What are some hospice statistics that caregivers in Eau Claire might want to know?
Because of its value to the patients that receive care and to their families, hospice care (also known as palliative care) is becoming a more and more popular choice for end-of-life care. The statistics listed below show how many total patients were in hospice care in Wisconsin in 2017 and how many average days they spent in hospice care.
Hospice care in Wisconsin | |
Total patients In hospice care: | 31,228 |
Average days In hospice care: | 70 |
Not all hospice care patients are seniors, but the vast majority of them are. As the information above shows, patients in Wisconsin generally spend a little more than two months in hospice care. However, the general rule for hospice care is that patients who have six months or less to live, should the disease go its natural course without further treatment, are eligible for hospice care. Hospice caregivers are there to ease patients and their families through the transition from life to death, and most people agree that they do a wonderful job.
What are the different types of hospice care available in Eau Claire?
As with most kinds of care, there are different types of hospice care, depending on the patient’s needs. There are Eau Claire hospice services, where caregivers like physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, social workers, grief counselors, chaplains, and volunteers rotate in and out of the home on a regular basis. There is also inpatient care where the patient’s pain is managed 24 hours a day at a hospice care facility in Eau Claire or La Crosse.
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Routine hospice care
- Hospice care at home. The most common type of hospice care.
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Continuous home care
- Care provided for 8 to 24 hours per day for pain management and other acute medical symptoms. Intended to maintain the terminally ill patient at home during a pain or symptom crisis.
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Inpatient respite care
- Temporary care provided in a hospital, hospice facility, or long-term care facility with 24-hour nursing personnel present. Intended to relieve the primary caregiver on a temporary basis.
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General Inpatient Care
- Care in a medical facility for pain control or other acute symptom management that cannot feasibly be provided in any other setting.
One of the most helpful types of hospice care is inpatient respite care. You might need this if you and other family members have been providing care for your older loved one on your own, around the clock, without professional help. In this situation, you may be exhausted and need a short break to care for yourself or your family. A brief reprieve may be all you need to get back up to speed so you can continue to care for your elderly loved one or set up routine hospice care in the home for them.
How do I find the best hospice care in Eau Claire?
Hospice care is an excellent resource for your senior loved one and the entire family as you look for ways to ease their transition from this world in ways that respect their end-of-life wishes and give them dignity. Hospice care is different from other types of medical care, because success does not hinge on the patient coming out cured. Here are some examples of questions you should ask before choosing a care team for your senior loved one.
Is everyone on the Eau Claire hospice services team certified for palliative care? Do they have experience working with elderly people at the end of their lives? Have they worked with family members of dying adults before? What are their emergency policies? Learn more about what to ask in our comprehensive guide to finding hospice care.
Hospice home care for seniors in Eau Claire
Making sure your older loved one is prepared for the end of their life is a selfless and loving gift you can give them. Once the treatment options are over, finding the help of a palliative care team that can help them pass peacefully at home can help your elderly loved one maintain their autonomy and dignity until the very end. Use our free listings to find La Crosse or Eau Claire hospice services today.