Hospice Care at Home
DaNurse is dedicated to contributing to the well-being of our community, helping patients take charge of their health by providing traditional home care services, along with supporting preventative care through patient and public health education programmes. We are committed to the delivery of community-oriented, culturally sensitive, and affordable healthcare services for our patients and families.
We are RNs, RPNs, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and medical social workers. But above all, we’re caring, compassionate mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. We understand how important it is for people to remain surrounded by family and the familiarity of home—which is why we deliver a complete range of in-home care that is always tailored to the needs of our patients.
What is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is a sort of palliative care that is specifically intended for the latter stages of life, which are often the last six months. Palliative care also uses the same interdisciplinary team and pays the same attention to suffering, but it can be given to people of any age or illness stage. In the midst of misery and uncertainty, the fundamental objective is to offer the highest possible quality of life and as many happy days as one can. Through discussions about goals of care, a plan has been developed and created for the patient.
The Purposes of Hospice Care
The aim of palliative care is to give the patient and his or her family comfort and dignity while they are undergoing treatment for their disease. Pain and other symptom alleviation is one of palliative care’s key goals. Additionally, palliative care attends to each person’s and family’s psychological, social, cultural, emotional, and spiritual requirements.
Hospice Care at Home
Hospitals, long-term care institutions, residential hospices, and your own home are just a few of the locations where hospice care treatments are available. The majority of individuals, according to the evidence, would prefer to pass away in the comfort of their own homes. A peaceful, natural experience, is a well-managed death at home.
Whether you need help around the home or home health care staffing for an elderly relative, DaNurse has the experience, qualifications, and compassion needed to enjoy the best possible quality of life.
Our mission is to reduce pain and suffering in homes across the Greater Toronto area. Find out more about us.
Providing exceptional Hospice Care at Home for seniors and families in the GTA Toronto, Etobicoke, Oakville, Mississauga, Halton Hills, Vaughn, Niagara Falls, Burlington, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Hamilton, & Scarborough.
A comparison of hospice and palliative care
When consulting those who have made these choices, the following definitions of hospice vs. palliative care frequently surface:
- Don’t put off seeking any kind of care for too long.
- Face the truth, even if it’s hard to accept, and know that hospice and palliative care offer a comforting and safe space to assist you navigate what you’re going through (uncertainties of illness, timelines, pain management, caregiver support etc.)
- The focus of hospice and palliative care is on the patient as a whole before addressing the condition.
- Both hospice and palliative care advocate for the interdisciplinary team’s reduction of suffering, particularly for an advanced illness that has resulted in physical, emotional, spiritual, and existential discomfort. Despite being a dynamic team, they have various meanings.
The prerequisites for hospice care are as follows:
- The patient has been diagnosed with a terminal disease
- Physician’s certification – Although it sounds fancy, this really means that you need to talk to your doctor about filling out the required paperwork.
- Other prerequisites for hospice admission: Additionally, some hospices need medication lists, thorough medical records, or doctor to doctor referrals.
- Ontario Qualification – In order to be admitted in Ontario, a patient must be OHIP-eligible and obtain a referral from their Local Health Integration Network (LHIN).
Several significant points about hospice care:
- If hospice doesn’t feel right, you may always cancel it. Be prepared to forego further curative efforts.
- Some patients will stay in hospice care for more than six months.
- Some patients will get better and leave hospice, while others won’t.
- The six-month timescale is only an estimate; it is not miraculous in any way.
How hospice care operates and what kind of assistance is given:
Here is an explanation of how hospice care operates and what assistance is provided by different professionals and caregivers:
- A physician supervises treatment and issues prescriptions for pain relief and other ailments.
- A caregiver who comes many times a week for personal care (showering, grooming) and basic duties.
- A social worker or other counsellor offers assistance with logistical and emotional issues.
- A chaplain with interfaith ministry training offers spiritual assistance.
- 24/7 care is provided if pain is unbearable for a day or two.
- If you need help, a volunteer will do the grocery shopping, the gardening, or stay watch at the patient’s bedside so the caregiver can leave.
- Availability of a speech-language pathologist, dietitian, and physical or occupational therapist.
- A grieving specialist
- Basic medical necessities and medical equipment.
- 24/7 telephone assistance
- A break for the family caregiver (respite care).
- Prescription assistance
While hospice care is provided at the end of life, palliative care is provided at any stage or age, both types of care focus on symptom management, communication, and support for patients and their families. The goal is to assist patients in finding enjoyment and pleasure in the things that matter most and navigating the often complex, heartbreaking, and even beautiful complexities of end-of-life care.
Now that you’re ready to get started, let’s chat about your senior care challenges. If you have questions, we have answers.
