hillside hospice

Unique, Caring and Compassionate Support

Hillside Hospice has served the community since 1988 and remains the only community-based hospice in the area. We provide care at home for those living with a terminal illness, and we view it as a privilege to provide this care to our communities. Hillside Hospice provides a unique and complete support system for both the patient and the family. The hospice interdisciplinary team develops a plan of care to meet the individual needs of each patient and family.

What is Hospice?

Many misperceptions exist surrounding hospice care. These misconceptions delay individuals and families from seeking valuable support. 

What Hospice Is

• A special team that meets the patient and family where they are in the end of life journey.
• A program of individualized care, focused on quality of life, recognizing the need to support the emotional, spiritual, and practical needs as well as the medical and physical needs. 
• Appropriate when the physician believes that the patient’s illness will limit life expectancy to 6 months. Because no one knows for certain, Hospice periodically re-evaluates these criteria with the doctor. Starting Hospice sooner than later allows for improved patient care, and decreases the frequency of emergency room or hospital care. 
• Hospice cares for the entire family unit, however the client may define that. 
• Balances the benefits and burdens of treatments with the goal for comfort and quality of life.

What Hospice Is Not

• Limited to the last days and weeks of life
• Limitied to no treatments or care – When needed and appropriate, Hillside Hospice provides certain treatments that may be viewed as aggressive, however have a definite benefit for comfort.
• A 24-hour in-home care-giver. Hospice provides on-call coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The nurse is available to answer questions, direct the family on actions to take, and if necessary, make a visit for care. Hospice, however, does not provide caregivers to stay in the home 24 hours a day.

Other Facts

• Many families wish they had not waited so long to accept hospice services.
• National data finds that Hospice patients live longer, spend less time in the hospital, and have a higher satisfaction with the quality of care received during this time than those not supported by Hospice. 
• MMC-BD is working toward Fulfilling its vision of bringing a dedicated Hospice Home to our community. We recognize the need for patients who are not able to or do not desire to remain at home until the time of their passing. A Hospice Home will provide a home-like atmosphere with caregivers trained specifically in end-of-life care.