Hospice Services at UPMC Somerset

What is hospice care?

Hospice provides care, comfort, and support for persons with terminal conditions as well as their families. The hospice team works to make the person comfortable and relieve symptoms and pain of the illness.

Who Can Receive Hospice Care?

To receive hospice care, a patient’s life expectancy should be limited and their physician certifies that their condition is terminal.

Hospice care is not about dying. It is about helping the patient who no longer benefits from medical treatment, to live life to its fullest.

Why choose hospice care during a difficult time?

Hospice care is a family-centered team approach which includes a doctor, nurse, social worker, chaplain, counselor, hospice aide and trained volunteers. They work together with the family to focus on the dying person’s needs, including physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. The goal is to keep the person as pain-free and symptom-free as possible, while also offering spiritual and supportive counseling to the patient and their family members.

Each member of our team works to offer a personalized approach of care for every member of the patient’s family. We provide spiritual care, access to support groups, and opportunities to recognize loved ones during holiday events.

We believe our primary role is to care for the community, one family at a time.

What hospice services are provided by UPMC Somerset?

Each level of service includes a number of support care measures including:

• Pain management
• System management
• Emotional and spiritual counseling for the patient and their family
• Assistance with daily tasks
• Nutritional services
• Therapeutic services

There are four options for hospice care to meet the unique needs of our patients and their families, including:

• Routine care is aimed at increasing comfort and quality of life as much as possible. Care is usually offered intermittently and is based on the patient’s needs and their plan of care.
  • Routine hospice care can be provided in different settings, including a skilled nursing facility, assisted living residence, memory care, or in the patient’s home.
• Respite care is an occasional, short-term stay in the hospital or a local long-term care facility offering a much-needed break for loved ones who are providing care at home.
  • This allows the patient to receive the appropriate level of hospice care with oversight from nursing staff while maintaining and addressing symptom management.
• Inpatient care may be necessary if a patient’s symptoms can no longer be managed at home.
  • The goal is to control severe pain and stabilize symptoms so that the patient can return home, if possible.
  • Patients may spend time in one of our dedicated hospice care rooms at UPMC Somerset or at a contracted skilled nursing facility.
• Continuous care provides around-the-clock nursing for patients and support for their family.
  • Depending on the needs of the patient, this level of care can be provided in their home or at UPMC Somerset in one of our dedicated hospice care rooms.

Does insurance cover these services?

Hospice care is provided regardless of someone’s ability to pay. Though insurance coverage varies, it is often paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, or most private insurers. If a person does not have coverage through Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance, hospice will work with the family to ensure services can be provided.

Contact Us

To contact us, please call 814-443-5047.