Hospice Care for Advanced Congestive Heart Failure
For patients with a life-limiting illness, the added support of hospice care can prevent hospitalizations and allow them to focus on the people and things that matter most.
About Advanced Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition where the heart’s ability to pump is decreased, causing less effective circulation of blood throughout the circulatory system. In the late stages of heart failure, the heart has limited functional recovery and the body can no longer compensate for the lack of blood circulation.
Signs of advanced congestive heart failure may include:
- Lack of response to diuretics
- Shortness of breath due to fluid build-up in lungs
- Pitting edema
- 2-3 hospitalizations in a year
- Chest pain at rest
- Decrease in performing activities of daily living
How do I know if I’m ready for in-home hospice support for my CHF?
Our hospice physician, in collaboration with the patient’s attending physician, will determine if a patient is eligible for hospice at home based on a prognosis of six months or less if their end-stage heart failure runs its normal course.
Learn more
Some signs that an end-stage CHF patient may be ready for hospice are:
- Shortness of breath or angina at rest
- Fatigued with activities of daily living
- Edema which does not resolve
- Continuous oxygen with levels still below 88%
- More frequent hospitalizations due to CHF exacerbations in the past 3-6 months
- Rapid or irregular heart rate at rest
- Uncontrolled wheezing/coughing
Goals of hospice care for CHF
Each patient’s plan of care is tailored to meet their unique care needs. In general, home hospice care is about more:
- Quality of life
- Focus on personal goals
- Normal activities
- Physical and emotional support for the patient and family
- Symptom and pain management
- Resources, supplies and equipment
- Counseling and respite services
Get in touch with Elara Caring
Contact your local Elara Caring branch for more information on hospice and how we can help you focus on the things that matter most to you.
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