Hospice

		Quality of life through the end of life.
		Central Oregon Hospice is not a place, but a group of special people whose mission is to help terminally ill patients live each day with dignity and in comfort. Our philosophy can be summed up in the following quote by Dame Cecily Saunders, founder of the modern hospice movement: “You matter to the last moment of your life and we will do all we can, not only to help you die peacefully, but to live until you die.” This statement reaffirms life and views dying as a natural process, which occurs in due time and can be met with self-respect. We give patients the opportunity to make their own decisions about how and where they wish to live their final days. Our belief is that everyone has the right to die comfortably and pain-free, with peace and dignity, and that family and friends who are a part of our life deserve support as well.
		Who is eligible for Hospice?
		Everyone is eligible to receive Hospice care regardless of age, sex, race, religion, national origin, handicap, lifestyle, and type of illness or financial situation. However, each patient must meet the following criteria: A life-limiting illness with a prognosis of six months or less, as diagnosed by a physician. Have no desire for further curative treatment. Have an attending physician who gives consent to hospice care and either provides ongoing medical direction or authorizes it from our medical director. Anyone can refer you to Central Oregon Hospice. To access Hospice, talk with your physician to decide if you qualify.
		The Hospice Care Team.
		The goal of Central Oregon Hospice is palliative rather than curative. We’re not meant for people who have given up hope, but for those who need support in accepting and retaining control during the end-of-life journey. Our services include: Skilled nurses for pain management and symptom control. Spiritual support and bereavement counseling. Medical social workers and home health aides. Licensed therapists and dietary counseling. Medical supplies and equipment. Volunteers for emotional and practical support. Respite care.
		To learn more about what the Home Health care team provides»
		Whether the patient is in a family home, a foster care home, an assisted living facility or nursing home, Central Oregon Hospice can improve the quality of life. No matter what the life-threatening illness – from Alzheimer’s to AIDS, from cancer to heart disease – our hospice team completes a continuum of care that relieves pain and symptoms, and addresses the psychological, social and spiritual needs of patients and families.
		Central Oregon Hospice care can benefit the patient and family most when the hospice team can initiate their education, support and counseling services as early as possible. Our interdisciplinary team focuses on: Managing the patient’s pain and symptoms. Assisting the patient with the emotional, psychosocial and spiritual aspects of dying. Coaching the family on how to care for the patient. Delivering special services like speech, occupational and physical therapy when needed. Making short-term inpatient care available when pain becomes too difficult to manage at home or when the caregiver needs respite time. Providing complementary modalities, as requested. Providing bereavement care and counseling to surviving family and friends.
		Who pays for Hospice costs?
		Hospice is a Medicare Part A benefit which requires no co-pay or deductible. Other payment sources include Medicaid, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and private insurance. No patient will ever be refused care because of financial reasons.  For more information about our Hospice Services, call our main office at [541] 382-5882 or email us at info@cohhh.org To make a referral, click here.