What is a Hospice
Palliative care and hospice is a ‘philosophy of care’ provided for patients and their families facing life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.This philosophy addresses the patient’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. It also provides support for the family and carers of the patient.
Palliative and hospice care is often viewed as a last resort, and it’s this misconception that leads to the palliative team reaching the patient and family far too late. Palliative care can assist the patient to manage distressing symptoms such as pain in the comfort of his or her home.By managing symptoms, the patient is afforded quality time with his or her loved ones. Hospice does not hasten death – on the contrary, hospice promotes living until you die.
By registering early with the palliative team at hospice, the patient and family are given time to build a relationship with various members of the team and are able to utilise the care they provide and help to prepare for the end of life stage.
Even when there is no longer hope for a cure, the palliative team can assist to ensure you live your best life while you still can. When we reach the end of life stage, the team will do all possible to ensure that the patient has a dignified, pain-free death.
Hospices are the only facilities in South Africa providing palliative care as defined by the World Health Organisation.
- Focuses on comfort and quality of life, rather than cure.
- Affirms life and views death as a natural process – it seeks neither to speed up the dying process nor postpone it.
- Concentrates on managing a patient’s pain and other symptoms, so that the patient may live as comfortably as possible and make the most of the time that remains.
- Is provided by a team that includes your doctors, the nursing staff, psychosocial councillors and our team of volunteers.
- Is taken to patients wherever they are – at home, residential care, frail care or in-area hospitals.
- Is for anyone, of any age, with any type of life-limiting illness.
- Provides counselling, respite care and practical support for patients’ families and caregivers.
Fact: Research published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management found that terminally-ill patients who received hospice care lived, on average, 29 days longer than those who did not opt for hospice near the end of life.
Additional Source: National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Any person who is diagnosed as having a life-limiting or life-threatening disease and is no longer receiving curative care, qualifies to be part of the palliative care program run by Stepping Stone Hospice. The benefit is afforded to all, regardless of social, cultural spiritual or financial standing.
Palliative care should ideally start when the patient receives his or her diagnosis. This will allow our palliative nurses and councillors to build a relationship with the patient and family.
By having the support of the palliative care team, the patient and family can make the best of the remaining time they have together. The palliative team will assist with allaying anxiety and providing the support and care the patient and family need.
Many patients and their families often only reach out for assistance when the patient is already in a weakened physical and mental state. Hospice care affords them care at home or in the In-Patient Unit (IPU) when they reach end of life. By allowing hospice to assist with end-of-life care, the patient is regularly monitored and the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of the patient and family can be cared for.
Research published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management found that terminally-ill patients who received hospice care lived, on average, 29 days longer than those who did not opt for hospice near the end of life.
It is often just knowing that you can reach out to someone, that makes the journey more comfortable for all of the family and allows the patient to feel that there is an option that does not involve going to hospital for care – an option that allows them to die with dignity surrounded by the people they love.
Additional Source: National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Most of our patients are seen and cared for in the comfort of their own homes.
Once the medical report is received, our palliative-trained nursing sister will make contact with the family to arrange the initial registration visit.
After this initial visit, the frequency of visits will be decided on. This will change as the patient’s and family’s journey with us changes.
The nursing sister acts as a liaison between the patient, their family and the multidisciplinary team.
The team consists of the doctor, the psychosocial councillor and any other professional who is caring for the patient.
The nursing sister allocated to care for a home-based patient is responsible for:
• Regular visits as per the patient and family needs
• Supervision of care workers, where applicable
• Assistance with pain and symptom control
• Assistance with dealing with wounds, prevention of bed sores, colostomies, incontinence and other issues
• Advice with regards to feeding and nutrition
• Emotional support for the patient and the family
• Recommendation about the use of equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs and commodes, which can be loaned from hospice.
Click here to view the Enrollment Form
An admission to our In-Patient Unit does not signify the end of your journey, but may be a stepping stone along that journey.
Our In-Patient Unit consists of eight individual rooms, where each patient and their family are afforded the privacy and dignity they need during their admission to the unit.
The unit is run by palliatively-trained nurses and care workers who are on duty 24hrs a day.
During the day, our counselling team are on duty to assist patients and their families during this difficult time.
Most patients receive their care at home, but there may be times where admission to the In-Patient Unit may be indicated. Some patients may present with severe symptoms such as uncontrolled pain or nausea and vomiting, which may require an admission to the unit to help alleviate the symptoms.
These symptoms will be treated in consultation with the patient’s treating doctor and once improved the patient will be allowed to return to the comfort of their own home.
When carer fatigued is identified, a respite admission may be indicated to assist both the patient and the carer.
An admission may also be indicated for end-of-life care. This is a very personal decision that is not taken lightly. Our patient rooms are set up in such a way that family members can stay with the patient.
The multidisciplinary team will ensure that a care plan for each patient is developed and implemented.
Most medical aids will cover the cost of the admission to the In-Patient Unit. In cases where there is no medical-aid funding, our team will consult with the family to assess the financial situation and whether the patient qualifies for our services to be rendered free of charge.
Trained caregivers may be placed in a patient’s home to assist with the care of the patient.
The care may only initially be required one or two days a week – although, in some cases, it may need to be 24hrs per day.
The interdisciplinary team will work with the care worker to structure a care plan according to the patient’s needs.
The fee for this service may be covered by some medical aids and we will assist with authorization where we can.
Our rate for a 12hr service is R350.00, with an additional cost for Sundays and public holidays.
