VNSNY Hospice cares for terminally ill people and provides support for their families and caregivers. Our home hospice services are designed to make sure your loved one is as comfortable as possible and that caregivers and family members know what to expect and feel confident about what to do.
Hospice provides the level of care a person needs as their illness becomes harder to treat. When a person signs up for hospice care, they agree to stop treatment to cure their illness. However, people in hospice still get medical care!
The goal of hospice care is to improve quality of life by focusing on:
Hospice care is not “giving up” at the very end. Instead, it offers your loved one the comfort and dignity they deserve—in the familiar surroundings of wherever they call home. Hospice care is available to patients for several months. Many patients and families find the services so valuable that they wish they’d started hospice care sooner.
As a disease advances, treatments may become less effective or may make symptoms worse. Look for these signs.
Read MoreHospice care gives patients and their families the chance to make the most of their time together. Hospice takes away the stress of unneeded hospital stays. It reduces the panic caused by symptoms such as shortness of breath. In short, hospice offers you and your loved ones the tools and support you need to live life to the fullest extent possible.
With hospice care from VNSNY, patients, family members, and caregivers have a team of experts who can answer questions. Your care team can guide you in making decisions about care, working through any family issues, and planning for the future.
Your team has the experience and training to give your loved one the care they deserve and to help caregivers feel confident in keeping their loved one comfortable at home. Managing symptoms at home avoids the stress of going to the hospital, as well as the possibility of unwanted aggressive treatment.
The VNSNY Hospice care team works with the patient and their caregivers and personal doctors to develop a care plan. This plan includes medical care and services to manage the hospice diagnosis at home.
Hospice care from VNSNY includes all of the medical care a patient needs to manage their hospice illness and be as comfortable as possible. Depending on the care plan, this might include:
Your loved one’s personal doctors will continue to treat them for any medical needs for conditions other than the hospice diagnosis.
Home health aides have special training in caring for people nearing the end of life. Aides can assist with and show caregivers how to do many tasks for the patient, such as:
Emotional support and spiritual care are important services provided by VNSNY Hospice. As a person nears the end of life, social workers and spiritual care counselors reassure them as they:
Caring for a very sick person is a lot of responsibility. As your loved one’s health changes, you may be focused on their medical needs, or you may have questions as you help with personal care. You may also be worried about the future or about finances. VNSNY Hospice offers a team of experts who can answer questions and guide you in making decisions about care or working through any family matters.
Caregivers and family members receive support that includes:
Many people think they need to go to a hospice facility for hospice care. Actually, home hospice care providers like VNSNY offer care where your loved one lives.
Being in familiar surroundings goes a long way when it comes to making your loved one feel comfortable and secure. Your hospice care team can help you and your family set up your loved one’s home to meet their medical and personal needs.
Your loved one does not have to live in a private home or apartment to receive our hospice care services. VNSNY Hospice experts work with many nursing homes and assisted living facilities to provide hospice care to residents. VNSNY Hospice also supports families and caregivers of facility residents.
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Most people want to be at home, and VNSNY Hospice’s services are designed to control symptoms at home. However, if symptoms of concern arise, you should always call your loved one’s VNSNY Hospice nurse first. The nurse can suggest ways to bring the symptoms under control. But if they can’t be managed at home, the nurse will arrange for care with one of our partner hospitals. Hospital care arranged through VNSNY Hospice will be covered by the hospice benefit. Please call VNSNY before you call 911!