Circle of Care

Hospice palliative care may involve a number of health care providers, including:

• Home care, hospital and hospice nurses
• Home support workers
• Hospice society volunteers
• Pharmacists
• Social workers
• Hospice counselors
• Spiritual care coordinators and clergy
• Dietitians
• Rehabilitation staff
• Residential care facility staff
• Local hospice palliative care team members as consultants

What services are provided?

As part of our Circle of Care, hospice palliative care services include:

• Caregiver support - People may be concerned about whether they will be able to look after their ill family member especially when that person is being cared for at home. Home care nurses can assist in providing information and assistance to meet individual needs.
• Communication - Hospice palliative care teams include medical and nursing practitioners as well as social workers, pharmacists and volunteers. Thanks to their interdisciplinary nature the teams can facilitate frank discussions between all the relevant members about what is needed during an illness, as well as help patients identify goals for the dying process.
• Organizing your care - By coordinating communication between doctors, home care nurses, pharmacists, hospital and nursing home staff, hospice palliative care consultation teams ensure that questions are answered quickly.  After a hospital stay, the hospice palliative care consultation team works closely with the discharge planning staff to arrange reliable at-home care or a safe return to a residential facility. Teams can organize practical help with transportation, at-home assisting equipment, medications and day-to-day decision-making.
• Support for the bereaved family - Hospice palliative care programs continue to support the family after a patient’s death. They recognize that family caregivers need help and support after an illness and make sure that support and counseling services are available to those who want them.