Exploring the Key Concepts of the Hospice Interdisciplinary Team

Above & Beyond Hospice Care is exploring the key concepts of the hospice interdisciplinary team. Both your home hospice and your home health care is more effective when working as a “team.”

What is the Hospice Interdisciplinary Team?

Our social workers can be a focal point of a concept called the hospice interdisciplinary team.

Key concepts of what the hospice interdisciplinary team is all about:

• The Team – The hospice interdisciplinary team consists of a group of professionally trained hospice care workers. In fact, no matter what area they are working in they are experts in the field of hospice care.
• Medical Care – The medical part of your team deals specifically with all medical aspects of care. They will oversee and often create a medical plan of care. As a result, the overall medical care the hospice patient receives will be well thought out and knowledgeable.
• Comfort Care – It is without saying that comfort is one of the most important parts of care for hospice. The medial professionals of your hospice interdisciplinary team will provide a plan of action for comfort. However, the hospice care provider will provide open communications to inform the medical professionals how the patient is responding and if there are changes.
• Emotional Support – Providing emotional support on various levels is extremely important during hospice care. This support can come from professionally trained social workers, the care provider, and other areas of the team.
• Professional Documentation Support – It’s best that you have all of your legal documentation paperwork in order before the need for hospice care. However, if the proper papers haven’t been created someone from the team can guide you to the proper resources. Although this is not a standard part of the team, it can become an addition to the team if needed.
• Spiritual Support – Without a doubt, Spiritual support is a very personal choice of the patient and their family. Most likely this will be provided by a spiritual leader that the family has already developed a relationship with.

In brief, this team is created to provide the best possible care in a hospice situation.

The Main Benefits of Using the Hospice Interdisciplinary Team

Without doubt, it is an important part of providing comfort and knowledge during the final days of life. The main benefits of having a professional team in place include:

1. Avoid Confusion – Because this can be a trying time for the family having knowledgeable help is a big benefit. Being guided by professionals who understand the processes associated with end of life can help. By avoiding confusion, this can often help avoid conflict too.
2. Guidance – Many times the main family caregivers and family members can go into “auto-pilot” during the final days. Having a professional team to guide you and lead you through the process can also help avoid common mistakes.
3. Professional Support System – There are multiple areas to deal with during hospice care. Having professional grief support can help with the grieving process after the passing of your loved one.
4. Grief Support – In addition to utilizing hospice care in Anamosa, Cedar Rapids or any other of our areas of service you will have access to continued support after hospice care for your loved one. This continued support involves bereavement services, support groups, and a yearly children’s grief camp. Bereavement support can begin immediately or any time you feel that help would be beneficial to you or certain members of your family.

Let Our Hospice Care Be a Part of Your Hospice Interdisciplinary Team

Please contact us about providing hospice care for your loved one. Let us help you benefit from the key concepts of the hospice interdisciplinary team by helping you create the best team of professionals in our area.

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