Integrating hospice care into assisted living creates a more comfortable environment for your loved one, while ensuring they have all of the specialized care they need. A common misconception is that hospice care is a separate facility that one moves into when the time comes and they need a greater level of assistance. It might be more helpful to think of hospice as a type of specialized medical care for end of life. Hospice often brings in additional emotional and counseling support, an increased level of medical care specific to end-of-life and helps to alleviate pain rather than administer treatments.

Without uprooting your loved one from the care and community they’ve established at their assisted living facility, you can bring hospice care to them. If your loved one is declining in health, opening the dialogue with assisted living staff will make the transition more seamless. Maintaining open communication between your loved one, the assisted living staff & other caretakers is the best way to ensure you are integrating hospice care at the appropriate time. 

 

The Benefits

Bringing your hospice care provider into your medical care team at the assisted living facility helps intensify the level of care at the appropriate stage. Those who are declining in health may require more frequent care or a more intensive medical care routine. 

By integrating hospice care into existing assisted living arrangements, your loved one can maintain some of their independence, while ensuring they have access to the best medical care for their stage in life. Bringing these services together allows your loved one to stay connected to the relationships they’ve formed with the staff members and other residents, rather than moving to a hospital or other facility. 

 

Important Details to Know

Before choosing an assisted living provider, it’s a good time to inquire into their hospice care experience to find out what their process is and how they ensure a smooth transition. No two health plans are the same, but a wide array of experience will allow the provider to best care for your loved one with a personalized plan. An important aspect of hospice integration is a clear chain of command as well as an internal communication plan that will help facilitate quick responses from both the hospice care team and the assisted living staff.

 

Making the Transition

Allow your loved one to share candidly about their needs. Encourage them to share what’s important to them during this time and listen to what they need without judgment. Start the conversation early and identify any special needs or considerations your loved one might need to be most comfortable and cared for while in hospice. Hospice care is not just a place you rush to in the final days, but rather a level of care that can integrate directly into their current assisted living community. 

Our team at The Waterford Communities is highly trained in seamlessly integrating hospice care for their residents. We assess the needs of each of our residents from the very first moment your loved one joins our community, creating individual care plans that will best serve their health for today and tomorrow. 

To inquire about integrating hospice care for your loved one, please contact us here.