What is Hospice Care in Chula Vista, California?

Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient’s pain and symptoms and attending to the emotional and spiritual needs of the patient at the end of their life. 
Hospice care may be right for you or your loved one when living with a life-limiting illness that has a six-month life expectancy (if the disease runs its normal course).

Why Hospice Care?

Those that are reaching the end are often worried about passing on in a state of distress. They often also need additional physical care. It’s important for your loved one to pass on peacefully and comfortably. Reaching the end is hard enough. It doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. Hospice care helps patients to reach the end with peace of mind and dignity.

If you are a primary caregiver for your loved one, you know how difficult it can be to continuously care for them and live your life outside of this continued care. Hospice care provides additional support, allowing primary caregivers the chance to relax, recharge, and get some rest.

Hospice care can both be in-patient and at-home. The type of care depends on the needs of the patient. With that said, at-home care is the most common. During at-home care, a hospice care provider visits the home of the patient to provide support.

Everyone approaches the end in a different way. That’s why we strive to meet the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual needs of our patients in a customized fashion. It’s important to find a hospice care provider that focuses not only on quality of care, but also bedside manner. From the front office to the care providers, all of the staff members at Comfort and Peace Hospice are friendly and supportive. It is our goal to provide every patient with the peace, serenity, and dignity they deserve.

Who is Hospice Care in Chula Vista for?

Many different patients can benefit from the support provided by hospice care. While people often think of cancer patients, they are not the only kinds of patients that can receive additional care when reaching the end of their life cycle. Really, anyone with a life-limiting illness may be a candidate for hospice care. Everyone deserves a high quality of life near the end—regardless of the illness.

With that said, in order to receive hospice care, a patient will need to be certified by two physicians. Once the physicians find the patient is a good candidate for hospice care, the patient or their loved ones can start looking for the right provider. While a patient may ask about hospice care, often a physician will suggest hospice care when they find the patient is nearing the end.

Those patients that are candidates for hospice care have around 6 months left to live. Hospice care may be extended beyond these 6 months, though. As long as the patient is still a candidate, hospice care may be ongoing.

Some common illnesses that patients suffer from that lead to the need for hospice care include:

  • Cancer
  • Heart disease
  • Dementia
  • Pulmonary disease
  • Liver disease
  • Renal disease
  • Stroke
  • and others

For patients that receive a terminal prognosis, hospice care may be an option. Speak with your physician if you have a life-limiting illness and are seeking a higher level of care.

What to Expect with Hospice Care in Chula Vista, California

Hospice care may actually be a lot easier to sign up for than you may expect. It can feel daunting for some patients, but there’s no need to stress. With Comfort and Peace Hospice in Chula Vista California, we’ll do everything in our power to make the transition process to hospice care as easy as possible.

When you are considering hospice care, there are actually different types of hospice care to consider. Below are the most common forms of hospice care and what they involve:

Routine Home Care

Routine home care involves a patient being cared for at home. This is the most common form of hospice care. During routine home care, medical professionals, social workers, and volunteers provide the patient with emotional, mental, physical, and even spiritual support. The goal is to ensure the patient is as happy and comfortable as possible. Routine home care allows a patient to reach their final days in the comfort of their own home.

Continuous Care

Continuous care is often the best option for patients that are going through a temporary crisis. This may be due to a variety of factors, including extreme pain, anxiety, and/or respiratory distress. Continuous care patients require at least a few hours of care a day and may need upwards of 24 hours of care. Sometimes a hospice caregiver is able to address the core issues on their own and resolve the problem. Otherwise, the caregiver can help to stabilize the patient and provide support until the problem passes.

General In-Patient Care

Sometimes patients need a higher level of care. General in-patient care is for those patients that require additional care for a brief period of time. During this time the patient is stabilized, and any problems they are having are addressed.

Once the patient has been stabilized, they can return home for routine home care.

Respite Care

It’s no secret that being a primary caregiver is a daunting task. While you appreciate your loved one and want them to be comfortable, the process of caring for them can be taxing. Oftentimes, the primary caregiver falls behind on life and work obligations. Even if that isn’t the case, it’s nice to get a break every once in a while…

Respite care is a form of hospice care that involves a patient being checked into a hospice care facility for a short period of time. During their stay, they are provided with high-level support. The staff at our facility does everything in their power to ensure the comfort of patients that are in our care.

With respite care, you can relax, take a break, and get caught up on life.

What to Look for in a Hospice Care Provider in Chula Vista

There are many excellent hospice care providers to choose from. With that said, you want to make sure you go with the best provider possible. Below are a few things you’ll want to consider when choosing your hospice care provider:

  • Great Customer Service. First and foremost, your hospice care provider should provide excellent customer service. You may have a lot of questions, and the right hospice care provider will be able to answer these questions quickly and politely.
  • Frequency. Different patients require different amounts of help. You’ll want to make sure your hospice care provider is able to meet the frequency needs of your loved one or you.
  • Transition Help. Transitioning can be stressful, but the right hospice care provider makes the process a lot easier.
  • On-Call Services. You never know when you’ll need additional care. Because of this, you’ll want to choose a company that is available on-call, 24/7.
  • Quick Response Time. Not only will you want to make sure your hospice care provider is available, but you’ll also need a quick response time.
  • A Strong Staff. From the front desk to your caregiver, every member of the staff should be friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.

Music Therapy in Chula Vista

Music therapy is not only pleasant, but it is also backed by scientific research. Music therapy helps patients in a variety of ways. Comfort and Peace Hospice provides our patients with music therapy to increase their level of serenity and happiness.

There are a few different symptoms that music therapy can help with. These include:

  • Pain
  • Decrease brain function
  • Respiratory distress
  • Anxiety and Agitation
  • Grief
  • Depression
  • Stress

Music therapy also helps with:

  • Mood enhancement
  • Communication and expression
  • Spiritual support
  • Caregiver and family support
  • Legacy projects
  • Family bonding

Hearing is one of the final senses patients can benefit from. It affects a large portion of our brain. Because of this, it can help to improve our physical, emotional, and cognitive wellbeing. Reach out to us today with any questions you may have about music therapy.

Hospice Care for Veterans

We salute our veterans! At Comfort and Peace Hospice, we take pride in providing support to those that have served our country. We want to honor the sacrifices they have made. 

Some of the veteran benefits we provide include:

  • Assistance with VA and other military benefits
  • Assessment of military service
  • Honor ceremonies and events
  • Connection with VA services
  • Providing counseling and care that deals with service-related memories or issues
  • Assisting with military funeral and memorial services

How Long Can Someone Stay in Hospice Care in Chula Vista, California?

While the general length of hospice care is around 6 months, it varies from patient to patient. When your physician diagnoses you with a life-limiting illness, they will determine an approximate amount of time you have left before you pass. If they determine it is around 6 months or less, they may recommend hospice care. With that said, if you live longer than 6 months, you may still be a candidate for hospice care.

Another factor is insurance/Medicare. They will have a say in your ability to access hospice care if you are unable to pay out-of-pocket. Speak with your insurance provider/Medicare to see what options are covered for hospice care.