Hospice: Courage in Conversation
For over 40 years, Hospice of the Western Reserve has provided palliative and end-of-life care, caregiver support, and bereavement services throughout Northern Ohio. Our mission is to foster choice in end-of-life care, and we offer diverse services to support this mission including palliative care, specialized and complex care teams, pediatric palliative and hospice care, specialized care for Veterans, and a wealth of educational resources.
Hospice of the Western Reserve aims to provide holistic end-of-life support to both the patient and the family, including their spiritual and emotional needs. To qualify for hospice care, patients must have a life expectancy of six months or less, though they can continue to receive care if they live longer. Through our Western Reserve Navigator, palliative care is a service offered that may be appropriate for individuals who have been diagnosed with a serious or advanced illness. Unlike hospice care, patients may choose to receive palliative care while continuing to pursue aggressive treatment and further diagnostic tests. No one can see into the future, but it is important to understand options available to you and initiate conversations.
No one is eager to talk about advanced directives. But at Hospice of the Western Reserve, we encourage these conversations with loved ones to prevent further discomfort down the road. Advanced directives are documents that guide your plan of care at a time when you are unable to speak for yourself. By completing advanced directives, you are not inviting tragedy to happen, you are opening a door that makes it possible for your family to honor your wishes and advocate for you. To assist you with these conversations, our “Courage in Conversation” is a resource document where you will find all the forms and prompts you need to consider how you want your family and your physicians to care for you. Engaging in these conversations clears a path for you, and those around you, make life’s journey just a little easier.
Let Hospice of the Western Reserve be your trusted partner on this journey and be a resource for you and your loved ones. We’ll be with you every step of the way, providing peace of mind and crucial support.
