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Services

What Is a Hospice In-Patient Unit?

Hospice care is usually provided in the setting a patient feels most comfortable in. Typically, that is in their home or a family member, but it can also mean a nursing home, assisted living facility, or personal care home.

Sacred Journey Hospice offers another option for when your loved one is need of extra skilled care. If your loved one experiences a crisis, consider inpatient care instead of the emergency room. When your loved one is experiencing a serious acute illness, or you need a bit of extra time to make the necessary preparations, our hospice in-patient unit may be your ideal solution.

Here’s more about what happens in a hospice in-patient unit and how to contact Sacred Journey Hospice when you’re ready to discuss hospice care for yourself or a loved one.

We offer two hospice in-patient units: one in McDonough and one in Newnan.

McDonough Facility Tour


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Newnan Facility Tour


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Reasons a Patient May Need In-Patient Unit Care

A hospice inpatient unit is a medical facility where around-the-clock care is provided by hospice nurses, CNAs, social workers, and chaplains under the direction of the hospice medical director. The setting is more home-like than a hospital and shorter term than a nursing home. In our in-patient units, we provide acute care in a comfortable, calming setting similar to that you would receive at your home or a nursing home.

In many instances, hospice in-patient units are for those who need help managing acute, complex medical conditions that cannot easily be treated comfortably in their homes. Examples of medical situations in which you or your loved one can benefit from a hospice in-patient unit include:

  • Uncontrolled nausea and vomiting
  • Uncontrolled pain
  • Uncontrolled seizures
  • Unmanageable respiratory distress
  • Unmanageable agitation or other psychological symptoms
  • The need for intravenous medications that require close monitoring
  • The need for wound care and frequent changing of dressings
  • The need for medical care involving tubes
  • Vent withdrawals

Staff members who work in our hospice in-patient unit are devoted to offering highly personalized medical care. We will spend as much time as needed to speak with you and your loved one in length about your loved one’s medical condition and what to expect from treatment.

During your loved one’s stay in our hospice in-patient unit, we will set aside time to discuss placement options for your loved one so they can continue to receive hospice care at home or in another setting after leaving our facility. One of our team members can speak to you in greater detail about our hospice in-patient unit, so you can confirm whether this service is right for you.

How Long Does This Program Last?

Patients stay in our in-patient units for as long as their needs remain acute and unmanageable in a home or facility environment. Some patients only stay a few days before they are ready to return to their home environment. The goal of this service is to stabilize patients who are experiencing acute and/or unmanageable symptoms while providing them with highly personalized treatment that makes them feel right at home. Hospice in-patient units do not provide long-term medical care, though we can help you or your loved one transition into another level of care after their condition and symptoms have been stabilized.

Are Healthy Meals Provided in a Hospice In-Patient Unit?

Nutrition plays an important role in recovery from both acute and chronic illnesses. In our Sacred Journey In-Patient Unit, we provide all our patients with nutritious, balanced meals that promote healing and wellness. We will develop customized meal plans based on your loved one’s medical condition and take conditions like diabetes and heart disease into account when preparing meals.

Do Patients Get Help Managing Their Medications?

Medication management is included in nearly every level of care provided at Sacred Journey Hospice, including in our hospice in-patient unit. Your loved one will receive help with adhering to their treatment regimen and taking medications as directed. Patients who need intravenous medications will have them administered by our experienced nurses.

What Are the Different Levels of Care?

Sacred Journey Hospice offers hospice care at home, along with general in-patient care and respite care. One of our team members can help you choose the appropriate level of care if you’re not sure which service will benefit your loved one and family the most.

General In-Patient Care (GIP)

GIP, also known as crisis care, is the level of care given to patients in our hospice in-patient units. GIP provides short-term medical care and crisis management to patients experiencing chronic pain and other severe symptoms. This level of care is short-term and lasts until acute symptoms are brought under control—typically no more than a few days. After patients are stabilized, they can return home or transition into a lower level of care in another medical setting.

Respite Care

Respite care is a service that provides temporary, short-term relief for primary caregivers. Caregiving can be highly demanding, as well as stressful and draining. It can also lead to burnout and potentially reduce the quality of care being given to the caregiver’s patient.

Respite care usually takes place in one of our in-patient care units, but can also take place in a facility. It lasts for five days to allow caregivers to recover from the demands of their responsibilities, and to resume them feeling refreshed and recuperated. You are welcome to visit your loved one during their stay, but we encourage you to allow us to provide care so that you may rest.

Our staff members will take over all your caregiving duties for the length of time you need in which to recover as a caregiver. We will assist your loved one with bathing, dressing, and eating, and we provide medication management services that help them adhere to their treatment plans. We will also engage your loved one in any special activities taking place in the in-patient unit during their stay (volunteer companionship, pet therapy, and music therapy).

Why Choose a Sacred Journey In-Patient Unit?

Sacred Journey Hospice is dedicated to providing you and your family with caring and compassionate support and addressing your loved one’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. We want all our patients to feel as comfortable as possible and live with dignity as they cope with and manage their illnesses.

Amenities Include:

  • Private Rooms with Adjoining Restroom
  • Private phone line
  • Satellite or DirectTV
  • Internet access
  • Fresh Meals
  • Volunteer Services as Scheduled (including pet therapy, music therapy, and companionship)
  • Complimentary tea, coffee, and snack
  • Conveniently located off major interstates near shopping, dining, and lodging
  • 24/7 visitation
  • Foldout sleeper chair for one overnight guest
  • Pet Visitation (please be sure pets are vaccinated, house trained, and socialized)

Contact us today at (678) 583-0717 to learn more about our hospice services.

Questions? Visit Our Hospice FAQs.

Hospice FAQs