title: Comfort always. The Rainey Hospice House: South Carolina's first inpatient hospice.
abstract: The Rainey Hospice House, South Carolina's first stand-alone inpatient facility opened in September 1998. During the year 2000, 220 inpatients were served in the house. Patients ranged in age from 23 to 107 years old (average age 73). Cancer was the most common hospice diagnosis, followed by congestive heart failure, cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease, dementia, cirrhosis, renal failure, and COPD. Thirty-three percent of patients were in the program less than ten days. Over 98 percent of deaths under hospice care were described as peaceful. During 2000, our outpatients and our inpatients were similar in age, insurance coverage, diagnoses, and time in the program. Inpatient hospice is highly valued by families and patients alike. It is especially useful for the following patients: those with uncontrolled symptoms, those with exhausted care givers, those with no caregivers, those who require total care, and those very close to death. The symptoms most likely to precipitate inpatient admission include pain, nausea, confusion, and agitation. Given the graying of South Carolina's population and the increase in outpatient hospice care, more areas of the state will need inpatient facilities in the future.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008875:Middle Aged; D013022:South Carolina