Services

Nurses play an essential role in the Primary Hospice Care. They are thorough and compassionate in caring for our hospice patients. Because pain control is often central to hospice care, our nurses will make every effort to relieve pain and make the patient as comfortable as possible. Our nurses have also been trained in the latest holistic care techniques for both patients and their families. Each Primary Hospice facility has a registered nurse on staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Primary Hospice Care, Spiritual Care staff supports patients and their families in addressing the emotional and spiritual needs of people at the end of life. Spiritual Care deals with the spiritual needs and questions which often arise for patients and their families during or after an impending loss. “Why me?” and “Why must my loved one suffer?” are common questions asked during these trying times.

Primary Hospice Care, Chaplains realize that spirituality is personal and unique to each individual. Some people desire the rituals and traditions of organized religion while others may need to evaluate the meaning of their life and their relationships.

Primary Hospice Care, is not affiliated with any particular religious group. We respect the cultural traditions of our patients and make our services available for all people regardless of their spiritual beliefs. When requested, our chaplains will work alone or with your minister of choice.

Losing someone you love is never easy. Neither is dealing with your feelings about loss. Your emotions can seem overwhelming, changing from feeling bad to sad to mad, all in the same moment. It may feel like your tears will never dry. Guilt may overcome a sudden bubble of laughter or feeling of joy. Regrets for things that you didn’t get a chance to say, or wish you hadn’t said, may plague you. The little thing you’d normally brush off, like being cut off on the road, might make you inexplicably angry. This is the grieving process. And it’s a normal, healthy and necessary response to loss. Talking with a trained counselor or participating in group activities can help. We are available 24/7 for all of your bereavement needs. For more information, please contact us.

Primary Hospice Physician complements the services of the attending physician and intervenes to meet the general medical needs of patients and families. Hospice can work collaboratively with the physician of the patients choosing.

Most of us know the huge debt of thanks we owe to the men and women of the armed forces. They fought, and too often died or were badly hurt, protecting our freedom. But we sometimes forget the emotional toll paid by veterans who have lived through the terror of war. Primary is our way of saying “thank you” to our veterans through special pinning ceremonies and certificates of appreciation. For veterans in their final days, this special recognition helps to heal their hearts and ease their passing. If you are a veteran, or know of someone that would benefit from this free service to the community, please contact us at 818-764-1710.

Social Services provides psychological and emotional assessment of the needs of the patient and family. The Social Worker provides Primary Hospice patients and families with information and community resources

In most cases, physicians will begin to treat pain with what are called “over the counter” pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin), aspirin or others. As a terminal disease with pain involvement continues to takes its toll, pain levels will likely increase to the point where these over the counter (“OTC”) medications no longer help at all. Then, the physician will prescribe other stronger medications. Narcotic medications in combination with other medications or narcotic medications alone are commonly used to relieve pain in the terminally ill.

Primary Hospice has registered physical, and speech therapists on staff to meet individual needs. These might include physical treatment to improve movement and restore daily living skills; speech therapy to regain speaking skills; Primary Hospice believes that rehabilitative therapy for hospice patients can enhance their quality of life.

Primary Hospice provides nutrition counseling to assist patients with dietary health needs or concerns. Our licensed registered dietitians support patients who may be a nutritional risk because of their physical health status or diagnosis, medications or family status change. Dietary education is tailored to specific health conditions.

Gathering medical supplies and equipment can be a daunting task for family members already stressed from the daily demands of caregiving. Our team arranges for supplies, medical equipment and pharmaceuticals as needed, so family members can spend more time with their loved one rather than researching or locating medical supplies.

Respite care is short-term care given to a hospice patient by another caregiver, so that a family member or friend who is the patient’s caregiver can rest or take time off. This type of care was created to allow caregivers time away from administering care, with the goal to help the caregivers have lower stress and at the same time fill the needs of the individual receiving care. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, respite care comes from Medicare-approved facilities, like a hospital, nursing home, or hospice inpatient facility