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Hospice

Nurse taking care of patient in his home

(360) 914-5635

Fax: (360) 678-1013

Service Overview

Hospice services are provided for individuals who have any type of end-stage illness when a physician has determined life expectancy is six months or less. Hospice services are not limited to six months. WhidbeyHealth Hospice provides services as long as we are needed or wanted. Hospice addresses pain and symptom management as well as emotional and spiritual needs.

Services are provided in the home, where most patients prefer to be. Hospice is also provided in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Hospice offers an alternative to therapies focused on life-prolonging measures that may be difficult, may cause more symptoms, or are not aligned with a person’s goals. Hospice provides all medications, services and equipment necessary for patient comfort as well as bereavement care (grief support) for up to 13 months.

What Hospice Provides

WhidbeyHealth Hospice is Medicare-certified, which means that patients on Medicare receive hospice services at no cost:

  • Time and service of your Care Team; home visits to determine your needs and establish the collaboration best suited for you and your family.
  • Medication for symptom control; pain relief.
  • Medical equipment such as hospital beds, wheelchairs or walkers, and medical supplies.
  • Grief and loss counseling for the patient and loved ones; helping mitigate anticipatory grief and providing grief counseling for the loss.

Our team supports patients and families with comprehensive expertise in the management of physical, emotional and spiritual needs. For most hospice patients, “comfort care” means spending the last months of their lives within familiar surroundings with family, friends, pets and relaxed routines. Our team provides:

  • Management of physical symptoms of your illness to provide comfort.
  • Emotional support for you and your loved ones.
  • Spiritual guidance and support.
  • Education about your disease process and changes that may occur during the progression of a life-limiting illness.
  • Education for your family & caregivers on how to care for you.
  • Bereavement support for your family.
  • Assistance in maintaining your sense of dignity.
  • An emphasis on quality of life for you and your family.

Hospice patients utilizing the WhidbeyHealth Community Pharmacy for their medications can have them delivered to their homes – exceptional service and improving caretaking one patient at a time.

Nurse reviewing medications with hospice patient
Hospice

Our Hospice Philosophy

WhidbeyHealth’s Hospice philosophy reflects an all-embracing, holistic and team-centered approach to supportive care. Our Hospice services address pain and symptom management as well as emotional and spiritual needs. Hospice values life as well as the patient’s wishes and choices; a special kind of care that focuses on helping individuals live their life to the fullest.

Our Goal

Hospice is comfort-focused care for patients who are diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. It is our goal to provide and promote the comfort, peace and dignity of every individual. WhidbeyHealth Hospice makes every effort to respect each of our patient’s goals, preferences and choices while remaining sensitive to personal, cultural and religious beliefs throughout the end-of-life journey.

Our Providers

Community Connection

As a Public Hospital District, WhidbeyHealth is owned by the taxpayers of Whidbey Island, and we are committed to providing local access to quality health care.

Comprehensive Care

WhidbeyHealth offers a broad range of flexible, patient-centric care in more than 25 service areas with convenient locations across the entire island from Oak Harbor to Clinton.

Close to Home

An exceptional team supports a broad range of inpatient and outpatient services so our community doesn’t have to travel off-island for many of their healthcare needs.

Hospice Resources for Patients and Caregivers

Planning for future care based on your values, beliefs, preferences and medical issues is a process, not an event.

  • Learn about Advanced Directives.
  • Learn about Power of Attorney.
  • What Matters to Me is a workbook resource designed to prepare patients with serious illness for conversations with their health care team about what is most important to them. Sharing goals and preferences with your health care team allows you to choose the kind of care that’s right for you
  • Planning for your final days is hard, but it’s an invaluable gift to caretakers and loved ones. Click here to access guidance for starting a conversation about end-of-life care.

WhidbeyHealth Hospice Death with Dignity Policy: Hospice Medical Aid in Dying

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