Hospice care can be a big part of the patient’s life as well as the family’s relief when it comes to the caring of a dying loved one. There are various roles of hospice care in long term care facilities which include but are not limited to the following:
1. To provide pain management services while managing the patient’s symptoms.
2. To provide emotional, psychosocial and spiritual support to the patients and their families.
3. To consist of compassionate caregivers including expert healthcare professionals to provide exceptional service to the patients and their families.
4. To be able to help the family members adjust and manage the lifestyle of their dying family member.
5. To be able to provide specialized care to the patients, when needed. For example: Physical and occupational therapy.
6. To be able to provide short-term inpatient care for patients who cannot be treated at home or who need a caregiver immediately.
7. To also provide bereavement care and counseling to existing family and friends.
The hospice staff plays an important role in the patient’s life. Families expect quality care when it comes
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In the longitudinal study published in 2010, it is concluded that during 1999 and 2006, the number of hospice services provided at Nursing Homes increased from 1,850 to 2,768, doubling the rate from 14% to 33%. (Miller, Lima, Gozalo & Mor, 2010) This trend is expected to increase in the coming years and we have to be prepared for it. Hospice care is an important part of end-of-life support, especially for patients who have life-limiting health conditions. Stephanie Prost (2014) professional values of social work aligns directly with hospice and palliative care and that social workers also have a big role in the end-of-life care. She further discusses that social workers make sure that the patients and their families get unconditional love and support, thus maintain a positive