Hospice Quinte: Changing Lives Podcast

Receiving Care in a Hospice Residence

August 18, 2021 Hospice Quinte Season 4 Episode 23
Hospice Quinte: Changing Lives Podcast
Receiving Care in a Hospice Residence
Show Notes Transcript

When asked, most people say they want to spend their last days at home.  And while supports for home death are improving, sometimes a family finds they need help twenty-four hours a day.  In that case, a hospice residence might be the best option.  A hospice residence is a home away from home where people come to live their final days.  When a person enters a hospice residence, it allows their family to hand over all the intricate details associated with pain and symptom management and focus on being a family member or friend.  Learn more about receiving care in hospice residence in this week's podcast.

About Hospice Quinte
Hospice Quinte provides individuals, their families, and caregivers with compassionate end of life care, by attending to their physical, psychosocial, and practical needs, and offering empathetic care to those who are grieving through visiting hospice services and support groups.  All Hospice Quinte programs and services are provided by compassionate, well-trained volunteers and staff at no charge to the individual or their family.  

Hospice Quinte serves a population of over 102,000 in Quinte West, Belleville, Deseronto, Tyendinaga Township and the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. To find out more visit HospiceQuinte.ca.

Support the show

Listen on 91x FM
You can listen to episodes of "Changing Lives" on 91x FM each Monday (except for holidays) at 9:05am. Hospice Quinte is grateful to the support that 91x FM provides in producing the "Changing Lives" podcast.

About Hospice Quinte
Hospice Quinte provides individuals, their families, and caregivers with compassionate end of life care, by attending to their physical, psychosocial, and practical needs, and offering empathetic care to those who are grieving through visiting hospice services and support groups. All Hospice Quinte programs and services are provided by compassionate, well-trained volunteers and staff at no charge to the individual or their family.

Hospice Quinte serves a population of over 102,000 in Quinte West, Belleville, Deseronto, Tyendinaga Township and the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. To find out more visit HospiceQuinte.ca.

When asked, most people say they want to spend their last days at home.  And while supports for home death are improving, sometimes a family finds they need help twenty-four hours a day.  In that case, a hospice residence might be the best option.

A hospice residence is a home away from home where people come to live their final days.  When a person enters a hospice residence, it allows their family to hand over all the intricate details associated with pain and symptom management and focus on being a family member or friend.  

Some people think that a hospice residence is more expensive to maintain than a hospital.  This is false.  Hospice care saves the health care system money, as the daily cost of a hospice bed is about one-third of that of a hospital bed.  Hospice residences save healthcare dollars while providing people with another choice for end of life care that is often more enriching for all those involved.  

There is good news for people who might be concerned that they can’t afford care in a hospice residence.  Services at the Hospice Quinte Care Centre are provided at no cost.  

In order to be eligible for care in a hospice residence, a physician must first diagnose the patient with a terminal illness.  This occurs when treatment is no longer effective or when a patient has decided they want to focus on quality of life over aggressive treatment plans.  Many patients come to hospice residences when they know they are at the very last stages of their illness.  Often, families have discussed hospice residence care as an option, or on the advice and recommendation of their doctor, family health team, or local home and community care support services organization.  Care in a hospice residence is for those in the last three months of life.  The average stay in a hospice residence is about three weeks.

Care in a hospice residence is provided by an interdisciplinary team who provides care encompassing the individual and their family's holistic needs.  For example, at the Hospice Quinte Care Centre, there is a clinical team comprised of personal support workers and nurses working together to provide the best care for the patients and families in our community.  Volunteers and other program staff are also on hand to provide emotional support for residents and their families.

Hospice care can be included in your Advance Care Plan.  Advance care planning involves making decisions ahead of time about the health care you would want to receive at end of life.  Studies have shown that patients that have participated in advance care planning receive care that is more aligned with their wishes and are more satisfied with their care. 

When you enter the Hospice Quinte Care Centre, each hospice resident will have a comfortable, private bedroom so their loved ones can remain at beside around the clock.  The surroundings are comfortable, homey and tranquil.

Our Hospice Quinte Care Centre has six resident suites with private washrooms, private patios with views of green space, accommodation for overnight guests in each bedroom, a bright open-concept kitchen and dining space, laundry facilities for families, and a quiet/spiritual area.  Nurses are also on site 24 hours a day to ensure your loved one is well cared for with proper pain management and support.  

Hospice residence care staff members and volunteers are kind and caring. They communicate well, are good listeners, and want to support families during the last stage of an advanced illness. They are usually specially trained in the unique issues surrounding death and dying and are given support to help with the emotional demands of the job.

Hospice Quinte provides individuals, their families, and caregivers with compassionate end of life care, by attending to their physical, psychosocial, and practical needs, and offering empathetic care to those who are grieving through visiting hospice services and support groups.  All Hospice Quinte programs and services are provided by compassionate, well-trained volunteers and staff at no charge to the individual or their family.  We serve a population of over 102,000 in Quinte West, Belleville, Deseronto, Tyendinaga Township and the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.