Hospice

Hospice Care Gives Terminally Ill Patients Dignity, Peace, and Comfort in Their Final Days

Our team of professionals and volunteers provides kind and competent hospice care to patients with a life expectancy of six months or less. Franciscan hospice affirms and celebrates life and regards dying as a natural process, recognizing that every person has the right to die with dignity, peace and comfort.

Why consider hospice care?

Unique physical, emotional, spiritual, social and financial needs occur during the final phases of life-limiting illness. Hospice provides experienced, skilled specialists who give needed help and support during this difficult time. Your hospice team works with the attending physician and family to develop care which meets the patient/family needs and wishes concerning treatment and lifestyle.

What does hospice care include?

Franciscan hospice continues the ministry of Christ through compassionate care of the patient regardless of his or her ethnic or faith background, or ability to pay. Our skilled and compassionate team cares for patients with a variety of conditions, such as heart, lung, liver or kidney disease; Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia; all forms of cancer and other end-stage conditions.

Medical Care: Hospice provides the most aggressive pain management available. Hospice stays abreast of the latest in pain management techniques and is adept at teaching the families themselves how to administer medication by a variety of means.

Emotional and Spiritual Support: The hospice team includes spiritual care coordinators who help patients and families come to terms with the process of dying.  Social workers can provide counseling and help arrange access to community resources.

Practical Support: The chores of daily living can be overwhelming to the caregiver. Hospice can relieve some of the burden performing many functions, including sitting by the bedside, to allow the caregiver an opportunity to take a break from continuous care.

Financial Relief: Most patients receiving Hospice care access the Medicare Hospice Benefit. The Medicare Hospice benefit covers all hospice services. Hospice also accepts Medicaid and private insurance. The financial services specialists at hospice will assist in negotiating with individual carriers.

Bereavement Care: The bereavement care staff at hospice will follow the family for a full 13 months after the death of the loved one. In addition to monthly newsletters sent to the family, hospice offers both short term bereavement education classes and long-term bereavement support.