Our Care Services | Nursing Home Care

While nursing homes provide excellent care for their residents, they are not specialists in providing palliative care to patients facing severe life-limiting illnesses.

United Hospice is a unique healthcare provider in that we focus on caring for the whole patient.  Not only are we specialists in pain and symptom management, but we also address the psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of care. While at a nursing home, even in a comfort care program at a nursing home, patients suffering from a severe illness will not receive the type of specialized care that enhances (and sometimes extends) the quality of life. In both Orange and Rockland counties, nursing homes are not licensed to provide hospice care to you or your loved one. Only HOSPICE can do that.

If you have a loved one suffering from a life-limiting illness currently residing in a nursing home and want to receive the kind of specialized care only hospice can provide, we are here for you!  United Hospice’s Nursing Home Care Program enables nursing home residents who are seriously ill to remain in a familiar and supportive environment while receiving relief from pain and other symptoms. In coordination with the team at the nursing home, United Hospice provides guidance and specialized care to help residents and their families live in comfort when time matters most.

Hospice services will be provided by an interdisciplinary team of highly skilled health care professionals all trained to work with individuals with severe illnesses and their families in the following ways:

• Residents entering United Hospice’s Nursing Home Care Program will remain under the care of the nursing home physician. In addition, the United Hospice Medical Director will be available for consultation when needed.
• Hospice nurses will help direct and coordinate the residents’ care plan, ensure effective symptom, and pain management, and be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to address any patient needs or family concerns. Home health aides are available when the need for personal care that can supplement the care provided by the nursing home’s staff.
• Social workers help residents, and their families make emotional adjustments. They can be effective in helping families improve communication, teach relaxation techniques to decrease anxiety, and locate community resources to enhance the quality of life. Spiritual caregivers offer comfort and emotional support to residents and their families. They often serve as a bridge between residents and their church or synagogue.
• Bereavement counselors are available for individual and or group support to families for 13 months after the death of their loved one.
• Volunteers supply a variety of services to meet a resident’s needs. They can become friendly visitors who listen with care and compassion.

If you or a loved one are looking to receive the specialized care that only hospice can provide and are eligible to receive hospice services, we encourage you to give us a call at 845-634-4974. We will contact your physician and meet with you and your family to determine the right time for services to begin.