Helping Hands Blog

Discussing hospice can be a beneficial option at any stage of a life-limiting illness. Patients as well as their families benefit the most when they are supported by the hospice team with physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual support from their hospice team as early as possible.

Did you know?

Hospice Care

Hospice care is palliative by nature, meaning it provides comfort care. At the point of receiving hospice care, a patient's illness has progressed to where curative treatment is no longer desired or beneficial. Hospice care supports the patient and their families while focusing on relieving symptoms and offering comfort from pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, anxiety, insomnia or constipation.

Non-Hospice Palliative Care

By definition, non-hospice palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms that are related to chronic illnesses, such as cancer, cardiac disease, respiratory disease, kidney failure, Alzheimer’s and other dementias, AIDS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and other neurological diseases.

As you can see, there are differences between non-hospice palliative care and hospice care – and yet there is a relationship between the two. Non-hospice palliative care can be used at any stage of an illness, not just the advanced stages.

Every year, hundreds of motorcyclists ride across Pasco County to participate in the Hittin’ the Road for Hospice event in support of Gulfside Hospice. Members of the Chrome Divas have been participating since the event began in 2012. One of the Divas’ fearless leaders, Roxy Philip, has been a constant presence at the event and an inspirational fundraiser for Gulfside Hospice. She is not only a cool biker chick, she’s also a natural when it comes to fundraising.

When asked how she’d describe the Chrome Divas of Trinity, Roxy Philip said, “We are a female riding organization that’s all about going out and having fun; and if we can help people out along the way, that’s gravy.”

When patients cannot be cared for in their home, they are welcome in one of ours. The Gulfside Centers for Hospice Care provide medical expertise in a home-like setting for patients who need short-term, round-the-clock, hospice care. Gulfside is proud to offer two Centers for Hospice Care: one in New Port Richey and the other in Zephyrhills.

Below are some answers to frequently asked questions about hospice care in a hospice house setting. For more information or to schedule a tour of either Center, click here or call 800-561-4883.

Who is eligible to use the Gulfside Centers for Hospice Care?

Hospice patients who need short-term, round-the-clock care because of care requirements or other needs that cannot be managed where the patient lives.

The beginning of a new year is a natural time to review your financial and estate plans, or even to finally put one in place. We sat down together with two local experts, Joan Nelson Hook, Esq., Board Certified Elder Law Attorney from The Hook Law Group and Patricia Jones, CPA/ABV CFF CFE from Jones & Company CPAs PA, for their advice on common financial and estate planning questions.

Live Better with Palliative Care

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious and chronic illnesses. It focuses on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness—whatever the diagnosis. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.

Illness raises many questions. Whether you are ill or are caring for someone who is ill, you are in a position to make important decisions. Knowing what you want and don’t want, or what they want and don’t want, will make those decisions easier.

• What kind of treatment do you want?
• Do you want to stay at home?
• Who will make decisions on your behalf if you can’t?
• What kind of services do you want to celebrate your life?