Inpatient Hospice Care
Sometimes hospice patients develop symptoms that are not easily manageable with routine care in the home and require more intense medical treatment. Whenever situations arise that need additional attention that cannot be provided at home, inpatient hospice care is available. Inpatient hospice facilities provide care and comfort to end-of-life patients and their families in a peaceful, home-like setting.
UnityPoint Hospice has a professional staff available 24 hours a day to provide medical care in a supportive inpatient environment. Our inpatient hospice facilities include:
- UnityPoint Hospice – Paula J. Baber Hospice Home in Fort Dodge
- UnityPoint Hospice – Taylor House in Des Moines
Inpatient hospice care can also be provided in a hospital or nursing home when a dedicated hospice facility is unavailable in the community. Inpatient hospice care is considered short-term care, so as soon as the symptoms are manageable again by the primary caregiver, the patient will be discharged.
Depending on location availability and care needs, inpatient hospice services may include:
- Nursing care
- Social services
- Spiritual care
- Hospice aides
- Comfort therapies, such as music, art and pet therapy
- Physical, occupational and speech therapy
- Oxygen and special medications, such as chemotherapy (for symptom management only, not for curative treatment)
- Volunteer companionship
Types of Inpatient Care
The most basic level of inpatient care is Residential Inpatient Care. This is when a patient needs to be more closely monitored than what a primary caregiver at home can provide.
General Inpatient Care is necessary when there is an onset of uncontrolled pain and symptoms that cannot be managed successfully at home or needs more intensive treatment than what is provided in residential inpatient care. It is still considered short-term care, so as soon as the pain and symptoms are manageable, the patient returns to residential inpatient or home hospice care.
It can be physically and emotionally demanding to take care of a loved one who is in the final stages of life. Sometimes the only way for primary caregivers to continue providing quality hospice care for a patient is to allow themselves to rest or respite. Respite Inpatient Care is offered for hospice patients whose primary caregivers need a break, which is normal and often necessary for the physical and emotional well-being of the caregiver.
UnityPoint Health Hospice Facilities
UnityPoint Health is proud to serve hospice patients and their families in communities in Iowa and Illinois. Hospice care is provided in these inpatient and outpatient settings: