(ARA) - When a loved one is ill, you do what you can for that person. You make chicken soup, fluff pillows and pick up prescriptions from the pharmacy -- you do whatever you can to provide as much comfort as possible. Hospice care -- a type of care available when a patient’s prognosis is for a life expectancy of six months or less if the terminal illness runs its normal course -- is centered on those same principles but so much more. It’s more than attending to a patient’s physical needs; it’s making sure the emotional needs of the patient, as well as his or her family, are also considered. The whole person is treated, with a focus on providing peace and comfort.

The Hospice Care concept was established in the United States in 1974, and according to the national Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, hospice care was provided to at least 700,000 patients in 1999, up from 540,000 in 1998. Today, hospice care continues to be a growing and viable option for quality care for the terminally ill. Beverly Healthcare, a leading provider of eldercare services, is not surprised by the increase. "By treating a person’s medical condition, such as relieving pain and controlling symptoms, as well as providing emotional support to the patient and his or her loved ones, greater quality of life can be attained during the final stages of a person’s life -- that’s very important to our patients," said Dr. Ed McMahon, Director Alzheimer’s Care and Quality of Life for Beverly Healthcare.

Hospice care is a family-centered approach, and is made up of a "family" or team of healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, aides and volunteers, who coordinate and provide care not only to the patient, but also to the family, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each member of the hospice team plays a special role in the care of a patient and his or her family, providing medical care, and social, emotional and spiritual support, even after the death of the patient. The Hospice Foundation of American (HFA), a not-for-profit organization that provides leadership in the development and application of hospice and its philosophy of care, notes that patients and families who choose hospice care are the core members of the hospice team and are at the center of all decisions that are made.

The last days of a person’s life should be as restful and serene as possible. Therefore, with hospice care, patients and their family members make the decision as to where the patient’s final days are spent. Beverly Healthcare explains that rather than at a hospital, hospice care can be provided in a welcoming and comfortable setting such as a nursing home, an inpatient hospice center, the home of family, or at the patient’s own home. The hospice team can help make that decision, based on what will be most comfortable for the patient and family.

Beverly Healthcare offers the following step-by-step guide to help those eligible for hospice care understand how to take the first step to receiving care.

• Hospice staff meets with the patient’s personal physician and a hospice physician to discuss the patient’s medical history, current symptoms and life expectancy.
• After the initial physicians’ meeting, hospice staff meets with the patient and his or her loved ones to discuss the hospice philosophy, available services and expectations.
• The hospice staff then discusses with the patient his or her pain and comfort levels, support systems, financial and insurance resources, medications and equipment needs.
• Finally, a plan of care is built for the patient, which staff regularly reviews and revises, based on a patient’s condition.

While it may be difficult to think about a loved one passing away, hospice care can help make the transition more peaceful. Bereavement support is also available, and is one of the final stages of hospice care. Beverly Healthcare staff notes that one of the most beneficial roles that hospice staff and volunteers offer is support and help to family members and loved ones with emotional healing or adjusting to their loss.

We all want what is best for our loved ones. Beverly Healthcare staff is the cornerstone in providing compassionate, family-centered care -- the principles on which hospice care is based. If you would like more information about Beverly Healthcare care and services please visit www.beverlycares.com.