Hospice care: what it is and who can benefit

When people hear the word “hospice” it can often be associated with end of life. While hospice is there for those at the end of their lives, it is so much more than just that. Hospice care is about the life we can enhance given the time we have together. 

Patients who receive hospice services have a life-threatening or incurable illness, injury, or disease, and have received a prognosis of six months or less, as determined by a physician. Hospice addresses the medical, emotional, financial, and spiritual concerns that patients and families face during this challenging time in their lives. Hospice care may be provided at home, in an assisted living facility, or in a nursing home. Services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance health plans.

Hospice Care at Valley

At Valley, our experienced team provides the most compassionate and knowledgeable approach to end-of-life care. Our team recommends patients begin receiving hospice care as soon as possible. The more time our team has with a patient, the more we can do to keep the patient comfortable, help maintain their dignity, give them a sense of meaning, and help the family cope with the impending loss they will bear.

Also, the sooner someone begins hospice, the sooner they can take advantage of all the services Valley has to offer. This includes:

• Music therapy
• Art therapy
• Virtual reality goggles
• End-of-life doulas
• Pain and symptom management
• Delivery of medical equipment and medications
• Appropriate therapies for safety and comfort
• Medical guidance
• Dietary services
• Wound care
• Spiritual support
• Holistic modalities like aromatherapy, guided imagery, and energy work
• Bereavement services

Our hospice specialists include a medical director who is board certified in hospice and palliative care, nurses, social workers, chaplains, home health aides, end-of-life doulas, and volunteers.

Valley’s hospice team cares for patients in Bergen and Passaic counties and neighboring towns. A referral to Valley Hospice can be made from the hospital, your doctor, or a facility. 

Click here for more information about Valley Hospice.