Physical Care


"The caring staff at Niagara Hospice made it a lot easier for my husband. He looked forward to seeing his nurse and social worker."


The primary goals of hospice care are to alleviate the patient's physical pain, provide symptom control, and to support the patient's caregivers and physician. This support is provided by a team of hospice professionals that consists of:

  • Physicians and pharmacists who specialize in pain and symptom control.
  • Nurses who make regular visits to provide skilled care, health teaching and coordination of additional services. An on-call nurse is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Professional health care consultants such as occupational, physical, respiratory, speech/audiology therapists; nutritionists; psychologists; podiatrists; and dentists.
  • Hospice aides who assist with hands-on care
  • Homemakers are available to assist with light chores.

Additional services include delivery and set-up of medical equipment, oxygen therapies, emergency response systems, trained volunteers, laboratory services, and complementary therapies such as music, art, massage, and pet visits.

"The care my father received from our Hospice nurse was wonderful. Not only did she help my dad, she also helped me care for my dad. I couldn't have done it without her!"


Hospice in Health Care Facilities

Although Niagara Hospice is primarily a home-based program, there are times when "home" is a health care facility. Hospice care is available to hospital patients, nursing home and assisted living residents, and the developmentally disabled. In addition, hospice services are provided in Niagara Hospice House to hospice patients who do not have sufficient caregiver support, lack an appropriate home environment for hospice care, or need around-the-clock attention during medical adjustments or symptom management.

Hospice ensures continuity of services through agreements with local health care facilities that provide acute and respite care when appropriate. As in home care, the Hospice staff work with the patient and family. In addition, we work collaboratively with facility staff regarding the individual's plan of care.

Hospice personnel act as an additional resource to facility staff. They are available on-call 24 hours a day. Following the basic hospice philosophy, Niagara Hospice encompasses the entire family in its care program. In cases where the patient has no local family, Hospice acts as the family's advocate - keeping out-of-town relatives or significant others informed and as much at ease with the process as possible.