What is Hospice?

Hospice is a special way of caring for people with terminal illnesses and their families. Hospice addresses physical needs (pain and symptom control), social and emotional needs, spiritual needs and grief/bereavement counseling.

It has been said that there is a moment in a terminal illness when continuing treatment is no longer a matter of extending life, but is a matter of prolonging pain. It is in this moment of truth that both patient and family realize it is the appropriate time to no longer ask a very weary body to endure more trauma, continued and escalating pain and the increasing indignity of a greatly reduced quality of life. At this time, the caring and supportive staff of Ruidoso Home Care & Hospice, with their many resources, may be invited to walk the final steps of the journey with the patient and the family.

Our Hospice interdisciplinary team consists of highly qualified staff and volunteers available to your family to assist in providing the best care possible at home. Our RNs, LPNs and Home Health Aides assist the caregiver with the client’s end-of-life needs such as:

• Medication management to keep pain under control
• Arrangements of medical equipment and supplies relating to the Hospice diagnosis
• Regularly scheduled nursing visits
• 24 hour on call RN
• Emotional support, counseling, companionship and spiritual counseling, as desired
• Home Health Aides to assist with personal care.
• Respite care (relief for the caregiver) if they become exhausted or need a break
• Caring support and preparation for death
• Volunteers specializing in Hospice care
• Grief/Bereavement support for family and friends for at least one year

Under the Hospice Medicare benefit, hospice provides all diagnosis related medications, medical supplies and equipment necessary to provide this care with no additional cost to the patient or family. Medicare also includes up to 5 days respite care per month for the caregiver.

Many insurances also cover Hospice under their policies.

Learn More: