Hospice provides a caring environment for the physical and emotional needs of terminally ill patients and their families... in their homes, in nursing homes, in assisted living residences or in our in-patient facility, featuring private rooms.
To qualify for hospice care, a patient must have a physician's order for hospice care evaluation and a diagnosis of six months or less to live.
When you select the Hospice of Saint John you will receive...
Pain and Symptom Management:
Many people will experience a terminal illness which may include symptoms such as pain, nausea, weight loss, fatigue, shortness of breath, confusion and anxiety. Our Hospice physicians, nurses and staff are expert at managing pain and other symptoms so patients are more comfortable.
Comfort Care:
The focus of care transitions from life sustaining care to comfort care. Hope, an important aspect of all care, is not lost when a patient comes into our Hospice but is redirected to maximize the quality of life.
Our patients receive specialized care through innovative methods that treat the person as a whole; caring for the physical, psychosocial and spiritual needs of each patient. The use of hospice appropriate medications, diet changes and integrative therapies such as music, massage, aroma, animal-assisted and sound therapies, as well as Reiki and healing touch, are used to provide our patients with the most comfort possible.
"Research indicates that integrative therapies in end-of-life care relieve anxiety, lower blood pressure and provide comfort," says Jennifer Dunlap, MT-BC, Manager, Integrative Therapies Department.
The Hospice of Saint John is one of few hospices in the United States with a full-time Integrative Therapies team and the only one in the Denver area with a full time Integrative Therapies Manager, Music Therapist and an Aromatherapist on site.
Our Hospice team creates a personalized plan-of-care which is coordinated with patients, families, loved ones and physicians.
How To Start:
"Do you know that hospice care is reimbursed through Medicare and Medicaid?"
You or a loved one has just been given a diagnosis of being hospice eligible and you are wondering where to begin. Hospice is a choice. It is important to choose the services that best fit your needs.
At the Hospice of Saint John you are not alone. You are the center of our team care. Our Admissions Team will begin your process. To reach us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week please call 303-232-7900.
The following is a list of considerations to review:
1. Can you or your family member sign a consent for hospice care?
2. If you or your family member cannot sign a consent, is there a medical power of attorney (MPOA) in place?
3. Do you have a physician's order indicating a hospice appropriate diagnosis?
4. Do you know that hospice care is reimbursed through Medicare and Medicaid? Do you know that most commercial insurances have a hospice benefit?
5. You can receive hospice care in your own home, in nursing homes, in assisted living facilities or within our in-patient care facility, featuring private rooms.
6. A Hospice of Saint John representative will make an appointment with you and your family.
7. You or your family member will be cared for by an expert interdisciplinary hospice care team. This team will consist of a:
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Physician
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Registered Nurse
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Certified Nursing Assistant
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Social Worker
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Chaplain
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Medicare/Medicaid Specialist
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Bereavement Counselor
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Integrative Therapist
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Registered Dietitian
All of the care team is ready to help you in any way they can.
When seeking hospice care, you should include the following on your check list:
1. Full accreditation by The Joint Commission, the Gold Standard in Health Care.
2. An optimal home care program should offer no less than two nurse visits per week, offering more coordinated care.
3. There should be a high chaplain to patient ratio, affording more spiritual comfort when needed.
4. Your hospice of choice should feature a full time Executive Medical Director who is Board Certified in palliative care.
5. An interdisciplinary team approach to care, managing patient's emotional, spiritual, physical and family needs.
6. A support program that includes trained volunteers with expertise in a myriad of areas.
7. An integrative therapies program with a full time manager to offer a myriad of treatment options to manage pain and anxiety.
8. Bereavement counselors who are available free-of-charge for both individual and family counseling.
"When you have questions. We have the answers."
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