Hospice Care

Few people are prepared to hear they have a life-limiting illness. It is a very emotional time. Suddenly, you need to make decisions about how you want to experience life’s final months. How you wish to live the end of your life is your choice to make. For more than 40 years, families have asked for the experience of Willamette Vital Health by name. We not only provide comfort and support for you but for your family as well.

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What is hospice care?

Hospice is specialized care and support for anyone – adults or children – with a life expectancy of about six months or less. At Willamette Vital Health, we see hospice care as a philosophical choice. It is a way of living the last phase of life. Our experienced team gently, yet skillfully, guides you and your loved ones through every step of the journey. Thanks to our comprehensive range of services, we help families experience life’s final months according to their wishes, with comfort and dignity. Along the way, we educate you on what to expect at each stage and provide physical, emotional and spiritual support – all while expertly managing pain and/or other symptoms of your illness.
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Hospice is a benefit covered by Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Administration and most private insurance plans. We believe hospice care should be available to all people. We make sure our patients and their families receive the support they need, whether or not they can pay. This is made possible through the generous support of our donors.
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Contact us at 503.588.3600 with any questions about hospice care.

Why Willamette Vital Health?

When you ask for Willamette Vital Health, you get more than 40 years of experience in helping people live their last months as they wish. We are at your side with every possible means of support. It is how we have become the first choice for end-of-life care in Marion and Polk counties and beyond. Our services are tailored to meet your individual needs and cover a wide spectrum of care:

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    Comfort care, pain and symptom management
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    Medications related to the life-limiting illness, delivered to the patient
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    Medical equipment, including oxygen and medical supplies, related to the life-limiting illness
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    Support and education for caregivers and family members
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    Music, massage and pet therapies to enhance quality of life and manage symptoms
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    Hospitalization and transportation, when approved by hospice staff, for acute symptom management

Our services are provided wherever you call home, whether it is a private residence, assisted living facility, or nursing home.
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The Edward F. Tokarski Home is an option for those seeking a residence in their final weeks of life. This residential home is the only one of its kind operated by a hospice in the Mid-Valley. It offers private suites, staffed by an experienced nurse manager and certified nursing assistants for support around the clock.

The Hospice Team

No one should face these difficult times alone. Willamette Vital Health offers a team of compassionate experts.
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We know you’re most comfortable with people you trust – the kind of trust that comes with familiarity. The sooner you contact us, the more we can get to know you and your whole family and make sure your wishes are followed.
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Your hospice team may include:

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    Your primary physician
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    Hospice aides for help with bathing, personal care and light housekeeping
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    Registered nurses who are board-certified in hospice and palliative care for calls, visits or crisis response 24 hours a day
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    Physical, occupational or speech therapists to help patients get the most from every day
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    Medical social workers who provide expert help with patient safety, financial and legal issues, memorial and funeral planning, as well as offer emotional support
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    Music therapists to help manage symptoms, reduce stress and calm fears
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    Board-certified hospice and palliative care physicians and nurse practitioners who are specially trained in providing pain relief and managing symptoms of serious illness
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    Spiritual counselors to help find peace and forgiveness
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    Dietitians to meet the evolving nutritional needs at the end of life
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    Pet therapists to provide special companionship and joy
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    Bereavement counselors to guide families through their grief
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    Trained hospice volunteers able to offer companionship and breaks for caregivers
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    Licensed massage therapists to bring comfort through relief of stress and pain

Pain & Symptom Management

Pain is often what hospice patients worry about most. It’s why managing pain is among our top priorities. We stay well-informed with current medications and techniques for pain and symptom relief.
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We understand every patient experiences pain differently. Some people have severe pain early in their disease, while others have little pain at all. A physician and hospice nurse collaborate with the patient to control pain symptoms in the least invasive (or most natural) way. We are available every day of the patient’s journey to help them live as pain-free as possible.
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We also believe that emotional and spiritual pain should be given just as much attention as physical pain. We support all of a patient’s needs by offering music, massage, physical, occupational, speech and pet therapies, as well as bereavement support and nutrition counseling. Other support includes spiritual counselors and social workers who are available to assist not only the patients but the family members, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for hospice care?
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Hospice care is appropriate when a patient has a life expectancy of about six months or less. While patients must have a doctor’s referral to enter hospice care, the patient, family and friends can initiate the process by contacting Willamette Vital Health.
Can a hospice patient who shows signs of recovery be returned to curative treatment?
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Certainly, if the patient’s condition improves and the illness seems to be in remission, the patient can choose to leave hospice care and return to aggressive therapy.
Where does hospice care take place?
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Willamette Vital Health staff provides hospice care wherever a patient calls home. Although most hospice patients are cared for in their own homes, others may live in nursing homes, assisted living homes, nursing home facilities or our Edward F. Tokarski Home.
How does hospice care provide comfort for patients through distressing symptoms?
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Our role, in providing comfort-based hospice care, is to maximize the patient’s quality of life. We focus on pain control and symptom management by educating patients and families so they can make their own decisions regarding visitations, services, use of pain medications, counseling and other hospice services. We provide patients and families with the knowledge they need to minimize the patient’s discomfort.
How is hospice care paid for?
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Hospice is a benefit covered by Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Administration and most private insurance plans. We believe hospice care should be available to all people. We make sure our patients and their families receive the support they need, whether or not they can pay. This is made possible through the generous support of our donors.
Does Willamette Vital Health provide support for the family after the patient dies?
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Our comprehensive program supports anyone grieving the loss of a loved one, whether or not they were cared for by Willamette Vital Health. We offer individual counseling sessions, support groups, workshops, community events and Camp Mighty Oaks, an annual summer camp for children and families with fun-filled activities that promote hope and healing.
What areas does Willamette Vital Health serve?
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Please see our service area map for a complete list of the locations we serve. Please contact us with any questions about service area.