Hospice Services

MemorialCare Hospice Services includes an interdisciplinary team of physicians, registered nurses, social workers, spiritual care counselors, home health aides and trained volunteers. These professionals provide physical, emotional, and spiritual support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each team member plays a unique role in caring for our Hospice patients.

• Each patient has a Hospice Physician as a key part of the interdisciplinary team who closely monitors patient care to ensure pain and disease symptoms are managed effectively.
• Each patient has a Hospice Nurse who is specially trained to provide hands on skilled care to help meet the needs of the terminally ill, including symptom control. The nurse educates families and caregivers on how to take the best care of their loved ones through their supportive approach.
• Hospice Social Workers provide emotional and psychological support through counseling and assistance with financial, legal matters and funeral arrangements.
• Hospice Chaplains provide spiritual support regardless of religion or beliefs the chaplain is available to address those spiritual needs at end of life.
• Hospice Aides are certified Nursing Assistants who will provide personal care to help ease the burden on a patient’s family or caregiver.
• Hospice Volunteers are hospice trained volunteers who provide companionship for the patient and respite for caregivers.
• Hospice Bereavement Specialist is a specialized part of the team who provides counseling in grief and loss after death. The bereavement program offers 13 months of support after the loss of a loved one. This includes mailings, support groups, in-home visits and phone contact.
• 24/7 After Hours Support includes specially trained Registered Nurses who answer calls after normal business hours and on weekends. If a home visit is required, MemorialCare Hospice has staff available to come to you when you need us.

• Patients are eligible for hospice who have a six-month life expectancy if the illness takes its natural course
• Hospice is for patients with advanced illness who no longer want to seek curative treatment
• Hospice care is available to wherever you call home to ensure comfort and enhance quality of life
• Hospice does not provide caregiving. Family and close friends are considered the patient’s primary caregiver
• Patients are admitted to hospice regardless of age, sex, religion, or type of disease
• For the patient to receive hospice services, a physician caring for the patient must write an order
• A patient may revoke or discontinue hospice services at any time
• Hospice is completely covered at 100% by Medicare Part A and Medi-Cal, as well as most private insurances

• Poorly controlled symptoms or pain
• Frequent trips to the Emergency Department and/or hospitalizations
• Unresponsive to curative treatments
• Unplanned weight loss
• Excessive sleeping throughout the day
• Frequent falls
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of speech
• Increased dependence during everyday activities
• Wounds that will not heal

Volunteers play a vital role in providing a multitude of services for our patients during companion visits including reading to the patient, playing music or games, helping write letters and so much more. Volunteers work directly with the patient and family, or behind the scenes. Crafts are created by our amazing volunteers including pillows, bears, lap blankets and Legacy Books. Our volunteers build close relationships with our Hospice patients and are an integral part of their care. Our volunteer program offers many opportunities, and we welcome you to share your time, talent and compassion.

To be considered for a Hospice volunteer position you must meet the following criteria:

• 18 years of age or older
• Be ready and willing to commit to at least 12 months of volunteer service
• Fill out a Hospice volunteer application
• Pass a background check
• Attend Hospice volunteer orientation

For more information about Hospice volunteer opportunities, please contact us at (949) 452-7448.

We all have a story. We offer our patients the opportunity to tell their life story through our Legacy Program. We believe that by providing volunteer “personal historians” for our patients and their families to record and transcribe their life story, we are giving them the comfort of knowing their life will be remembered long after they are gone. We provide our patients both a written and recorded copy. Research on projects like ours has demonstrated a significant reduction in both suffering and depression, by providing a sense of peace and dignity. The finished memoir is a legacy to the patient’s survivors.

For more information on our Legacy Program, please call our volunteer coordinator at (949) 452-7448.

The below videos feature Tiffany Phuong, hospice and palliative care patient ambassador, on Saigon TV highlighting our hospice care. 

Series 1

• Part 1
• Part 2

Series 2

• Part 1
• Part 2