When it comes to end-of-life care, the setting in which a person spends their final days can significantly impact their comfort and quality of life. At High Desert Hospice, we specialize in bringing compassionate, patient-centered hospice care to various settings, including hospitals and nursing homes, ensuring that no matter where our patients are, they receive the highest quality of care tailored to their needs.

Hospital Inpatient Hospice Care

There are instances when a patient’s symptoms cannot be managed at home and require the acute medical attention only a hospital can provide. In such cases, High Desert Hospice works in concert with hospital staff to deliver inpatient hospice care. This service is designed for situations where the patient needs complex pain or symptom management that cannot be provided in a less intensive setting.

In a hospital, our hospice team collaborates with the hospital’s medical professionals to create a seamless continuum of care. Our doctors, nurses, and specialists work with hospital staff to administer comprehensive pain management and symptom relief. The focus remains on comfort, ensuring that the patient’s and family’s wishes are respected regarding end-of-life care.

Nursing Home Hospice Care

For residents of nursing homes, the transition to hospice care can often be made without having to move to another facility. High Desert Hospice partners with nursing homes to provide our services directly to residents in their familiar surroundings. This approach allows patients to remain in a comfortable and known environment, which can be less disorienting and more comforting than moving to a new location.

In the nursing home setting, our hospice team becomes an extension of the existing caregiving team. We provide specialized end-of-life care that complements the nursing home’s services, including advanced pain and symptom management, spiritual care, and emotional support. We also offer training and support to the nursing home staff to enhance their understanding of hospice care principles and practices.

The Benefits of Integrated Care

Integrating hospice care into hospitals and nursing homes offers several benefits:

• Continuity of Care: Patients receive hospice care without the need for disruptive or distressing transfers to other locations.
• Multidisciplinary Approach: Hospice care brings a multidisciplinary team to the patient, which can include hospice physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual counselors, and volunteers.
• Family and Caregiver Support: Our hospice services extend beyond the patient, offering counseling, respite care, and bereavement services to families and caregivers.
• Enhanced Quality of Life: By focusing on comfort rather than cure, hospice care can improve the quality of life for patients in hospitals and nursing homes, ensuring their final days are spent with dignity and peace.

At High Desert Hospice, we believe in the importance of providing a continuum of care that respects the patient’s preferences and needs. Whether in a hospital or a nursing home, our aim is to enhance the lives of patients and their families with the utmost compassion, dignity, and respect. We are dedicated to ensuring that the transition to hospice care is smooth and that the highest standard of care is maintained across all settings.