Hospice Care is Often Misunderstood
Living in comfort wherever you call home is what most people wish when nearing the end of an illness and life. At Empath Hospice, we understand the unique needs and challenges you and your loved ones are facing during this difficult time. We are dedicated to supporting you with expert care and compassion to help you live comfortably and fully.
Signs You May Need Care
- Live with a serious or an advanced illness
- Have had two or more hospitalizations in the past three months
- Take nine or more scheduled medications daily
- Have increasing pain and medications are not as effective in controlling pain and symptoms
- Have treatments that no longer work
- Feel tired or have shortness of breath
- Have decreased appetite
- Have difficulty walking, putting on clothes or using the bathroom
- Are uncertain about treatment options and decisions
Benefits of Care
- Control over your healthcare decisions
- Additional expert care and support for you and your family
- Enhanced understanding, comfort, wellness, dignity and peace of mind
- Avoid unnecessary hospitalizations and multiple physician visits
Ask Your Physician
- How do you expect my condition to change in the next year?
- What symptoms might I experience?
- Will I be able to go about my daily routine and care for myself?
Will the treatments I am doing or may pursue:
- Cure or slow down my illness or instead focus on managing my symptoms and quality of life?
- Increase or decrease my pain?
- Make me feel sick?
What is Hospice Care?
It is provided in patients’ homes or residential and care settings by interdisciplinary teams of expert professionals and trained volunteers who ease the physical, emotional and spiritual pain and stress of patients and families. Thirteen months of grief support also is available for families. Hospice care is available during the last six months of life through the Medicare Hospice Benefit.
Caring for You and Your Family
As our Empath Hospice patient, your preferences and needs guide your care. Your personalized care team works with you and your doctors and caregivers to treat your whole well-being. They concentrate on helping you live and pass on with comfort, peace and dignity. Along the way, they also prepare and support your family members so they can best care for you, honor your wishes and begin healing.
Care may include:
- A care team of expert hospice and palliative medical and clinical professionals who treat and relieve pain and symptoms as well as provide emotional, spiritual, social and bereavement (grief) support, caregiving training and guidance with healthcare decision making. Trained volunteers also provide essential support. The team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Integrative medical treatment and palliative arts combining traditional medicine with aromatherapy, recorded music and other specialized practices to decrease pain and stress and create comfort and relaxation.
Call Us
When you call Empath Hospice, there always is someone available to speak with you. Our trained, knowledgeable staff will address any of your questions or concerns. Turning to Empath Hospice is not giving up, it is getting help for a better quality of life for you and your family. Please call (863) 329-2750 to speak with us today.