Despite multiple studies citing its advantages, two-thirds of patients in the US with serious illnesses don’t opt for palliative care, according to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 

Hospice care shares the same outlook, in that the majority of Americans who could benefit from it don’t take advantage of its services. 

Palliative care, hospice care, and their benefits

Palliative care is specialized medical care that focuses on enhancing a person’s quality of life while receiving treatment for a serious illness, such as heart failure, cancer, or dementia. 

Hospice care, on the other hand, aims at elevating a patient’s quality of life and ensuring they receive care and comfort toward their final days of life. Both types of care comprise teams of doctors, nurses, doulas, and other medical professionals. 

Multiple studies, some tracing a decade ago, show that both palliative and hospice care produce excellent outcomes in patient and family satisfaction, improved symptom management, and healthcare cost reduction.

So why aren’t many Americans who could benefit greatly from palliative or hospice care still not on it?

Why Americans are missing out

A paper published in the National Library of Medicine found that Medicare’s beneficiaries spent only about 12% to 15% of the days of their last year of life under hospice care.

The author noted that though there may be various reasons why an individual may not undergo hospice care services, he also explained that such reasons include:

• Difficulties in acknowledging mortality among patients, their families, and physicians
• And, increasingly challenging and highly variable prognostic determinations for most of the leading causes of death 

The two reasons are interrelated. Medicare is the payer for most hospice care in the US. To qualify for hospice support, Medicare requires certification of a prognosis of six months or less. 

During hospice admission, Medicare also requires two physicians to predict that a patient is more likely to die within the next six months, based on clinical status. 

In the event that the patient outlives their expected prognosis, hospices may also be penalized once a thorough retrospective review by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and its payer contractors has been processed. 

The financial and legal repercussions of reviews and audits make certifying physicians and agencies fearful and hesitant to take patients under care, contributing to delaying or limiting a patient’s access to hospice care. 

On Americans missing out on enjoying palliative care, some physicians root the problem in finances. Since palliative care teams require health and hospital systems to make upfront investments, some don’t dare to do so since the ROI for such can actually be negative.

Another reason is some physician’s reticence in recommending palliative care to patients, which may stem from misunderstanding, confusing the service with hospice care. 

Effective legislation and proper education about palliative and hospice care are needed to shift the current status wherein these specialized forms of care are enjoyed only by the minority and not the majority of individuals who need them most. 

While waiting for such to materialize, you can begin to communicate about availing palliative or hospice care services with your loved ones who may soon need them. Open the discussion to all concerned family members who need to be involved in the decision-making and responsibility-sharing processes to ensure that your loved ones’ final days will be as comfortable and easy as possible. 

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By some twist of algorithm fate, you end up watching a video of an adult bathing, feeding, or giving their elderly parent a piggyback ride. 

It may be because it’s recorded in a forgotten corner of your search or watch history. Or maybe it just decided to offer you an idea of a reality many people deal with daily around the globe.

Parental caregiving challenges

The role of caregivers shifting from parents to children as the former reach their senior years is undeniable. The once capable and rearing parent becomes the helpless and frail individual as the toll of years of toil catches up to them. 

For those fortunate enough to have more than one caring offspring, that responsibility is usually shared and shouldered among siblings. In a way, these individuals often view it as a way of giving back to the special people who raised and guided them into adulthood. 

However, despite such gestures being borne out of love, it doesn’t come without its hardships and sacrifices. A few challenges that siblings  may face when sharing parental caregiving responsibilities for example:

·  Contrasting insights and opinions. What is the best level of care for a parent’s condition? How do you deliver it given the resources? What are the courses of action when both systemic and unexpected changes to your parents’ conditions take place?

These are only some of the questions that siblings face when deciding which routes of care to go for their parents, and conflict can arise when they have contrasting takes.

·  Unequal labor division. Sometimes, the most well-intended, sweetest conversations about taking on a responsibility can lend a sour, or at worst, bitter, feeling.

This arises when there seems to be an unequal labor distribution or when tasks previously agreed upon aren’t fulfilled. Especially when schedules don’t meet, other unexpected events happen, or when the load becomes overwhelming at times, this is challenging for the one bearing the weightier load.

Tapping the power of brotherly love

While disagreements and conflict may be unavoidable at times, there are different ways you can take to reduce conflicts into nothing but forgettable sibling spats.

·  Keep communication transparent. Providing care for aging parents is no short-term thing and requires commitment and constant honest communication from the beginning.

It’s best to first identify your parents’ caregiving needs. Then, assess what your pooled resources, time, and strength can currently provide.

In doing so, however, exercise transparency right off the bat and explain your current, and possibly, near-future situations (if yet unknown to your siblings), so you can set expectations clearly altogether.

Keep this kind of communication constant. Have meetings regularly, especially when situations change, so you can create an action plan and discuss options accordingly.

·  Extend understanding and help. When problems arise, it may be tempting to place blame, bring up past shortcomings, or remark “I told you so.” However — though it may take some practice — you’ll find that pausing, taking a deep breath, and seeking understanding is the better route to take.

Root out problems not to put anyone on the chopping block, but to discover what the cause is and what you can do to help with the situation. Along the way, you might find better solutions without producing any negative outcomes.

·  Plan ahead. As the adage advises, “Good fortune favors the prepared.” In the event that one or two things don’t push through, are there any backup plans?

What about making difficult decisions should eventualities like grave sickness arise? What do your parents prefer when their time comes? Do they wish to spend their final days in the hospital or at home?

Losing a loved one is never easy to imagine, much more face its reality. But planning ahead can help minimize the pain and discomfort for both parents and offspring alike.

As with friends, you and your siblings may not always see eye to eye on certain things. But if anyone can make things work, it’s those whom you shared a plate, a home, and almost a whole life with. Make your parents proud.

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Reminding humanity to apply diligent care to Earth —  the only known planet in the universe confirmed to host life — has been celebrated every 22nd of April since 1970.

In line with Earth Day’s vision to consider more sustainable and mutually beneficial activities for the planet and its dwellers, here are earth-friendly tips based on scientific research that you can use in planning nature-inspired and earth-friendly activities for seniors in your hospice care facility or at home. 

Ask your seniors

First, ask your seniors what they like doing. This ensures that whatever activities you include in your plan will have their seal of approval.

Doing activities that invite their interest not only helps assure their engagement but more importantly, leaves them with a sense of enjoyment, making it easier for you to ask them to do the activity again another time.

Or if the activity your seniors choose to do can be done indoors, you can encourage them to do so in a nearby park or the garden.

The nurture of nature: Benefits for the body

Seeing trees of green and roses of red doesn’t only make for a beautiful opening line for a song, as it turns out, it is scientifically proven to boost your physiological health as well. 

The authors of a study published in 2019 examined thirty-seven articles that presented evidence of the physiological effects of viewing nature. One of the purposes of the study was to discuss the potential of nature therapy as a type of preventive medicine. 

The majority of the studies, the authors noted, pointed to more relaxed body responses when viewing natural landscapes from display stimuli, such as photos, videos, and virtual reality than the control group.

Meanwhile, studies that used real nature stimuli reported that their participants experienced positive effects on the activities of their cerebral and autonomic nervous systems compared to participants of the control group. 

The nurture of nature: Benefits for the mind

A 2019 review by University of Chicago Ph.D. Marc Berman and his student, Kathryn Schertz, found that experimental and correlational research point to benefits for the brain when interacting with nature. 

They found that green views and spaces:

• Near schools – Show cognitive development in children
• Near children’s homes – Promote self-control behaviors
• In neighborhoods – Show better attentional functioning*

The study added that adults exposed to natural environments also lead to improved:

• Working memory
• Cognitive flexibility
• Attentional control

*The experiment studied adults assigned to public housing units exposed to more green spaces than those living in units with less access to natural environments. 

Even birdsongs — whether hearing them from live birds or a recording — alleviate negative emotions, studies show. 

So long as circumstances and their health allow it, including nature in activities you have in store for seniors in your hospice care facility or at home is an idea you can certainly rely on. After all, the Earth is the only known planet in the known universe that has the wonder that is nature — and all it has to offer. 

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As the first quarter of 2024 concludes, how is American healthcare doing thus far going into the fourth year of the 2020s? 

In 2023, The Commonwealth Fund reported that despite increased healthcare expenditure, the US had declining health outcomes as compared with other high-income nations. 

The statement came from the organization’s US Health Care from a Global Perspective report with data coming from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and other international sources.

The Commonwealth Fund is a private organization established in 1918 that aims to “promote a high-performing, equitable health care system.”

Contrasting outcomes

The US reportedly spent nearly 18% of its GDP on healthcare, yet Americans are less healthy and die younger than residents of other high-income countries. For additional context, the US spends three to four times more on healthcare than New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan.

Despite this however, the US had “the lowest life expectancy at birth, the highest death rates for avoidable or treatable conditions, and the highest maternal and infant mortality,” revealed the report. 

At a glance, OECD 2023 data shows that:

• American life expectancy: 3.9 years below the OECD average 
• Preventable mortality: 238 per 100,000 (the OECD average is 158)
• Treatable mortality: 98 per 100,000 (the OECD average is 79)

Understanding mortality data

In 2020, life expectancy at birth in the US was 77 years old; it was three years lower than the OECD average at the time. However, provisional data points to American life expectancy dropping lower in 2021, remarked the Commonwealth Fund.

Other health data from the 2023 snapshot report included the following:

• Alcohol consumption: 9.5 liters per capita (OECD average is 8.6) 
• Obesity prevalence: 42.8% (OECD average is 25.7%)
• Smoking prevalence: 8.8% (Lower than the OECD average of 16.0%)
• Deaths from air pollution: 14.5 deaths per 100,000 population (OECD average: 28.9).  

Preventable mortality refers to deaths that are avoidable through potent public health measures in place and through individual prevention, such as adopting a nutritional diet and exercise.

On the other hand, treatable mortality rates decrease when patients have timely access to effective healthcare treatments and interventions. These include regular checkups, screenings, exams, and treatments. However, the US’ avoidable death rates have been rising since 2015, according to The Commonwealth Fund’s analysis. 

Infant mortality rates in the US were also at 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2020. The number is high considering that Norway only had 1.6 deaths per 1,000 live births. Meanwhile, maternal mortality saw about 24 deaths per 100,000 live births in the same year.

Several factors can contribute to increasing maternal and infant mortality rates, ranging from insufficient prenatal care to chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and diabetes. 

Considering American health data 

As indicated in the 2023 OECD snapshot report, obesity, alcohol consumption, and smoking are still at concerning rates, and all of these affect your health in the short and long run. 

Maintaining a healthy diet doesn’t necessarily mean buying only organic food, especially in tough economic times. In fact, scientific studies show that the less you eat, the healthier your future self will be. 

Avoid smoking and inhaling smoke as much as possible. Observe also the air quality in your neighborhood or work area and look out for warnings, if any. As for drinking alcohol, no amount is actually safe for consumption, says The Lancet, debunking what other scientific papers have noted before.

While policies and legislatures that aim to provide Americans easy access to affordable universal healthcare are yet to be seen or enacted, taking these and other proven measures can help keep chronic, and even mental, diseases at bay. 

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Over 75 million people in 2019 were adults aged 60 years old and above, comprising one-fifth of the entire US population. As global climate temperatures continue to climb, that same demographic gets increasingly at risk, says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

Hotter temperatures, heightened risks

A hotter global climate impacts environments and societies the world over in many ways as it tips nature’s equilibrium with concerning consequences. 

For one, warming land and sea temperatures have disrupted many nations’ weather systems, producing extreme events with rising frequency and heavier tolls.

In this new “natural order,” older adults are more susceptible to suffering from its health effects for a variety of reasons:

• Extreme temperature intolerance – The more people age, the lesser their bodies can compensate for the effects of environmental hazards, such as record-breaking and prolonged heat and cold spells

• Sensitivity and susceptibility – Climate hazards such as heat and air pollution can make older adults more sensitive to their effects, aggravating their pre-existing health conditions and compromised immune systems

• Limited mobility – Most older adults normally depend on others for assistance with daily life, making them more vulnerable before, during, and after extreme weather events due to their decreased mobility

Climate-related health hazards

Many studies show that many climate-related health hazards pose threats to the well-being of older adults in the United States. Here are some examples:

• Heat illnesses – People aged 65 and above accounted for more heat-related hospitalizations than any other population demographic between 2001 and 2010 as per the EPA. Heat-related illnesses can occur when a person’s body cannot regulate its own temperature when exposed to high environmental temperatures.

According to the National Centers for Environmental Information or NCEI, 2010 tied with 2005 marked the warmest land and sea temperatures on record at the time.

• Respiratory diseases – In the US, more than 4 million seniors aged 65 and above suffer from asthma; this age demographic also holds the highest death rate from the said disease.

“Climate change may increase outdoor air pollutants, such as ground-level ozone and particulate matter in wildfire smoke and dust from droughts,” warned the EPA. The length and severity of pollen season also reportedly increased in some states due to rising temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations.

• Insect-related illnesses – Weather anomalies due to climate change make some places in the world experience more rainfall than usual, while normally cooler areas experience warmer weather. 

Either conditions, however, foster the spread of mosquitoes and the diseases they carry, such as dengue and malaria. Stagnant floodwater provides ample breeding grounds for mosquitoes, while warmer weathers foster their reproduction and bite rates. 

For older adults with compromised immune systems, the West Nile virus poses greater risks for them. While most people don’t experience any symptoms of the disease, some develop serious complications; some cases even lead to death.

Mitigating health risks for seniors

While tackling climate change requires a consistent global effort, mitigating its related health risks can be observed by seniors, their families, and caregivers.

• Keep cool – Regulating body temperature requires drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water daily (or as prescribed by your physician) and wearing loose and light-colored clothing during hot months and heat waves. As much as possible, stay in air-conditioned spaces or public cooling centers in your area.

• Plan ahead – Prepare an emergency supply and medical kit that includes the senior’s medical records. Set up a support network with your family, friends, caretakers, and neighbors. Having emergency numbers on hand and knowing where to go should different emergencies arise may also prove helpful.

• Check in – Seniors need special monitoring as they have slower metabolisms, lesser vigor, and weaker immune systems than younger adults. It’s best to regularly check in with them, be they a family member, friend, or neighbor, especially during weather events or if they live alone.

While the world still has a lot to go in battling the sources and effects of climate change, mitigating its negative impacts on health, especially of the more vulnerable such as children and seniors, is possible with the right set of informational tools for readiness and application.

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A 2012 paper reported that about 70% of Californians prefer natural death over all possible care to prolong their life should they become terminally ill. Seven years later, that figure remains roughly the same, according to the June 2020 California Health Care Almanac report. 

Despite the majority of Californians wishing for a peaceful passing away at home however, many still experience dying in hospitals where they receive aggressive care.

What Counts as Aggressive Care?

In an article published by the University of Pennsylvania, aggressive care is described as receiving “chemotherapy, mechanical ventilation, acute hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions” during a patient’s end-of-life stage. 

Aggressive treatments focus on applying measures to prolong a patient’s life, such as resuscitating or intubating them when their conditions turn critical. 

While aggressive care may be helpful in various situations, it may sometimes prove difficult or burdensome for some patients and may not be aligned with their end-of-life wishes. 

In 2019, 65% of respondents in a survey said that their loved ones who passed away would have preferred to have done so at their homes. However, data shows that only over half of them were able to do so. 

What Matters Most at End of Life

The 2012 report also listed the most important factors that Californians consider for their end-of-life goals. Topping that list are:

• Ensuring that their families aren’t burdened financially by their care
• Being comfortable and pain-free
• Spiritual contentment or peace
• Ensuring that their families don’t have to make difficult decisions concerning their care
• Having loved ones around them

As early as 2011, about 73% of Californians were already familiar with the term hospice care, but only 13% of the surveyed respondents said that they have heard of POLST or Physician Orders for Life-sustaining Treatment.

(POLST is a form that states what kind of medical treatment that a patient desires for their end-of-life care. Both the patient and the doctor must affix signatures to the form, and must be honored by healthcare providers, even if the patient later loses their ability to specify their wishes.)

As more and more Californians sought palliative care through the years, the number of licensed hospice agencies in the state quadrupled in a decade (2008-2018). In tandem with this rise, the number of hospice days also doubled as stated in the California Health Almanac report. 

Finding Qualified Hospice Care Providers

While many hospitals now offer hospice care services, there are also private companies that provide quality and affordable hospice care to patients who wish to receive end-of-life care at their facility of choice or at the comfort and familiarity of their own homes.

In finding a hospice care provider, one thing to consider is the provider’s qualifications and accreditation.

Composed of a pool of dedicated and passionate professionals of various healthcare disciplines, Solano Care Hospice in Northern California, for example, is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care or ACHC. 

The ACHC is a nationally recognized accreditation leader that embodies excellence, integrity, and unparalleled service. The accrediting body was established in 1986 and has been partnering with healthcare providers in maintaining standards of excellence in service. 

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Be it a subscription, product, or service, adding a new expense to an individual’s budget appears counterintuitive when it comes to savings. But as with worthwhile investments, studies prove that acquiring hospice care services actually poses economic advantages for patients and their families alike.

Reduced spending on Medicare patients under hospice care

One such study was conducted by the NORC (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community) at the University of Chicago that analyzed enrollment and administrative claims data for Medicare patients covered by Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare.

For 2019, they estimated that Medicare saved about $3.5 billion in spending because of patients who availed hospice care services. The study also noted that the total costs to Medicare for beneficiaries who acquired hospice services were lower by 3.1% than for beneficiaries who opted out of hospice care.

“Multiple studies over many years have confirmed what hospice providers know: hospice care improves the end-of-life journey for patients and families. This new NORC study shows that in addition to improving care, hospice saves tax dollars,” said NHPCO COO and Interim CEO, Ben Marcantonio, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization reported.

Meanwhile, a study in South Korea published in 2023 looked into the effects of hospital-based hospice care on the healthcare expenditures of cancer patients.

Cancer patients saving on healthcare costs

Using customized health information data from South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service, the authors conducted a retrospective cohort study involving individuals diagnosed with stomach, colorectal, and lung cancer between 2003 and 2012.

The said group of individuals served as the study’s new cancer patients, while those “who died under hospital-based hospice care during the follow-up period from January 2016 to December 2018 comprised the treatment group,” the authors said.

The authors assigned healthcare expenditure as the dependent variable and used generalized estimating equations.

Results and outcomes

After evaluating the study’s entire population, the authors noted that 30% of the subjects equating to 2,219 patients availed of the hospital’s hospice care services. This group, they discovered, had a lower odds ratio of healthcare expenditure than those who did not.

They found that South Korean cancer patients who underwent hospice care reduced their healthcare costs as compared to those who had routine hospital care.

The study aims to highlight the importance of hospice care services, in hopes of encouraging people who may be hesitant to avail hospice care, the authors noted. They also hope to provide useful insights for policymakers and healthcare administrators to help improve existing healthcare systems and practices.

Making quality hospice care affordable at Solano Care

Especially in these trying times, Solano Care offers exceptional care, comfort, and compassion to alleviate the pain and stress associated with life-limiting illnesses — whether at home or in a facility — at affordable prices.

Caring for our patients remains our top priority 24/7, because we believe that peace of mind is priceless.

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A form of palliative care, hospice care focuses on attending to the mental, emotional, and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients during the last stages of their lives.

Hospice care services are provided by professionals with different specialties and backgrounds with the singular goal of providing patients as much comfort and convenience as they can as the patients approach their final days.

“At any length of stay, hospice care benefits patients, family members, and caregivers, including increased satisfaction and quality of life, improved pain control, reduced physical and emotional distress, and reduced prolonged grief and other emotional distress,” stated the National Association for Home Care & Hospice or NAHC on their website. 

Studies also show that it isn’t only patients who find comfort and relief in hospice care services, but their loved ones as well. 

Who is hospice care for?

Hospice care is available to patients who have six months or less to live or those who may opt not to undergo certain treatments and wish to experience instead an improvement in the quality of their lives for the rest of their days. 

According to the National Institute on Aging, more and more people are opting for hospice care. In 2023, Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter entered hospice care two days before passing away at her home in Georgia, where she died peacefully surrounded by family members. 

Some hospitals offer hospice care services. Hospice care agencies, on the other hand, may offer it in a facility or at the patient’s own home. 

Hospice agencies have also increased In response to the growing demand over the years. In California alone, the number of licensed hospice agencies increased fourfold from 2008 to 2018. 

Planning for end-of-life care need not be when our loved ones are already elderly or sickly. 

Early Communication and Thoughtful Consideration

It can begin with honest and early communication with them to know how they wish to spend their final days — be it under hospice care or aggressive care or in a hospital, facility, or at home.

In knowing the full extent of their wishes or how they envision themselves when they’re near death’s door, you can select which options best suit your loved ones’ requests. 

Should your loved ones go for hospice care services, choosing the right one requires a number of considerations, ranging from proximity, professionalism, and accreditation, to name a few. 

In Northern California, Solano Care Hospice has been servicing its patients from a variety of locations in the place where they call home — whether it’s at a facility or their residence. 

Composed of a team of passionate and compassionate service professionals, Solano Care places the patients’ care and comfort as its most pressing priority. 

Solano Care is founded by a US Air Force veteran who understands the condition of the elderly and has passed that understanding and concern to Solano Care’s pool of experienced professionals. 

Accredited by the ACHC (Accreditation Commission for Health Care), Solano Care Hospice continually upholds and upgrades its standard of care to the satisfaction of its patients and their loved ones.

The post Easing the Inevitable with Hospice Care appeared first on Solano Hospice Care | Vallejo, California.

Though hospice care focuses on improving its patients’ quality of life, studies show that its benefits extend to their families’ as well.

Hospice care is a form of palliative care that offers a variety of services designed to ease patients with six months or less to live. “It begins after treatment of the disease is stopped and when it is clear that the person is not going to survive the illness,” explains MedlinePlus, a state website.

Hospice care benefits family members too

Conventional hospice care benefits are usually focused on patients’ physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, and not on their family members’.

However, in a study published in 2021 documenting advanced liver cancer patients and their core family members, experts explain that hospice care also helped the latter in better coping with their negative emotions.

The experts studied 166 patients and randomly divided them into the study group, which received hospice care, and the control group, which underwent routine care.

Between the two groups, they measured and compared the patients’ and family members’:

• Quality of life
• Pain degree
• Subjective well-being
• Anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions
• Satisfaction with the nursing services

Results show and matter

Using the five-dimensional health scale for cancer patients or EQ-5D, experts found that patients in both groups scored significantly higher than before their respective interventions.

However, patients who received hospice care scored higher than those in the control group.

The patients’ levels of happiness were also measured using the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness. Patients in both groups had high scores after intervention, but those in the study group scored higher than those who weren’t.

To measure the levels of the core family members’ negative emotions, the leads in the study employed the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD).

After the intervention, they found that the two groups significantly scored lower on both scales, showing a drop in levels of negative emotions. However, those in the study group had even lower scores compared to those whose loved ones did not receive any form of hospice care.

Also, the core family members in the study group were reported to be more satisfied with the hospice care’s nursing services than those in the control group.

The authors of the study concluded that hospice nursing relieves the degree of pain of patients with advanced liver cancer. It also improved the subjective well-being and quality of life of the patients before they passed away.

Additionally, hospice care also benefits not only patients but also helps core family members deal with difficult negative emotions such as anxiety and depression.

Administering proper hospice care

Administering proper hospice care involves a team of qualified professionals with the singular goal of easing the final days of the terminally ill as comfortably, humanely, and caringly possible.

It requires knowledge, experience, and empathy — a crucial combination in providing exceptional care to patients.

At Solano Care Hospice, we cater a wide range of hospice services that aim to give great support and relief to patients with end-of-life needs. Many families across California have trusted Solano Care with their loved ones’ overall well-being for patients’ peace of mind and theirs as well.

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Care comes in many forms and each type works well depending on the situation. Hospice care is a compassionate approach that extends its healing touch not only to the patients but also to their families. Your trusted hospice agency in Vallejo, California provides holistic support to offer comfort and understanding.

• Empathetic approach
  Our hospice care solution is rooted in empathy. Care providers offer a listening ear and a caring heart, acknowledging the emotional and spiritual aspects of the end-of-life journey for both patients and their families. Our regular support extends from providing ADLs or daily living assistance.
• Open communication
  Effective communication is a cornerstone of hospice care. Care teams facilitate honest conversations, ensuring that the patient’s and family’s wishes and concerns are heard and respected.
• Pain and symptom management
  Beyond medical care, hospice focuses on relieving patients’ pain and discomfort while providing emotional support to their families. A multidisciplinary team tailors treatments for optimal patient comfort.
• Emotional guidance
  Hospice care providers understand the emotional and spiritual dimensions of the end-of-life journey. They offer counseling, chaplain services, and support groups to address the unique needs of each individual.
• Family involvement
  Hospice values family involvement. Care providers offer guidance to loved ones in understanding and participating in the caregiving process. They help families navigate the complexities of this challenging time. Assistive services such as light housekeeping enable families to focus on their loved ones.

Are you evaluating the hospice care provider for your loved one? If your loved one needs skilled nursing care, our team is ready to deliver one. Connect with Solano Care today.

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