The goal of hospice care is to provide comfort and improve quality of life for patients facing a terminal illness. Care conversations help you set measurable goals for hospice patients that ease symptoms and meet patient wishes.
Start with comprehensive assessments, record reviews, and discuss patient values and goals. Consider medical conditions, prognoses, treatment plans, and emotional support resources. Then set specific goals for end-of-life care.
Set Goals to Maintain or Improve Physical Functions
One of the goals of hospice care is to maintain or improve physical status. Managing physical function through activity or therapy may help relieve fatigue, improve well-being and quality of life, and alleviate pain, stress, and mood disorders.
Therapy may involve a variety of techniques and devices to improve muscle, joint, and respiratory function, including:
- Massage
- Physiotherapy
- Manual therapy
- Breathing exercises
- Chest physiotherapy
- Mobility aids
Set goals based on the patient's status and wishes, and issue referrals to teams or healthcare providers that best support those outcomes.
Set Goals for Pain and Symptom Management
Pain and symptom management becomes extremely important when curative treatment is no longer an option. However, patients often fear both being in pain and the side effects of pain medication, making effective pain management challenging.
Patients may also experience a variety of other symptoms as their disease progresses. The goal should be to regularly assess the patient’s status and adjust the actual care plan as needed for acute care.
For example, you might start pain control with NSAIDs and combine them with muscle relaxants, antidepressants, or steroids for adjuvant treatment. As pain progresses, you might move to weak and then potent opioids. This way, patients can avoid some side effects, but you can step up pain medication as needed.
Consider Emotional and Spiritual Health When Setting Goals
Spiritual care is essential to hospice programs, as is emotional health. Terminal illness forces patients to face death and may lead to distress. Supporting patients emotionally and spiritually helps them accept their diagnosis and live fully.
Each care receiver will have different spiritual beliefs and emotional needs. Learn about your patient’s spiritual goals, like specific rituals or religious ceremonies, and include those in your care planning.
Patients may also suffer from depression, anger, or anxiety. Assess their emotional status regularly and adjust goals as necessary. Patients may need medication or might benefit from counseling or religious guidance to address spiritual concerns or provide solace.
If Symptoms Are Improving, Establish Goals for Leaving Hospice
Hospice care is generally designed for patients with less than six months to live. However, patient health can change. Symptoms may improve, and life expectancy can extend beyond six months, meaning patients can leave the care facilities or the hospice program.
Sometimes patients change their minds about hospice, or their symptoms improve enough that they restart curative treatment. Monitor progress and openly discuss the possibility of leaving hospice as conditions improve.
How Data Can Help You Improve Hospice Care for Your Patients
A hospice patient’s status changes quickly and often involves complex care. Data helps hospice care teams track changes, assess whether current strategies are working, and instantly update records.
All-in-one document solutions like WorldView help agencies manage physician orders and referrals and provide better patient care. Learn more about how WorldView can transform your home health agency.
