Sanctuary Hospice provides care to patients who live in assisted living facilities.

Many people think that hospice care is only for patients who are in a “hospice house” or their own home. This is not true. Sanctuary Hospice has close ties with many assisted livings homes. Patients often fair better when they can remain in their “home” - the place they know and are comfortable and where they have developed close friendships with other residents and with staff they know and trust.

By selecting Sanctuary Hospice care, ALF residents may be able to remain in the facility during their last months of life. A specialized hospice team partners with caregivers at those facilities to bring more eyes, hands and experience to patient and family care. Our team approach brings specialized end-of-life care for patients living in facilities. We offer emotional support, including bereavement care, to family and friends of patients in these facilities, as well as to other caregivers.

Here are a few physical signs that indicate an assisted living resident might need hospice:

• The resident’s health is declining – they may have experienced falls, multiple trips to the ER, and are spending more of their time sleeping or in bed.
• The worsening of their symptoms is affecting their quality of life – it is no longer easy for them to leave their room or participate in facility activities.
• They are losing weight because they forget to eat or it is too difficult for them to make it to the facility dining room.
• They need more support – they are having increased difficulty managing all aspects of their daily activities (bathing, dressing, etc).
• They are experiencing increased shortness of breath or pain with any type of activity.
• They have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and have decided to stop aggressive/curative treatment.
• Their doctor says that there is nothing more they can do to make things better.

The hospice team works with the patient, their loved ones and the ALF to develop an individualized plan of care to best meet the patient’s needs. This plan will include the members of the team that will provide care, the frequency of their visits and the care that will be provided. The hospice team has regular meetings to discuss each patient and their plan of care.

We encourage you to call us at 662-407-2400 to request additional information about hospice or to request a no obligation visit and evaluation.

Once an evaluation is requested, a member of our team will contact you to determine a convenient time for us to meet you at the Assisted Living Facility. We have staff available to meet with you seven days a week. Our hospice representative will provide detailed information about the hospice philosophy and care and will answer any questions you have. A Registered Nurse will review your medical history, medications and conduct a physical examination. Our team can complete all of these steps as quickly as you and your physician prefer – often in a matter of a few hours.