For more information, please call: 703-457-6550
Services

SERVICES AND SUPPORT
PHS Hospices Cares’ goal is to provide a comfortable lifestyle through expert symptom management and support for those with terminal illnesses. We work individually with patients and their friends and family to provide a care plan that is tailored to their needs. Our levels of care include:

  • Routine Home Care
  • Inpatient Care
  • Respite Care
  • Continuous Care

Our team of medical professionals, staff and volunteers work together with the patient, his or her attending physician, and family to provide hospice care.

HOSPICE CARE TEAM

How Care Team Works
The PHS Hospice Care team is a diverse mix of individuals that help create the needed care network for your loved ones and family members. By providing an interdisciplinary care team, PHS Hospice Care is able to provide the most comprehensive and well-coordinated care possible. Our physicians and staff are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Meet some of our key players. Our team includes:

Physicians/Medical Director
Our team of highly skilled and educated physicians works one-on-one with your family physician to help create a plan of care. Our doctors coordinate the team members who care for each patient, oversee the course of treatment needed and develop many different means to help control pain and manage illness.

Nurses
Each of the PHS Hospice Care nurses is trained in the area of pain management and patient care. Nurses serve as a contact point between the patient, his or her family and the Hospice Care team. Nurses are a wealth of knowledge and can be considered a source of wisdom, knowledge, strength and comfort. Our team of nurses helps to provide daily care and pain management.

Certified Nurse Assistants and Home Health Aides
Companionship and emotional support are two of the most important services PHS Hospice Care provides. Our certified nurse assistants and home health aides help in providing both. This team also helps with daily activities and other daily responsibilities to provide individualized care for each of our patients.

Social Workers
The PHS Hospice Care team of social workers works with patients and families to care for non-medical needs. Social workers are caring and supportive members of our team who help patients and family members with future planning, financial arrangements and emotional struggles that are part of coping with terminal illness.

Chaplains
At PHS Hospice Care we understand that facing the end of one’s life brings many spiritual questions and issues to the forefront. These spiritual questions and concerns are always something that the PHS Hospice Care team members take very seriously. We have a team of chaplains dedicated to helping patients and families answer and cope with those questions. Our chaplains can also help plan and officiate ceremonies and plan last wishes.

Volunteers
Volunteers are an essential part of the PHS Hospice Care . They serve our patients and families in a variety of ways, offering companionship, short term sitting, running errands, celebrating veterans, etc. There are also volunteers who work in the agency office to provide aid and assistance to the Hospice Team members.

Grief Counselors
Our grief counselors identify and address anticipatory grief issues and provide grief support and counseling for up to 13 months following a death
Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech Therapists

These services are determined by your physician and Care Team.

PAIN AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT

At PHS Hospice Care , we pride ourselves on our staff of medical professionals and their ability to help patients manage pain. One of the biggest concerns we encounter about Hospice care is our patients’ fear of being in uncontrolled pain during their last days. Our team of physicians and nurses are experienced in pain management and control. Whether through medication or other means, pain control is a top priority for our Team.

Pain medication is offered in a variety of forms and the correct form can be decided by the attending physician. If the patient is receiving at-home care, the primary caregiver will receive basic training so that he or she can help administer the medication properly. Our staff of doctors and nurses is on call to prescribe and manage the pain regimen at all times.

Patients who are on narcotics sometimes experience side effects such as constipation, nausea or vomiting. Stool softeners or laxatives are recommended to help prevent constipation. Anti-emetic medications can be taken before meals to help prevent nausea and vomiting. Catheters can also be inserted if there are urinary problems. All of these solutions are managed by the attending medical team.

Skin breakdown, also known as pressure ulcers, often occurs in patients who are bed bound and have trouble moving around. When a patient remains in one position for long periods of time, the skin begins to break down. Special dressings can be applied and in some cases can stay on for days at a time. Caregivers are instructed on how to help turn patients and change dressings, if needed.

LONG TERM CARE SERVICES
When patients are diagnosed with a terminal illness, we find that most just want to be comfortable. PHS Hospice Care offers many solutions to provide our patients comfort, support and pain management. While patients are often most comfortable in their own home, sometimes that is not possible and we work to make any location “home.”

“Home” may be a private home, whether it is the patient’s home or that of a family member. “Home” may also be at an assisted living facility, a skilled nursing facility, or when a higher level of medical care is needed, a hospital.

PHS Hospice Care can provide care to those already living in a nursing home or help to make the transition from another location into a nursing home. PHS Hospice Care works with a number of locations in the Northern Virginia area and can recommend a facility that suits the patient and family best.

Regardless of the location, PHS Hospice Care patients and families receive:

  • Consistent care from a team of medical professionals, no frequent switching of doctors and nurses
  • Highly trained medical professionals and volunteers
  • Expert counseling for the patient and the family
  • 24/7 service and response
  • Paperwork and insurance assistance, if needed
  • Peace of mind, knowing your loved one is in the right hands

LEVELS OF CARE
PHS Hospice Care provides four levels of care for patients. The Hospice Care team, patient and family will help determine what is best for the individual patient. Each patient is an individual and each situation is unique, so selecting a care level for your loved ones is an important part of the PHS Hospice Care program.

Routine Home Care
Whenever possible, the home is a great location for care. Patients are often most comfortable in their homes. However, home care is defined as a residential setting which may include the home of a friend or family member, group home, nursing home or other residential setting. The PHS Hospice Care team schedules regular home visits to provide patient care.

Inpatient Care
When pain or symptom management is too complicated to provide care at home, patients can be moved to the hospital. This is often a short term solution. Once the pain or symptoms are back under control, the patient in many cases may return home.

Respite Care
Care giving is a huge undertaking and can take its toll on the individual who is caring for a loved one. PHS Hospice Care offers the opportunity for a reprieve in care. Our team of professionals can provide care in a hospital or nursing facility for up to five days while the primary caregiver takes a short break.

Continuous Care
A medical crisis can lead to the need for more comprehensive care. PHS Hospice Care provides around-the-clock care when patients are in need. Continuous care can be implemented in any location, including the home. This level of care can be implemented for a short period of time if needed, and then the patient can return to his or her original level of care.

GRIEF COUNSELING AND SUPPORT
Dealing with the loss of a loved one is difficult. PHS Hospice Care understands that terminal illness and the death of a loved one present huge challenge in your life. We offer friends and families the support they need to help them work through this period of time. Hospice services do not end with the death of the patient. Bereavement support is offered to the surviving family members for 13 months following the death of a loved one. We have a group of caring and compassionate professionals who provide counseling and support for those who have lost loved ones.

There are many options for grief counseling and support. PHS Hospice Care can help select the option that will best suit you, your family or your friends.

  • Individual Support: Personal visits, phone calls and scheduled correspondence, as requested
  • Memorial Services: An annual Service to remember the loved ones who have passed during the year
  • Therapeutic Support Groups: Supportive environment to share and learn with others who are in similar situations
  • Social Support Meetings: Scheduled social gatherings where scheduled activities help those in attendance deal with loss