Hospice patients receive care from many different health care professionals on a regular basis, and oftentimes the team includes therapists. At Suncrest Home Health and Hospice of Phoenix, we employ several types of therapists to work with our hospice patients.
The goal of hospice care is not only to make patients comfortable in their final days, weeks and month, but also to provide them the best quality of life possible. To this end, hospice patients may receive physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy or mental health therapy.
What Do Therapists Do?
Most hospice patients receive mental health counseling to help improve their coping skills and outlook, which in turn helps them to better enjoy the time they have left. Some patients receive physical therapy as well to help them recover from an injury or surgery. While most hospice patients do not recover from the illnesses that brought them to hospice, they can sometimes improve their mobility and range of movement, which improves their quality of life.
Other patients may receive occupational therapy, if it has been determined that it’s reasonable and feasible to expect them to benefit from it. Some skills patients might regain are the ability to dress themselves, brush their own hair and teeth, write with a pen or pencil, etc.
Speech therapists can play an important role in the lives of hospice patients. Speech is a critical component of communication, and when it is lost, it can have a profound effect on the patient’s life. Our speech therapists work to help lengthen the time patients are able to communicate. They also work with patients who may have swallowing disorders to help them regain the ability to eat more foods and benefit from improved nutrition.
Suncrest Therapists
Our social workers help patients receive the different types of therapy they need by helping to arrange for and coordinate services. Regardless of whether patients are in hospice at home or in a facility, our therapists travel to them to provide services. To learn more about therapy services for hospice patients in Phoenix, contact the team at Suncrest Home Health and Hospice today.
