A Model Hospice Inpatient Unit Specializing in Patients Living with Advanced Dementia.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Palliative Care
• Behavioral Health

Background:

• Dementia patients with distressing behaviors often require specialized care beyond typical inpatient units.
• Hospice of the Valley established a dedicated inpatient unit to address these complex needs.
• Existing hospice units face challenges in managing severe behavioral symptoms associated with dementia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a pilot dedicated hospice inpatient unit for dementia patients with distressing behaviors.
• To assess the management of behavioral symptoms and patient outcomes in this specialized setting.
• To determine the feasibility of this model for broader hospice adoption.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 237 patients admitted to the dedicated unit (May 2019 - April 2020).
• Identification and severity rating of patient behaviors at admission, discharge, and postdischarge.
• Calculation of inpatient death rates and associated behavioral factors.

Main Results:

• Fifty percent of patients experienced sufficient behavioral symptom management for successful discharge.
• Agitation was the most frequently observed behavior.
• Pain was identified as the most common symptom contributing to patient death.

Conclusions:

• A specialized inpatient hospice unit for dementia patients can be successfully implemented.
• This model allows hospice agencies to manage complex dementia cases, preventing diversion to other facilities.
• The pilot unit demonstrates a viable model for other hospices seeking to improve dementia care.