Palliative Care & Hospice

Hospice is a special way of caring for patients and families coping with life-limiting illness. Those needs can be met with the compassion and expertise of Harris Palliative Care & Hospice. Professionals and volunteers are available to help you and your family during this time.

If a diagnosis has been accepted and no further curative treatment is being sought, then hospice can offer spiritual, emotional and medical support.

How can hospice care help?

Our goal is to meet your needs:

Physical, emotional, social and spiritual. Because we have experience in helping others, we can ease physical discomfort, provide companionship, help you understand what to expect, find the right resources to fulfill the patient's wishes, and give needed support to family and friends. Hospice understands the changes and adjustments that a life-limiting illness presents to families and patients.

Who is the hospice care team?

Many people with a variety of skills work together for the benefit of the patient and loved ones, and hospice uses a team approach to coordinate care.  A feeling of harmony grows when patients and families share their feelings and participate in care.

Our hospice team includes:

• Skilled care by an RN who coordinates the care of each patient, communicates with the physician, provides direct patient care.
• Home care aides and homemakers who provide personal care for the patient, such as bathing, shampooing, shaving and nail care, light housekeeping and meal preparation.
• Social workers who provide counseling to the patient and family and assist in understanding family relationships.
• The patient's personal physician who directs the plan of care and works closely with the hospice team.
• Registered dietitians who provide nourishing meal plans and special dietary assistance in making food look appealing.
• Clergy and other counselors who visit and provide spiritual support to the terminally ill at home. Members of the patient's church family are also important in offering support.
• Volunteers with special training who visit, listen and provide compassionate support for both patients and loved ones.