Who Makes Up the Hospice Care Team?

There are a lot of things to take into consideration when considering hospice for yourself or for someone you love. In our previous blog post, we discussed the important topic of who pays for hospice. Now, we want to talk about who makes up the hospice care team.

Physician(s)

It’s a common misconception that you cannot continue to use your primary care physician (PCP) when you choose hospice. This is not true. The patient’s PCP will continue to be as involved in their care as you want them to be, working closely with the hospice team to determine the best care plan options. The hospice team will keep them informed of all the patient’s wants and needs.

A Hospice Medical Director will also be part of the hospice care team. They oversee all clinical aspects of hospice care and provide medical education to community and facility staff. The Medical Director also actively participates in the admission, eligibility, and recertification decisions and provides overall direction to the rest of the hospice team.

Nurse

Although they receive guidance from the Medical Director, the hospice nurse is the one who manages the patient’s care. The nurse will visit based on a schedule that meets the patient’s individual needs. Their main purpose is to provide pain and symptom management, keeping the patient as comfortable as possible. They will also administer medication as necessary and will tend to any wounds the patient may have.

There is always a hospice nurse on call – 24/7, 365 – to answer any questions that may arise.

Certified Nursing Assistant

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), also referred to as an Aide, plays a pivotal role in the hospice care team. They are trained caregivers who work under the supervision of a registered nurse to assist with personal care and other duties around the home. CNAs will help the patient with things like bathing, dressing, grooming, and feeding. They will also help with light housekeeping.

CNAs also provide education to family/caregivers so they can feel confident in caring for their loved one when hospice is not there. This can include how to safely transfer your loved one from bed to a chair and back or the best way to help them get from room to room.

CNAs provide a special level of care for hospice patients and their family/caregivers.

Medical Social Worker

Dealing with a terminal illness can be delicate and difficult for the patient and family. The hospice social worker is here to provide emotional support for you and your family, as well as to help with things like:

• Advanced Directives including Living Wills, Power of Attorney (POA), and Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) orders
• Determining care options, including respite care, handling coordination with the family and the care facility
• Coordinate placement into a personal care home or nursing facility if higher levels of care are needed
• Provide information and support to determine what is right for the patient- putting family in touch with private duty care, Agency on Aging services, funeral homes and services, VA benefits, and determining insurance/financial assistance

Chaplain

Our pastoral care team is comprised of ordained ministers with various religious affiliations who provide spiritual support to the patient and their family throughout the entire hospice journey. They provide an interfaith forum where the spiritual needs of the individual come first, not the denomination. Services they provide include praying with the patient/family, reading scripture, or even just sitting quietly with the patient. Chaplains can provide or arrange for religious sacraments or other religious rites. They may also help with funeral or memorial service arrangements.

Bereavement Counselor/Coordinator

The grieving process doesn’t wait until the patient has passed to begin. It is completely normal to feel grief when facing the impending loss of someone you love. Bereavement coordinators are here for you and your family whenever you need them most. Their support begins at the time the patient is admitted to hospice and continues for up to 13 months after death. Everyone grieves differently, but no one should ever have to go through it alone.

Volunteer(s)

Volunteers are specially trained to support the patient and their family by providing services such as reading, art/music therapy, pet therapy, and so much more. There are also Veteran volunteers for Veteran patients who would like visits from a volunteer who served in the military.

Volunteers can have such a huge impact on a patient’s hospice journey.

The Family/Caregiver

The final and most important part of the hospice is care team is you, the patient’s family/caregiver. You will be involved in your loved one’s care every step of the way. Starting from the very first discussion about our services, our team will coordinate with you throughout your entire hospice journey to care for your spouse, parent, or other loved one as though they are our own.

If you’d like to learn more about the hospice care team, please contact us. We are here to answer any questions you may have.