased sleeping
- Rapid decline in conditions like shortness of breath, uncontrolled pain, frequent infections, and shortness of breath
- Wanting to focus on quality of life over aggressive curative treatments
We recommend chatting with your doctor or the iServe Hospice care team if you’re not sure about your decision.
How Does Routine Hospice Care Work?
Curious about how the process works? Your or your loved one’s hospice journey will start with a consultation and evaluation. During this period the care team of nurses, doctors and social workers will work together to create a care plan suited to your needs.
The first couple of days of hospice will be busy as equipment and supplies are delivered. Patients will need to get used to their new routine.
