Hospice care is an essential support system for individuals who are terminally ill, and for families or loved ones who are taking care of a terminally ill patient. If you are wondering whether hospice care includes 24-hour bedside care on a continuous basis, the answer is that it depends on the patient’s condition. Hospice manages the overall medical care of the patient while providing regularly scheduled visits, and visits 24/7 when for example a family member reports a concern regarding the patient or a change in the patient’s condition. When our patients and families need extra caregiving assistance (not medical), our Social Workers can direct you to several great caregiving agencies. While Agape Hospice NW’s services are free to patients and families (Physicians, Nursing services, medical equipment, medical supplies, medications, social services, CNA’s, Spiritual & Bereavement Counselors, and volunteers), extra caregiving services may be an out-of-pocket expense. In-home caregiving can provide supplemental support that can be immensely helpful for hospice patients. With in-home care, the patient can receive personalized attention and assistance with daily tasks, such as grooming, medication management, and meal preparation. This type of care also allows the patient to be surrounded by familiar surroundings and loved ones, providing a sense of comfort and security. While most hospice care is administered on a short-term or intermittent basis, there are instances when 24-hour care may be necessary to stabilize a patient and control pain. This type of care is called Continuous Care and is administered by one of our nurses for at least 8 hours, and up to 24 hours in a 24-hour period. Hospice care providers can arrange for this type of care if it is deemed medically necessary by the hospice physician.

Routine vs Continuous Care

For many patients and their families, Routine Care is sufficient and is the care most frequently covered by a hospice benefit. With routine care, the patient receives home visits either a few times a week or, in some cases daily by our multidisciplinary care team, including Nurses, Hospice Physicians, Hospice Aides, Social Workers, Chaplains, Bereavement Specialists, and Volunteers. Continuous care is provided during a period of crisis as necessary to maintain an individual at home. This is a period in which a patient requires continuous care that is predominantly nursing care to achieve palliation or management of acute medical symptoms including, severe pain, bleeding, acute respiratory distress, nausea, terminal agitation, or restlessness.

While these are two different types of care, Agape Hospice NW’s focus will always be to manage pain, provide emotional support, and maintain the patient’s quality of life.

The Option of Private-Pay Home Care

Family caregivers of hospice patients have the difficult task of providing day-to-day care for their loved ones during the final months of life. Being a caregiver for a loved one can be very physically and emotionally challenging. Someone caring for a loved one who is dying can often feel anger, grief, and overwhelmed. Not to mention, caring for a loved one can be physically exhausting. Hospice care with in-home caregiving can provide a great deal of comfort and support both for the patient and their loved ones. Hospice is meant to provide support to patients whose medical needs can be met with 24/7 on-call nursing, along with frequent home visits. However, hospice care alone may not always be enough for the patient’s well-being, and for the loved ones taking care of the patient. At Agape Hospice NW, our team manages the overall care the patient and their loved ones. Private in-home caregiving can provide supplemental support that can be immensely helpful. With in-home care, the patient can receive personalized attention and assistance with daily tasks, such as grooming, medication management, and meal preparation. This type of care also allows the patient to be surrounded by familiar surroundings and loved ones, providing a sense of comfort and security during their final days.

Call Agape for Compassionate Hospice Care

If you are looking for compassionate hospice care for your loved one, Agape Hospice NW is a wonderful option. Accredited by The Joint Commission, Agape strives to help our patients to live the remainder of their lives to the fullest, by improving the quality of life not only for our patients but also for their families. The Joint Commission is nationally recognized as the gold standard in health care, and Agape has met the organization’s enhanced requirements for patient safety and quality of care. We provide social workers, spiritual counselors, volunteers, bereavement counselors, and certified hospice aides, all under the direction of a medical director (physician) who is responsible for ensuring that the patient’s wishes are honored and each patient is receiving the highest level of care. We also provide registered nurses experienced in helping during this emotional time, as well as assessing the needs of the patient, and we are certified to care for patients on Medicare. For more information about how we can help, call (503) 628-9595 or contact us through our website.

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