Home Hospice 101: How It Works, Who It’s For, Why It Matters

If someone you care about is approaching the end of life, MRH can help in many ways.

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As a social worker for Memorial Regional Health’s home hospice care program, Melissa Almon wants you to know that if someone you care about is approaching the end of life, MRH can help in many ways.

“The mission of hospice is to improve an individual’s quality of life,” said Almon. “When a person accepts hospice care, this does not mean they have to stop living their life. In fact, hospice helps them live out their final time as fully as possible and with consistent symptoms management.”

Home-based care

Most families are grateful to have their loved ones home at the end of life, said Almon. “Friends and family members can freely visit without concern for visiting hours or visitor limits. For patients with confusion or dementia, remaining in their home can also reduce fear and further confusion.”

Then there are the unparalleled comforts of home. “Remaining at home can make it easier for patients to be truly comfortable,” said Almon. “Many have lived in their home for decades. They like being there. There is a sense of peace that you can’t get in a clinical hospital or nursing-home setting. And if the patient has other family members, grandchildren or pets in the home, patients often enjoy having them by their side at all times.”

The MRH home hospice team visits patients in their homes as often as needed. During a home visit by a hospice nurse, the patient receives a general medical check as well as an assessment for any issues with pain. The nurse ensures that the patient is comfortable and that the family and patient are satisfied with the care they are receiving.

In addition to nurses, the hospice team also includes physicians, social workers, CNAs, volunteers, pastoral caregivers and therapists. These professionals may also visit the patient and family in the home as requested or needed. Having a multidisciplinary team working in their best interests means that all of the family’s needs can be met without additional outside services.

End-of-life patients throughout Moffat, Routt and Rio Blanco counties

Hospice care is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and many insurances and is available to anyone in the greater Craig, Steamboat and Meeker area whom a physician has determined may have approximately six months or less to live. The physician refers the patient to hospice, and once a referral is received, the hospice team then assesses the patient’s appropriateness for hospice care.

Almon emphasizes that it’s better to seek out hospice care sooner rather than later.

MRH Home Health Care Services

In addition to home hospice care, MRH provides other home care as needed following inpatient care.

Patients who are discharged from the hospital or a long-term care facility often need a little extra help as they return home. Our home health care team assists with:

Medication management
Getting around your home safely
Adapting to activities of daily living
Following through on care-plan recommendations, such as strength building
Infusions
And more!

Call us at 970.824.6882 for more information.

“We see a lot of individuals who would have been appropriate for hospice several months prior to accepting our care,” she said. “They spend months in pain and are limited in what they are able to do. Hospice care helps them act on what is important to them and who they want to spend time with rather than being restricted in those activities due to sometimes debilitating symptoms. Accepting hospice is not an instant death sentence—it is the gift of quality of life for the time you still have.”

Patient assessment and treatment plan

When a patient has been admitted to hospice, the initial assessment is done by a registered nurse, who is often accompanied by either a social worker or a chaplain. This allows for both the physical and emotional needs of the patient and their family to be assessed. The patient and family are consulted about their care needs, and their wishes form a significant part of the development of the treatment plan. This plan may be adjusted throughout the hospice journey if the needs or wishes of the patient change.

“The biggest request in hospice is that loved ones want to see their family member free of pain,” said Almon. “The experience of being by your loved one’s side at the end of life can be greatly impacted by their comfort level. If we see a person we love in pain or suffering, this experience can be traumatic for the patient and those around them. One of the goals of hospice is to create an environment of relaxation and comfort for your loved one so that you are able to spend quality time with them at the end of life. Our hope is that your loved one can leave the world in a peaceful way.”

Help for the entire family

Hospice helps take the guess work out of end-of-life care, said Almon. “Our hospice staff does a great job of walking the family through what to expect. The nurses on the hospice team ensure that the patient is free of pain and comfortable. They also take the time to talk to the family about their concerns and needs. Social work and chaplain services can help the family and the patient with spiritual and emotional needs if they wish. Hospice volunteers can assist in a multitude of ways to help relieve stress for both the family and the patient. The CNA can assist with hygiene and daily needs of the patient, including bathing, hair, nails and more. Physicians and pharmacists who work with our hospice team do an incredible job of making sure that medications are readily available to the patient for comfort and pain relief.

“As a whole, the hospice team supplies the family and patient with empathy and compassion,” Almon said. “We wrap the family in a blanket of support so that they can feel confident that their loved one is being cared for in a respectful, genuine and consistent manner.”

The role of emotional support

Social Worker for MRH Home Hospice Care Program, Melissa Almon

“As a social worker, my role consists of emotional and needs support,” said Almon. “This means that when a person begins hospice services, I work with the patient and their family regarding any anticipatory grief or concerns. I also help make sure all the family’s basic needs are being met. This may mean helping a family obtain assistance with transportation or food, or it may mean that I am simply there as a sounding board and a compassionate listener to help them through the multitude of feelings and emotions that can arise. Additionally, in the year following the patient’s death, I offer bereavement services for anyone impacted by the loss.”

Almon is also in charge of the hospice volunteer program. “Volunteers offer assistance with basic chores and errands, or they may be a companion to the patient. They might spend time with the patient so their family members can have brief respite from being in the home. This might be as simple as reading to the patient or watching a movie with them. You would be astonished to see how even small actions can have a profound impact for the patient and their family. Being a volunteer is a great way to be part of the hospice team as we walk alongside the patient and their family on this end-of-life journey.”

Almon, who has been part of the MRH hospice team for a little over a year, has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver and is working on her doctorate. She is also certified as a child and adolescent grief specialist and a grief-informed professional.

Work that matters

“I love the work I do and the team I work with,” Almon said. “Coming from a background of community mental health and addiction treatment, I did not know what to expect when I took on the role of a hospice social worker. I can honestly say that I feel privileged and blessed every day that I get to do this beautiful but challenging work with members of my community. I feel honored that they trust our hospice team with their end-of -life needs and care.”