How Nathan Adelson Hospice differs from other hospice organizations

Choosing a hospice company is among one of the most important decisions you’re likely to make. Whether it’s for yourself or a loved one, you only want only the best care and the maximum comfort possible. Knowing that you might not be the one making the decisions when the time comes means it’s even more important to put thought into your advance directives now and choose a hospice company that meets your needs. While there are many options out there, we are confident you’ll agree Nathan Adelson Hospice is the top choice in Southern Nevada for hospice care.

Whole Family Approach

Nathan Adelson Hospice staff know the physical, emotional and spiritual complications of terminal illness affect everyone who is part of the patient’s life. Providing care takes a huge toll on the caregivers and they are often left with emotional challenges following the loss of a loved one.

We take a holistic approach to patient care plans, working to reduce pain and worry for both the patient and their family together. Many patients wish to be at home when they are in the final stages of life, though family members have many fears about the challenges and burdens of home care. Our interdisciplinary care teams – composed of doctors, nurses, social workers and others — lessen the burdens on the entire family through a coordinated system of physical, emotional and spiritual care

Social workers are part of the hospice care teams and can help identify areas where family members and patients could benefit from assistance. They are able to connect them with helpful community resources to further lessen the burden of assisting with the caregiving process.

Hospice care does not stop when a patient passes away. Our hospice continues contact and support for family and friends for a minimum of 13 months following the death of a loved one. We offer a variety of bereavement groups and support for anyone in the community who has experienced the death of a family member or friend. Spanish language group sessions are also available. We offer intensive grief workshops for adults and children, a children's grief camp and referrals to licensed therapists for further care.

Complementary Therapies

The Nathan Adelson Hospice believes in the notion of meeting patients where they are. Our staff develops comprehensive care plans to address the particular needs and wishes of each patient. These plans include complementary therapies, so named because physicians and nurses believe they are the perfect complement to traditional medical treatments. Such complementary therapies are not always available at other hospices and truly set our care apart from the rest.

Aromatherapy

Complementary therapies include a variety of disciplines designed to offer comfort and relief. Aromatherapy, which employs essential oils distilled from specially selected plant materials, can influence the body in positive ways. Calming scents like lavender have been found to reduce stress and can be therapeutic for patients suffering from pain.

Reflexology 

Reflexology is another pain-relieving complementary therapy we offer. With over 7,000 nerve endings in the feet, skilled reflexologists use specific techniques to improve circulation as they work on the reflexes to the nerves that travel throughout the body. This improves circulation to organs and glands, often relieving discomfort of patients’ symptoms.

Massage

If you’ve been lucky enough to have ever had a massage, you know the comforting feelings this provides. Hospice patients have found massage therapy to relieve stress, headaches, backaches, fatigue and restlessness. Nathan Adelson Hospice massage therapists apply specific techniques sensitive to the medical needs of our patients and can perform massage anywhere the patient is most comfortable such as a hospital bed or a couch. 

Reiki

Reiki is an energy practice based on the principle that the practitioner can channel the universal life energy into the recipient to promote a state of deep relaxation. It can develop emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing while relieving stress.

Art Therapy

You don’t have to be Picasso to participate in art therapy. Patients and their families use art as a creative method of expression and a therapeutic technique used to address unresolved emotional issues. Art can foster healing in those who have dealt with a major loss and it can be particularly effective for children who have lost a loved one.

Pet Therapy

Pets from our pet therapy program bring smiles to patients and their families. Our gentle visitors are certified therapy dogs who are trained to provide comfort to patients. Spending time with a friendly dog or cat can reduce feelings of depression, lower blood pressure and lower respiratory rates.

Interdisciplinary Approach with Spiritual Care

Nathan Adelson Hospice employs a team of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, spiritual care professionals, certified nursing assistants, volunteers and bereavement counselors to deliver an integrated, holistic approach to healthcare, no matter where the patient resides. Additionally, complementary therapists in the specialties listed above are able to visit patients in their homes or in our inpatient facilities. 

Our interdisciplinary approach caters to the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of each patient and his or her family. Chaplains are available to provide spiritual care to all hospice patients and their families during and after their hospice stay. There is a chapel onsite in our Swenson inpatient unit and our spiritual care team can assist patients in connecting with their own faith-based organizations or clergy of their choice.

Inpatient and Home Care Options

The goal of hospice is to provide comfort care at home or in a home-like setting. If patients’ medical conditions are such that they are unable to reside at home, our teams also service hospitals and nursing homes as well. 

The bulk of hospice care is provided in the home but some patients require an inpatient facility. We have two, located in the central and northwestern parts of the Las Vegas valley. Our Swenson inpatient facility is a national model for other inpatient hospice facilities throughout the United States. We provide a home-like environment where our interdisciplinary team can address challenging symptoms and issues that cannot be managed in another setting. Once patients are stabilized, many are able to return to their homes for the remainder of their care, following a brief stay in our inpatient unit. Having this inpatient option is invaluable to patients needing a higher level of care.

We Also Offer Palliative Care

Another aspect of our service that is unique from many competitors is our Elaine Wynn Palliative Care Program. Palliative care, often known as comfort care, is specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses. This type of care is focused on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness - whatever the diagnosis. It is different from hospice care and can be administered along with curative treatment. 

Our program focuses on relieving and preventing pain, symptoms and stress. Our goal is improved quality of life for you and your family. Many insurances do not cover the costs of palliative care but our nonprofit hospice is also home to the Nathan Adelson Hospice Foundation, which can help cover the costs of palliative care. 

Kindest and Most Caring Staff

Above all, our staff members set us apart. Nathan Adelson Hospice prides itself on being consistently rated as one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare in the country, and it shows through the kindness and compassion each of our staff members exhibits toward patients and their families. 

Our staff members truly embrace the notion of “above and beyond” and always go the extra mile to ensure our patients’ comfort and happiness. This past Christmas, one of our nurses heard a fellow Italian patient was going to be spending Christmas alone. She whipped up some of her Italian specialties like cucidati cookies, fiadone cake and her famous lasagna and brought it to him so they could share a special Christmas meal together. He started crying as he told her, “I just can’t believe you’re being so nice.”

Stories like this are the norm at Nathan Adelson Hospice and they’re why we’re confident that our hospice care is unsurpassed. Our whole-family approach, unique offerings of complementary therapies, inpatient and home care options and loving staff truly set us apart and we look forward to explaining more about how our offerings may be right for you and your family when you contact us to book a tour.