What is Hospice?
Hospice is a facility which provides medical, social and spiritual care to the terminally ill patients and their close families & relatives during the final stages of the life of the patient.
Who can get admitted into Hospice?
Those who are diagnosed to have an incurable and terminal diseases can get admitted into Hospice. Usual norm is when life expectancy of the patient is 6 months or less.
What are types of care available at Hospice?
Hospice provides 5 types of care: —
- In-Patient Care, is when patient gets admitted into the Hospice.
- Home Care, is offered by the team of medical & para-medical staff at the home of the patient. About 70% of the registered patients get Hospice services at their homes.
- Respite Care, is when care-takers of the terminally ill patient get exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. Break for the care taker is provided to rejuvenate themselves upto 15 days.
- End-Of-Life Care, is a very important aspect of Hospice services at the event of death where spirituality takes the center stage.
- Bereavement Care, is spiritual and emotional care offered for the bereaving family & relatives of the deceased patient till 1.5 months after the death of the patient.
What is not available at Hospice?
Patient comes to Hospice to prepare for final departure from this world hence there are no ventilators nor any life saving services like CPR or any other surgeries. The purpose of Hospice is to provide care & comfort to the suffering patient by providing relief to the pain and other diagnostic symptoms & not to cure the disease. Hospice does not provide emergency services like those offered In Intensive Care Units (ICU).
What are the requirements for getting admitted into Hospice?
- The patient must be sure that he/she is a terminal ill patient. This should be evident of medical examination or on studying his/her medical papers.
- Non-Indian residents & patients must have a valid visa for at least 6 months.
- It is most ideal to have minimum one Personal Assistant (PA) to take care of the terminally ill patient, if one does not have such an assistant, local help can be arranged through us as well subject to availability.
- Maximum 2 assistants can stay with the patient with the consent of the doctor & administration.
- If the terminally ill patient does not speak English, an attendant fluent in spoken English and knowing the language of the patient is needed to assist the patient and coordinate with Hospice team for providing services to the patient.
- It is always better to get a lawyer to draw a Living Will stating clearly the method of funeral preferred by the patient (burial or burning), the person authorized to perform the funeral, desired place of funeral, other necessary details of funeral and the executor of all the rituals. The Living will can be prepared even after the admission at Hospice.
What are the types of rooms available & charges for them?
- Deluxe rooms with central AC/heater.
- Non-AC Single Room
- General Ward – 3 patients in 1 Ward
Medicines, oxygen, pathology tests and ambulatory services are chargeable. In all the above types of rooms, attendants & assistants need to buy their food from the cafeteria at Hospice.
For charges, we request you to contact us at: –
Bhaktivedanta Hospice Centre, Parikrama Marg, Near Baraha Ghat, Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh (UP)
Dr. Avnish Pandey – +91-9012524447 or Mr. Sameer Vanjaria – +91-9045183268
Can old people be admitted to Hospice?
Hospice is meant exclusively for the terminally ill patients whether young or old. The concept of Hospice is different than Old Age Homes (OAHs). So, at Hospice, we will not be able to keep old people who are not terminally ill.
What kind of medication are provided at Bhaktivedanta Hospice?
Primarily allopathic medications are given preference over other medications. But in case of need, we provide acupuncture, acupressure, massage, Ayurvedic/homeopathic/herbal medicines, aromatherapy, etc, to make the patient pain-free and comfortable.What kind of spiritual care is offered at the Bhaktivedanta Hospice?
The aim of Spiritual Care in the Hospice is to connect the terminally ill patient with the Supreme Lord as much as possible in whichever way possible. Spiritual care is provided irrespective of the caste, creed, nationality, race or religion of the patient. Spiritual counseling & discourses are arranged as per the need of the patient depending upon their religious faiths & beliefs. Thus, our spiritual care is aimed at fulfilling the spiritual desires of the patients during their last stages of lives.
Can donors sponsor the patients at Hospice?
Yes, we invite patient sponsorships wholeheartedly so that we can provide quality hospice care for the poor & the needy sections of the society at free/concessional rates at the Bhaktivedanta Hospice. Your donation would help us to take care of them in their difficult times & offer a helping in their final journey.