Draft of Collaboration

Hospice

and

Assisted Living

Joint Goal Statement:

It is the mutual goal of Assisted Living Staff and Hospice Staff to provide residents and their families’ competent and compassionate care during the end of life.

This is goal is best made possible by:

  • Effective and ongoing communication between the Assisted Living Facility staff, Hospice staff and the Resident and/or family members.
  • Resident family support is critical to achieve success of this mutual goal
  • Ensuring the safety of the resident by arranging for proper supervision and support in Assisted Living or a coordinated transfer to a Long Term Care Facility.

Definition of Roles and Responsibilities

Assisted Living

Assisted living staff will continue the services as prior to the resident’s hospice enrollment. Limitations to the hours of staffing will be presented to family and hospice. Assisted living staff will;

  • Administer routinely scheduled medication and “prn” as indicated and agreed upon
  • Assist with personal hygiene as needed
  • Check on resident every _____ hours; _____ am through _____ pm.
  • Assist with feeding
  • Assist with toileting or changing peri pads
  • Repositioning in bed every ____ hours between the hours of ____ and _____
  • Assist with oral cares
  • Change and launder sheets every ______
  • Provide 24 hour response to emergency call system

Hospice

Hospice staff and volunteers will manage care as it relates to the terminal illness under the physician’s supervision by providing:

  • Intermittent Registered Nurse visits for assessment guidance related to pain and symptom control.
  • Intermittent visits by Social Worker, Chaplain, Physician Consult, Volunteer, Therapists
  • Home Health Aide for bathing/personal care.
  • Medications related to the terminal illness
  • Medical equipment & supplies
  • Acute in-patient care for symptom control
  • Respite care for caregivers
  • Extended nursing hours in times of crisis
  • Bereavement support for family for one year following death
  • Grief support for AL staff
  • A copy of the signed standing orders for the resident
  • A copy of the resident’s orders
  • A copy of the care plan and schedule
  • Contact information for 24/7 access and support.
  • An update on the plan for volunteers, music and massage therapy, etc
  • Guidelines on when and how hospice staff should be contacted for changes in the resident’s condition, pain changes, etc.

The familyor informal caregiver

Often the family or informal caregiver may need to provide the following for the resident;

  • Administer or assist with medications that are needed “prn” when AL staff not in facility.
  • Offer 24 hour per day supervision and support
  • Provide emotional support. The presence of another person offers great comfort to the resident.
  • Coordinate private pay help or volunteers when family and staff are not available 24/7.

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It is recommended that a care conference be held with the AL staff, Hospice, and the family upon admission to clarify roles, adjusts schedules, develop alternative plans, and identify goals of the patient and family.

Lores VlaminckPage 110/19/2018

Assisted Living/Hospice Collaboration

MHCA Annual Conference.2008