HOSPICE DURING COVID – What Has Changed?

At Aria Hospice Comfort Care, we have always been committed to ensuring that pain and distress (whether that be emotional, physical and/or spiritual) are relieved during a patient’s time with us. Our goal is to care for the patient and bring needed help to their support system throughout their illness - even when a cure is not possible.

Our whole world has changed due to COVID-19 and has affected us all, including our team of professionals. As the U.S. surpasses 400,000 deaths due to COVID-19, these challenges have grown and we are much more intentional and cautious in how we care for families so that we can keep everyone safe.

Here are some changes Aria has made based on local ordinances, CDC recommendations and best practices. Our goal is to protect our staff, patients, families and community while still providing excellent, dignified comfort care.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT All staff who have contact with another person are required to wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth. Any staff with extended contact of over 10 minutes are required to wear an N-95 mask. If staff are providing personal care or entering a facility with compromised residents; they wear a new N-95, gown, gloves, and foot covers and, depending on type of care, a face shield which is disposed after use. Aria has elected to do this regardless of known positive cases due to the ease of transmission, and asymptomatic cases.

VIDEO CONFERENCING We offer tele-health visits to reduce exposure risk. We also offer video conferencing with families who are not able to be near their loved ones so they are able to see them and speak to them. We believe seeing, speaking, and/or hearing from loved ones is essential to reduce pain and stress. We respect the desires of our patients and their loved ones and know that every family has a different comfort level during this challenging time. We continue to offer all discipline visits including volunteers in-person, using the above precautions when allowed and with respect to the desires of the patient and their family. Aria recognizes the importance of contact (even if thru masks and gloves) to ease suffering. Our core belief is no one should die alone, and our staff are committed to providing end of life care to prevent this.

At Aria Hospice, we remain focused as always on our patients and families and their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. We recognize that caregiving has never been more challenging than it is now. It is our mission and our passion to support these loving caregivers. With Aria Hospice as part of your community and healthcare team we will get through this together.