What is Hospice?

What is Hospice Care?

Hospice care with Hospice Alliance is more than a philosophy.

Historically, “hospice” is a philosophy of specialized care for dying patients which was introduced in the late 1940s when the benefits of holistic and symptom controlled focus of care were presented to the medical community by Dame Cicley Saunders.

For nearly 40 years, Hospice Alliance has been committed to providing hospice care, taking the philosophy to the next level, caring for patients as well as their caregivers.

Hospice care should be considered when a patient has a life-limiting illness and curative treatment is no longer being sought. A simple phone call to Hospice Alliance by a doctor, social worker, family member, friend or even the patient him or herself, will set into motion a team of care providers including an Admissions Nurse, Medical Director, Circle of Care Manager, RN Case Manager, Social Worker, Chaplain and Certified Nursing Assistant. As a care plan is developed, Hospice Alliance continues to work closely with the patient’s primary care physician who continues to oversee care.

This team, along with our dedicated volunteers are committed to supporting patients and their caregivers in “adding life to days” for those in our care.

Sometimes, when providing physical, emotional and spiritual support, we find that a patient could benefit from life enriching therapies such as Benevolent Touch (in which our entire staff is trained), aromatherapy, music therapy and pet therapy.

Hospice Alliance provides care and support “wherever a patient calls home.” This could be a personal residence, the home of a loved one, an assisted living or skilled nursing facility. Additionally, Hospice Alliance has the unique opportunity to provide 24/7 care in our residential care facility, our Hospice House. Our home-like Hospice House, located in Kenosha, is the only of its kind in this corner of the state.

A concern for many facing the end-of-life is their loved ones. At Hospice Alliance, we care for the patient and those around them, with our care continuing to provide customized bereavement services and grief support designed by the needs of those left behind. While some believe that choosing hospice means giving up hope, at Hospice Alliance, we believe that choosing hospice care replenishes hope. Hospice Alliance is committed to the care and support that brings patients and their loved ones quality of life at the end-of-life.

Learn more about our unique Hospice House where we offer hospice services in OUR home.