Hospice Inpatient Unit 

Hospice care is a philosophy of caring that assists those nearing the end of life and in need of refuge. It is a system of caring designed to restore dignity and provide a sense of personal fulfillment to patients facing a terminal illness.  The focus is on the patient and the family rather than the disease; the goal is to improve the quality of life that remains.

Who is Hospice For?

A patient may qualify for a short-term stay at the Seasons Inpatient Unit for a number of reasons, including: 

• uncontrolled pain
• decreased blood pressure
• decreased urine output
• intractable nausea
• vomiting and/or diarrhea
• respiratory distress
• decubiti or other skin lesions/wounds
• other symptoms that are unmanageable at home (active seizures, active bleeding, etc.)
• need for respite care (up to five days)
• the family doesn't want the patient to die at home.

Patients can stay as long as necessary to get symptoms under control or to make arrangements for care in another setting. The average stay in the Inpatient Unit is 5-7 days. The Seasons Inpatient Unit staff works closely with the patients and families to assist them with discharge planning. The hospice team will continue to care for patients and families when they leave the Inpatient Unit while the patient remains on the hospice program.

Hospice Team

The Seasons Hospice team consists of:

• Physicians
• Hospice Nurses
• Social Workers
• Chaplains
• Volunteers
• Hospice Aides
• Music Therapists. 

Hospice Programs

Unique programs include Open Access, Music Therapy, and A Touch for All Seasons (created for patients with dementia). These programs provide specific interventions that meet the needs of our patients and their families. Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care of Michigan serves the southeastern Michigan area. The mission of Seasons is to find creative solutions that add to the patients’ quality of life. We believe in the patient/family focus of hospice care, recognizing that individuals and families are the experts in their own care.  

For more information, please call us 24/7 at 800-370-8592 or www.seasons.org.