What is the Cape Girardeau hospice care Difference?

It is the quality care and focus that comes from being a locally owned, community health care provider. That means that instead of looking for profit, we are passionate about providing care to our patients. 

We’ve found that patients who are diagnosed with a life-limiting illness want to live in the comfort, surrounded by those who love them.  Our goal is to provide peace and comfort to the patient and their loved ones through this season in their life. We do this by ensuring quality of life for people faced with these life limiting illnesses by providing palliative home care and Cape Girardeau hospice care.

How we relieve pain:

Cape Girardeau hospice care is a Medicare certified program providing a unique kind of care and support to patients and families dealing with a life limiting illness when one no longer is seeking curative treatment.

The patient, family members and the patient’s physician work together to establish a plan of care to meet individual needs. We recognize that patients and their families experience more than just physical pain. The pain from psychological, social and spiritual problems is paramount in the Cape Girardeau hospice care interdisciplinary team.

Our goal is to help the patient remain as pain free as possible and to assist in the final phase of life. Comfort is promoted, dignity is respected and quality of life is emphasized.

Things to Do for Pain

There are many things we can do to help alleviate pain and bring comfort to your loved one. Many suffer from things like:

Constipation

Breathing

Skin Care

Digestion

Dehydration

We go into more detail here on how to help bring comfort to your loved one.

Constipation

Most patients who are taking narcotics need to be on laxatives on a routine basis. Senokot-S is the laxative of choice because they can be taken daily without side effects. If a patient has not had a bowel movement for three days, let your nurse know. Enemas are sometimes needed when a patient has gone too many days without a bowel movement. Please don’t hesitate to let your nurse know about bowel status.

Breathing

Shortness of breath is common. Different diseases affect breathing in different ways, as do emotional symptoms such as stress levels and anxiety. Changing your position or elevating your head on pillows, can ease your breathing. Sometimes, the doctor may order medications or oxygen that can help to ease breathing.

Skin Care

Illness can cause skin to break down and become more fragile. Dry skin can also be a problem, related to decreased fluid intake. This may contribute to an increase in bruising or scraping of the skin. Keeping skin moisturized may help avoid these problems. As the illness progresses and one becomes weaker, mobility is a problem. More time is spent sitting in a chair or lying in bed. You are at a greater risk for developing pressure sores. Common areas are heels, knees, elbows, shoulders, and buttocks. Changing your position frequently and using pillows, at these areas, can reduce the risk. If you notice a reddened area, notify your nurse, so early treatment may begin.

Digestion

You may notice a decrease in your appetite. This is normal as your body requirements for nutrition have decreased. This is one of the hardest things for a caregiver to accept. As caregivers, it is our nature to nurture. We nurture by giving nourishment. But, this is no longer necessary at this time. The need for nourishment has transformed from physical need to spiritual need.

The Dehydration Question

When a loved one is in the advanced stage of a terminal illness we expect to see a fluid deficit that comes with a reduced circulation in all body systems. Frequently, electrolyte imbalance and acidosis (a disturbance in the acid-base balance) are concurrent with fluid deficit. Since fluids play such an important physiological role, you can almost predict an oncoming death by a patient’s reduced fluid intake and output. In the final days, the patient becomes more dehydrated. Reasons for dehydration are dysphasia (difficulty swallowing), vomiting, anorexia (lack of appetite), or diminished energy accompanied by reduced level of consciousness and general emotional withdraw.

Effects of dehydration: As body fluids dwindle, dehydration may bring relief from distressing systems. With decreased urine output there is less need for a bedpan, urinal, or diaper change. Skin will be less likely to get bedsores if the patient is not moist in the peri area. With decreased gastrointestinal fluid, there is less nausea and vomiting. Reduced fluids and electrolytes serve almost as a natural anesthesia for the central nervous system in the last stage of life. As level of consciousness decreases, the perception of suffering also decreases.

One of the most discomforting features of dehydration is dry mouth. Good oral hygiene and knowing what to avoid will help tremendously:

• Avoid drying effects of lemon glycerin or mouthwash.
  • Patient should rinse mouth often if able.
  • Offer ice chips or small sips of a favorite fluid if patient is awake
  • If patient experiences pain or bleeding let your nurse know
  • Cover lips with non-petroleum based lip balm

Levels of care

Cape Girardeau hospice care provides different levels of care in order to tailor to each patient’s specific needs. Both the patient’s physician and Cape Girardeau hospice care nurse must approve of changes in level of care.

Routine Home Care

Routine home care is provided by Cape Girardeau hospice care in the patient’s place of residence. The care is delivered by a specially trained and compassionate staff. These staff members are capable of providing medical, spiritual and social care. They assist with pain management, symptom management and activities of daily living. The Cape Girardeau hospice care team also makes sure to communicate and coordinate care with the patient and family.

Most patients, with the assistance of the Cape Girardeau hospice care team, are able to remain in their place of residence. Regardless if it is a private home or nursing home, many patients can remain at home for the duration of their illness with the help of Cape Girardeau hospice care.

If the patient lives in a long-term care facility or nursing home, the care delivered is in addition to the normal nursing care provided by the facility and is covered by Medicare under a separate benefit. The care is coordinated by the interdisciplinary Cape Girardeau hospice care team, nursing facility staff, the patient and the family.