The Crossroads Watch Program

Terminally ill patients receiving hospice care will generally experience a decline in their mobility, energy, and strength over time. At Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care, when a patient experiences a noticeable decline, we activate our Watch Program to manage and monitor their symptoms.

For patients who begin hospice care early in their terminal illness, this decline may happen slowly over many weeks or months. For patients who begin hospice care later in their illness, this decline may happen quite quickly. By recognizing these changes, we can ensure the patient receives the right level of care when they need it most.

Signs & Symptoms of Decline

Every Crossroads patient has a team of hospice professionals assigned to manage their physical, emotional, and spiritual care. Our nurses are specifically tasked with managing the patient’s medical care. With each visit, they assess the patient’s current status and note any changes from their last visit.

In order to provide the best possible care to each patient, our nurses watch for any symptoms that may indicate a decline. Some of these symptoms can include:

• Mottling of the skin
• Sleeping more
• Blood pressure decreasing
• Difficulty with swallowing
• Changes in their breathing
• An increase in pain or other symptoms
•  Restlessness with increased anxiety, agitation, and confusion

Once a patient begins to decline, our team will activate the Watch Program which triggers an increase in visits to the patient to better monitor their care.

The Crossroads Watch Program 

As soon as a patient is put into our Watch Program, they will begin to receive more frequent visits from our team to monitor and manage their symptoms. These increased visits enable us to better recognize when the patient’s final moments are approaching, so we can provide them and their family with additional support.

When we see that a patient’s passing is imminent, we begin Evenmore Care and exhaust every effort to stay by their side. During Evenmore Care, a member of the Crossroads care team will remain at the patient’s bedside, providing comfort and support during this sacred time. We believe no one should ever die alone, and families appreciate having a supportive presence in the room to guide them and answer questions.

Crossroads provides support to patients facing serious and terminal illness. To learn more about our services, please call 1-888-564-3405.

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