What is Hospice Care in El Cajon?

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?

Hospice care helps patients to leave this world in comfort, peace, and happiness. The end of a patient’s life can be difficult and distressing. Hospice care helps to ease this burden and provide peace of mind. With hospice care, a patient can die with dignity.

For loved ones of a patient, hospice care can be an excellent resource when it comes to additional help and support. Taking care of a loved one that has a life-limiting illness can be a difficult task. Hospice care helps to ease some of the burden, allowing the loved ones of a patient to enjoy some much-needed rest.

There are different forms of hospice care—both in-patient and at-home. The type of care will depend on the needs of the patient, but most standard care is at-home. In-patient is generally reserved for patients that require a higher level of care. Once the higher level of care phase passes, a patient can return to their house for at-home care.

Passing away is different for everyone. That’s why Comfort and Peace Hospice focuses on each aspect of the process in a unique and custom way. We treat every patient like an individual, and provide customized support for their physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental needs. The right hospice care provider does everything in their power to ensure the comfort of their patient. All of the expert hospice care providers employed by Comfort and Peace Hospice meet our high standards of treatment and bedside manner. We promise your loved one or you will go with the peace and dignity you deserve.

Who is Hospice Care in El Cajon for?

While many people think that hospice care is only an option for cancer patients, there are actually a variety of different types of patients that can benefit from hospice care. Really, hospice care is for patients that have any kind of life-limiting illness and require additional support. If you are looking to improve the quality of life of a loved one or your quality of life near the end, hospice care may be an excellent choice to meet your needs.

In order to get approved for hospice care, a patient will need to be certified by two different physicians. While a patient may request hospice care for themselves, a lot of the time a physician will suggest hospice care. Once it’s been decided that someone is a good candidate, they will need to speak with Medicare or their insurance provider to discuss coverage.

Patients that are good candidates for hospice care generally have around 6 months left to live or less. If a patient lives longer than the 6 month period, they may still be a candidate for hospice care.

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

If your loved one or you receive a prognosis that is terminal, consider speaking with a physician about hospice care. Also speak with your insurance provider to see if it’s an option.

What to Expect

While preparing for hospice care may seem like a daunting process, it’s actually not as bad as it may seem. Our team at Comfort and Peace Hospice in El Cajon make it as easy as possible to sign up for and receive hospice care. We will help you each step of the way to make it as simple and straightforward as possible.

There are a few different forms of hospice care that may be considered. Below are the different types of hospice care that may be available to your loved one or you:

Routine Home Care

Routine home care is one of the most common forms of care, and it involves a patient receiving hospice care from the comfort of their own house. During routine home care, a patient will receive care from social workers, medical professionals, and even volunteers. Their pain will be managed, their spiritual needs will be met, and they will receive emotional and mental support. Routine home care allows a patient to enjoy their final days in peace.

Continuous Care

Continuous care is a good option for those patients that are going through a crisis. This may be respiratory distress, anxiety, and/or extreme pain. Continuous care is for patients that require a few hours a day to a few full days of continuous care. If a caregiver is able to address the core issue during continuous care, they will. If not, the caregiver will handle the symptoms until the patient is stabilized.

General In-Patient Care

For patients that need additional support for a short period of time, general in-patient care may be a good option. A patient resides at a hospice care facility in El Cajon during the general in-patient care process, where they receive additional care to stabilize them and address any symptoms.

Once the patient has been stabilized and any issues are addressed, they can return to routine home care.

Respite Care

Being a caregiver can be extremely difficult. While a loved one may want to take care of a patient suffering from a life-limiting illness on their own, there often comes a point where fatigue and burnout sets in. Once this happens, they may want to consider respite care.

Respite care involves a patient checking into a hospice care facility for a short period of time. This allows their primary caregiver to take a break and get caught up on their obligations. Once their batteries have been recharged and they’ve had time to relax, a primary caregiver can bring the patient home and care for them again.

During respite care, the patient will receive high quality care and support. If you are a caregiver, you have no need to worry about your loved one. They will be well taken care of during your break.

What to Look for in a Hospice Care Provider in El Cajon

When you are looking for the best hospice care in El Cajon available, there are a few things you’ll want to consider. Here are some of the top considerations when it comes to choosing the right hospice care provider:

  • Frequency. It’s important to have a hospice care provider that is available frequently. Different patients have different levels of frequency required, and your provider should be able to provide care when you need it.
  • Great Customer Service. From the receptionist to the actual caregiver, every member of the team at a hospice care facility should be friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.
  • Transition Help. Transitioning to hospice care can be a difficult process, but the right provider will make it as easy as possible.
  • Quick Response Time. There may be times in which you need fast support. Your hospice care provider should offer quick response time just in case anything happens.
  • On-Call Services. Your hospice care provider should be available on-call 24/7. You never know when an unplanned visit is needed.
  • A Strong Staff. Every member of the staff at the hospice you choose to go with should be top in their field. The right staff will be able to help you every step of the way and provide the best service possible.

Music Therapy

Music therapy is a fun form of therapy that is backed by clinical research. Hearing is one of the last senses patients benefit from and recognize. This is especially so for music. Comfort and Peace Hospice provides music therapy to our patients to improve their quality of life and increase their level of serenity.

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

Music is multi-sensory, and it has an impact on different parts of the brain. There are major cognitive, physical, and emotional wellbeing benefits to music.

Hospice Care for Veterans

At Comfort and Peace Hospice in El Cajon California, we love and respect veterans. We understand the sacrifices our veterans have made, and we look to honor those sacrifices.

Some of the services we provide for veterans 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 El Cajon, California?

The duration of hospice care in El Cajon California varies depending on a few different factors. One of the main factors is insurance coverage/Medicare. Generally, hospice is expected to last 6 months or less, as it is usually for terminally ill patients. With that said, some patients that live past the 6 months stay in hospice care for the duration of their lifespan.