Hospice care does not always mean moving into a facility. In fact, most patients receive care in the place they already call home. That may be a private residence, an assisted living community, a nursing home, a hospital, or a dedicated inpatient hospice unit.
Where care takes place depends on the patient’s needs, comfort, and current living situation. Hospice is designed to meet patients where they are and provide the right level of support as their needs change.
Table of Contents
- Hospice Is Not a Building
- In-Home Hospice Care
- Hospice in an Assisted Living Facility or Nursing Home
- Hospice in a Hospital
- Inpatient Hospice Care at the ProCare Inpatient Unit
- Respite Care
- How ProCare Serves Las Vegas Families Across All Settings
- Frequently Asked Questions
Hospice Is Not a Building
Many people picture hospice as a specific facility where someone moves at the end of life. Although inpatient hospice care is available when it is needed, most hospice patients receive care in the place where they already live.
For one patient, home may be a private residence or apartment. For another, it may be an assisted living community, nursing home, or hospital. No matter the setting, the goal remains the same: to bring comfort, dignity, and meaningful support directly to the patient.
In-Home Hospice Care
For many patients, hospice care takes place at home. This is the most common care setting and often allows patients to remain surrounded by familiar people, routines, and belongings.
Routine home care can be provided wherever the patient lives, including a private home, nursing facility, or assisted living community. ProCare Hospice delivers this care through a specially trained interdisciplinary team that includes nurses, aides, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers. Team members visit on a scheduled basis, and families also have 24/7 access to an on-call registered nurse when an urgent need arises.
The care team helps manage pain and other symptoms, assists with activities of daily living, and provides emotional and spiritual support for both the patient and family.
What if something happens at night?
ProCare Hospice is available around the clock. If something goes wrong in the middle of the night, you can call (702) 380-8300 at any hour.
Continuous care at home
When a patient experiences a medical crisis, such as uncontrolled pain, respiratory distress, or severe anxiety, a higher level of in-home support may be appropriate. Continuous care provides nursing support in the home for several hours, up to 24 hours a day, until the patient’s condition stabilizes. The hospice physician determines whether this intensive, short-term level of care is needed.
Hospice in an Assisted Living Facility or Nursing Home
Patients who already live in an assisted living facility or nursing home can usually receive hospice care without moving. The hospice team comes to them, allowing the patient to remain in a familiar environment with the routines and people they already know.
When ProCare Hospice of Nevada partners with a facility, our team works closely with the facility staff so the patient’s care plan is followed consistently. The facility continues providing its regular services, while the hospice team adds specialized support for comfort, pain management, and emotional well-being.
Hospice in a Hospital
Hospice services can also be provided while a patient is in the hospital. This is less common, but it may happen during a period of acute symptom management or while the patient is transitioning from one care setting to another.
During a hospital stay, the hospice team continues coordinating care and helping keep the hospice plan in place. The location may change, but the focus on comfort, dignity, and quality of life remains the same.
Inpatient Hospice Care at the ProCare Inpatient Unit
Most symptoms can be managed where the patient lives, but there are times when those symptoms become too complex to safely manage at home, even with around-the-clock nursing support. In those situations, short-term inpatient care is available at the ProCare Hospice Inpatient Unit.
What conditions does the inpatient unit address?
The inpatient unit provides round-the-clock care for patients experiencing acute or advanced symptoms, including:
- Uncontrolled pain
- Seizures
- Respiratory failure
- Severe nausea or vomiting
- Severe anxiety or agitation
- Complex wound care
Other symptoms that cannot be safely managed at home
Who is at the inpatient unit?
A dedicated interdisciplinary team staffs the inpatient unit. This team includes registered nurses, certified nursing assistants, hospice-trained physicians, social workers, chaplains, trained volunteers, and bereavement counselors. Family rooms and recliner sleepers are also available so loved ones can remain close.
ProCare Hospice maintains a 14-bed inpatient unit designed to feel as comfortable and family-centered as possible.
Respite Care
Caregiving can be deeply meaningful, but it can also be physically and emotionally demanding. Respite care gives primary caregivers a short period of relief so they can rest, attend appointments, handle personal matters, or simply take time to recharge.
Respite care is available at the ProCare Hospice Inpatient Unit for up to five days, in accordance with Medicare guidelines. During the stay, our team provides the patient’s full care and comfort, giving the caregiver space to step away with confidence.
Medicare covers respite care as part of the hospice benefit. Families interested in arranging respite care can speak directly with a member of their ProCare care team.
Support Wherever a Patient Calls Home
At ProCare Hospice of Nevada, our goal is to help patients remain where they feel most comfortable for as long as possible. For many people, that place is home. We offer four levels of hospice care that can change as the patient’s needs change, helping families avoid unnecessary hospital visits and spend more meaningful time together.
You do not have to sort through these choices alone. If you are trying to understand which care setting may be right for someone you love, our team is here to answer questions and walk through the options with you.
Call us at (702) 380-8300 or fill out our contact form here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hospice care always happen in a facility?
No. Most hospice patients receive care at home. A private residence, assisted living community, nursing home, or hospital can all serve as the setting for hospice care. A dedicated inpatient unit is available when symptoms cannot be managed at home, but it is intended for short-term use.
Can a patient in a nursing home receive hospice care?
Yes. Patients who already live in a nursing home or assisted living facility can receive hospice care without moving. The hospice team coordinates directly with facility staff to support the patient’s care plan.
What is the ProCare Hospice Inpatient Unit?
The ProCare Hospice Inpatient Unit is a specialized, short-term care facility for patients whose symptoms become too complex to manage at home. It provides continuous medical oversight along with emotional and spiritual support. Once symptoms are stabilized, the patient typically returns to their home setting.
What is respite care?
Respite care provides temporary relief for family caregivers. It is available at the ProCare Hospice Inpatient Unit for up to five days at a time and is covered under Medicare’s hospice benefit.
What happens if a patient’s symptoms worsen at home in the middle of the night?
ProCare Hospice is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call (702) 380-8300 at any time. Our team will answer, provide guidance, and send a clinician to the home when necessary.
Back To Top