Harbor Hospice

What is Harbor Hospice?

Harbor Hospice is much more than a place. We are devoted to giving each family a gift when they need it most...quality of life for our patient's when they are facing life's greatest challenge.

At Harbor Hospice our commitment to excellence is reflected in our core values. Conveying these values throughout the organization with excitement and passion by word and action is what drives us.

Where Compassion Never Ends

We are dedicated to providing care and comfort to terminally ill patients and their families.

Services

Services are provided by nurses and other health care professionals within the hospice program. A hospice team member is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If a problem should arise, the team member may offer advice over the phone and, if warranted, make a visit. Services provided by the hospice care team includes:

Nursing Care

Registered nurses coordinates care for every patient, provide direct patient care, monitor medications and check symptoms. The nurse maintains communication with the physician as the patient's condition and treatment changes warrants.

Medical Social Services

The social worker evaluates the family dynamics and acts as an advocate for the patient and family in making use of community resources. The social worker also provides advice and counseling to the patient and family members during the crisis period while providing feedback to the hospice team on recommended changes.

Physician Services

The patient's physician approves the plan of care and works closely with the hospice team. A hospice medical director is available to the attending physician, the patient, and the hospice care team as a consultant and a resource.

Spiritual Counseling

Spiritual Counselors are available to visit and provide support to the terminally ill. The Spiritual Counselor also coordinates support with the patient's personal clergy when desired. This program also use churches and congregations to aid the patient and family as requested.

Bereavement Support

Bereavement is the time of mourning that we all experience following a loss. The hospice care team works with the surviving family members to help them with the grieving process. Support may include a trained volunteer or counselor visiting the family at specific periods during the first year, or phone calls and/or letter contact and the opportunity for family members to participate in support groups.

Certified Nurses Aide Services

Certified Nurses Aides provide personal care for the patient, such as bathing, shampooing, shaving, and nail care. Certified Nurse Aides also provide valuable feedback to the Team regarding their observation and the patient's needs.

Volunteers

Volunteers are trained in good listening skills and provide compassionate support for both patient and family. They offer companionship and help with everyday tasks such as shopping, sitting, and other tasks which help maintain the family's routine. Volunteer services may also include professional and personal care services.

Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapies

Daily living tasks such as walking, dressing, or feeding oneself can become challenging during an illness. Therapists help the patient develop new ways to accomplish these tasks.

Eligibility

Guidelines in determining patient eligibility under the Medicare/Medicaid Hospice Benefit are helpful by identifying those persons that may have a life expectancy of approximately six months or less. A patient will need to meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for hospice:

The patient's condition is life limiting , and the patient and/or family has been informed of this determination. A "life limiting condition" may be due to a specific diagnosis, a combination of diseases, or there may be no specific diagnosis defined.

The patient and/or family has elected treatment goals directed toward relief of symptoms , rather than cure of the underlying disease.

The patient has one of the following:

• Documented clinical progression of a disease, which may include:

1. Progression of the primary disease process as listed in disease-specific criteria and documented by a physician assessment, laboratory, radiology or other studies.
2. Multiple Emergency Department visits or inpatient hospitalizations over the prior six months.
3. For homebound patients receiving home health services, nursing assessment may be documented. For patients who do not qualify under 1, 2 or 3, a recent decline in functional status may be documented.

• Documented recent impairment of nutritional status relating to the terminal process.

1. Unintentional, progressive weight loss of greater than 10% over the prior six months.
2. Serum albumin less than 2.5 gm/dl may be a helpful prognostic indicator, but should not be used in isolation from other factors in I-III above.