Hospice is a special form of care designed to improve the quality of a patient’s final days. Its primary focus is to ease the symptoms of illness, with a special emphasis on pain management. It also addresses the social, emotional and spiritual issues that a patient and his or her family will face. Our trained professionals and volunteers work together with family members to offer comfort and dignity during the patient’s final days.

You or your loved one will be cared for by a team of physicians, nurses, social workers, counselors, hospice certified nursing assistants, clergy, therapists, and volunteers. Harmony provides patient medications related to the terminal condition (including pain medication), supplies, equipment, personal care, and hospital services. We also offer relief therapies such as massage, music, reading, grief counseling. Additional home help is available, if needed.

When aggressive efforts to treat a disease create more distress, pain and harm than good, it may be time to consider hospice care. Although hospice care requires a physician’s order, you or your loved one may suggest it at any time as part of your care options. If you’d like more hospice information, please call 1-877-I NEED CARE or e-mail us at info@harmonyhomehealth.com

Rather than focusing on curative treatments, hospice care simply focuses on making a patient’s final days comfortable. Physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, spiritual counselors, home aides and volunteers all work as a coordinated support team.

At Harmony, we also focus on more than the patient—we focus on the entire family. As part of our recovery and grief support, your care provider maintains contact with your family for at least a year after the patient’s death. Often the relationships go on for much longer.

Depending on the needs of you or your loved one, hospice care may be provided in almost any setting, including the patient’s home, a friend or relative’s home, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living centers or senior housing. In most cases, patients prefer to receive care in the comfort and security of their own homes.

Any patient diagnosed with a terminal illness may be eligible. Harmony’s pain management and emotional support programs will help the patient to spend his or her remaining days in comfort, peace and dignity.

Anyone can refer a qualified patient to Harmony’s hospice program—even if he or she is not a member of the immediate family. In fact, we often receive referrals from a patient’s friends or neighbors. If you or someone you know is ready for hospice care, but has yet to receive a doctor’s order, please call us at 1-877-I NEED CARE. We’ll contact both the patient and the patient’s physician to determine if hospice care is the right step.

After we receive a referral, one of our experienced staff members visits the patient and his or her family in their home. We offer a free evaluation, thoroughly explain our services, answer questions and provide the benefit of our years of experience in helping patients and their families make a decision about hospice care. We also consult with the patient’s doctor to ensure that hospice care is an appropriate choice. Finally, we will deliver a consent form to confirm that hospice care is the patient’s desired treatment. Once signed, hospice care can begin almost immediately, usually in four hours or less.

Of course. If the patient’s condition improves or the disease moves into remission, the patient can be discharged and return to curative therapy and normal daily life. If the patient should need to return to hospice care again, Medicare and most private insurance providers will allow additional coverage.

Our hospice staff will assess your needs and arrange for any necessary equipment (e.g. hospital bed, wheel chair, oxygen, etc.).

For most hospice patients, even a small amount of relief can seem like a miracle. Fortunately, Harmony’s services often bring immense relief and a sense of comfort to patients who suffer. Our specially trained nurses will provide you or your loved one with the latest treatments and medications for pain and symptom relief. In addition, Harmony’s physical and occupational therapists can help patients become as mobile and self-sufficient as possible. Pain can also be managed with diet counseling. But emotional and spiritual pain can be just as agonizing as physical pain. Consequently, Harmony offers music, art, and massage therapy to help ease the patient’s burden. Other qualified counselors, including clergy, are also available to assist both the patient and the patient’s family.

Very high. Harmony’s combination of medication, counseling and therapy typically helps patients attain significant relief, comfort and peace of mind.

In the early stages of care, constant monitoring is usually unnecessary. However, one of the most common fears a hospice patient experiences is the fear of dying alone, so we generally recommend someone be continuously present in later weeks.

Unlike many other care providers, we do not require a live-in caregiver. Our staff of over 400 care providers, in coordination with volunteers, friends, church members and neighbors, will ensure that you or your loved one need never be alone.

Harmony is committed to providing the highest level of care to their patients. As part of meeting that goal, we do not limit the number of visits to our hospice patients. We will visit the patient as often as they need us to.

Harmony assigns a core team of care providers to each hospice patient. While a different aid might come out based on the time of the visit (e.g. late at night or on weekends) they will always be a member of the core care team.

Hospice care is almost always started within two hours of your phone call.

These are some organizations that can give you more information: National Association of Hospice & Palliative Care www.nhpco.org Utah Hospice Organization www.utahhospice.org

Home health care covers a wide assortment of in-home medical services. With the exception of emergent or surgical care, almost any care that can be performed in a hospital can be offered at home. Of course, most patients prefer remaining at home. At Harmony, we’re committed to help you maintain your independence.

Our qualified teams of Registered Nurses, Certified Nurse assistants, and therapists help patients heal with speed and comfort in the privacy of their own home. In addition to coordinating prescribed care with the patient’s physician, we provide progress updates and adjust care according to the doctor’s instructions. Harmony staff provide curative care and teach patients about disease processes and medication administration—a simple service that makes a significant difference in patients’ health once they are discharged from home care.

Anyone who has recently experienced a change in medication or health condition, had a recent or past hospitalization, and currently experiences difficulty leaving home may qualify for home care. Common reasons for home care include:

• Wound care
• Diabetes
• Physical therapy
• Any disease process that is—or should be—managed by a physician
• Medication Education
• Requiring professional help in understanding and managing personal health care.

You don’t have to wait for a physician to recommend home health care. Anytime it becomes more comfortable and convenient to receive care at home or in a care facility, home health care may be an option. Most patients find home care a more pleasant and satisfying way to heal. Simply ask your doctor if it would be appropriate for you. Please call us at 1-877-I NEED CARE if you have any questions about qualifying for home health care.

Yes. By law, all doctors and hospitals are required to allow you to choose which home care agency you use.

Harmony provides a compassionate, experienced, and highly qualified staff to care for the needs of you or your loved one. Some home services include:

• Nursing
• Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
• Certified Nurse Aids
• Homemaking services
• Wound care therapy
• Private duty

Once you contact Harmony, we immediately contact your doctor for approval and instructions. If you are referring a loved one, we will also contact him or her. After we obtain approval, home care can begin in less than 24 hours. To begin the admission process, simply call 1-877-I NEED CARE. We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

As often as necessary. At Harmony, a patient’s well being is always more important than our bottom line.

Consistency is essential in providing safe and effective health care. Once we determine your needs and assign a nurse or therapist, they will continue as your home care provider.

Our highly qualified Registered Nurses administer injectable and IV medications. Patients and caregivers can receive education on administering eye drops and medications taken orally.

There is no co-pay with Medicare and VA. Private insurance plans vary, but often cover all your needs. Harmony will help you identify your plan’s benefits.

Please call us day or night at 1-877-I NEED CARE. If it is an immediate medical emergency, call 911.

Medicare, Medicaid, Veteran’s Administration, private insurance providers and many HMOs typically cover hospice and (if your are homebound) home health care. Private payments are also accepted. Call Harmony and our staff will be happy to help you determine if you are qualified for benefits.