Ashland Community Hospital Hospice offers comfort oriented care to patients with life threatening disease or terminal illness. Hospice strives to provide comprehensive services that support the mind, body and spirit of patients with terminal illness.  The hope of Hospice is to allow natural dying, while helping patients achieve the highest quality of life possible.  Supporting family and caregivers with volunteer help and professional support is also a Hospice priority.  

"We feel Hospice care is the best way to care for the dying and we are proud of our ability to provide this service to our community." 

Hospice is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide palliative care, most often in patients’ homes, but also in skilled nursing facilities, inpatient hospital settings and other long-term care environments.

For the past three years, the Friends of Hospice have held a fundraiser called the Butterfly Tea to help support the many services Ashland Community Hospital's Hospice program has to offer.

Services:

All services listed below are paid for by the Medicare Hospice benefit and most commercial insurances.  Medications and medical equipment needed to provide comfort oriented care are free to the Medicare Hospice patient.

Skilled Nursing attends to patients' needs regarding pain and symptom management, with an emphasis on providing comfort through appropriate management of medication.
Medical Social Work provides end-of-life grief, financial and social support and information for the patient and loved ones, including help with advance directives, Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment, and powers of attorney. 
Medical Director is a Medical Doctor with expertise in palliative and end-of-life medicine who provides guidance and recommendations to Hospice staff and referring physicians about Hospice patients' care.
Home Health Aides assist patients with bathing and support and some other daily living activities, when needed.
Chaplain provides spiritual support, when requested, and is trained in many faiths to help patients and loved ones dealing with grief and loss.
Volunteers provide support to caregivers and patients by giving respite to caregivers, sitting with Hospice patients, helping with errands, and offering support to the grieving.
Equipment needed to keep a Hospice patient at home is provided, including wheel chairs, commodes, hospital beds and other assistive equipment.
Pharmaceuticals are provided to keep Hospice patients comfortable.
Respite support in a patient’s home or in a skilled nursing environment can be provided when caregivers need a break.
Acute Care is also available to help hospitalized Hospice patients control their symptoms.

Criteria for Admission:

1.  A physician must certify that a patient will likely die within 6 months if their disease takes its normal course.

2.  The patient and family/caregivers must consent to receive Hospice Services and be able to assist with the plan of care.

3.  The living environment must be safe and appropriate for Hospice care.