We Welcome You With Loving Open Arms promising to deliver best hospice care
When you are Here...You Are Family
When you are Here...You Are Family
WHO WE ARE?
Founded in 2016, Open Arms Hospice is a community-based organization committed to providing the highest quality hospice care to patients, their families, and close friends throughout the following counties:
Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne, Livingston and Macomb.
We care for terminally ill patients with a wide range of illnesses including cancer, advanced cardiac disorders, advanced neurological disorders, AIDS, ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), Parkinson, Multiple Sclerosis and any end stage disease.
OUR PHILOSOPHY OF CARE
Open Arms Hospice program works diligently to assist our patients in managing diagnosis-related symptoms to have the utmost dignified process of living their remaining days with peace and comfort at their place of residence, where the family legacy can be passed onto the next generation. At Open Arms Hospice we are committed to enable and facilitate the best quality of life, which allows patients to remain in the comfort of their own homes or at their present place of residence. In order to sustain our target to be the best hospice care in Oakland county we have handpicked all our clinicians in order to deliver compassionate and dignity driven care to our patients.
Our care aims to capture, body, mind, and spirit of the patient and the immediate family. Open Arms Hospice has a team of professionals, comprised of nurses, home health aides, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers. We thrive to provide the patient with all of the physician’s prescribed medication to address symptoms related to the end of life diagnosis. Under the direction of the patient’s physician and our medical director, the team follows a personalized plan of physical, emotional and spiritual care. The plan is continually reviewed and adapted to meet the patients’ changing needs.
The team includes, but not limited to:
Anyone with Cancer, Advanced Heart or Lung Disease, End-Stage Alzheimers or Dementia, Advanced Neurological Disorders, AIDS, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), Multiple Sclerosis, or Another Life-Limiting Illness may qualify for hospice services. A registered nurse is available, to determine if a hospice referral is appropriate.
Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans pay for hospice services. For in-home care, room and board are the responsibility of the patient and family.
If you have questions about your hospice insurance benefits, please call our office at 248-516-3978.
Anyone can make a referral to Open Arms Hospice – physicians, nurses, social workers, family or friends. To qualify for hospice care, the patient’s attending physician and the Hospice Medical Director must certify that the patient has a life-limiting illness with a life expectancy of six months or less. Our staff can contact the patient’s physician to verify diagnosis and prognosis.
To make a referral call us at 248-516-3978.
Physicians can fax referrals to 248-516-3979.
If you have a loved one who has recently entered hospice care or is going to, you may have only a few months, or even weeks, to say goodbye. During this time, they may exhibit changes in their behavior, diet, mood and much more. Unfortunately, many people are unprepared to adequately care for their loved ones because they don’t know what to expect from the dying process.
If you have questions about hospice,
call us at (248) 516-3978 or contact us online.
Death is something we all must face, but for many people the dying process is shrouded in mystery. Saying goodbye to a loved one can be hard to do, but learning about what to expect from the dying process can make it easier for you to care for them as they leave the earth. It can also help you say goodbye in the best way possible, and better cope with the aftermath of your loss.
END OF LIFE TIMELINE
Every death follows its own course, but home hospice patients generally exhibit several stages of symptoms before passing.
WEEKS BEFORE DEATH SYMPTOMS
Several weeks before death, your loved one may start exhibit a range of behavioral changes relating to their sleeping patterns, eating habits and sociability. They may begin to sleep more often and for longer periods. They will start to refuse foods that are difficult to eat or digest, but eventually they will refuse all solid foods. Do not try to force them to eat, as it will only bring discomfort to them. Your loved one may enjoy ice during this time, since it will keep them cool while also hydrating them.
Unfortunately, your loved one may become withdrawn, less active and less communicative. They may spend more time alone introspecting and may turn down company. Some also appear to become comatose and unresponsive, but this is a symptom of withdrawal. Your loved one can still hear you, so speak in a calm, reassuring voice while holding their hand. Children may become more talkative, even if they withdraw from other activities. It’s important to let your loved one set their own pace during this time. Your loved one may also start to use metaphorical language, which could be a way of coping with death. It may also be used to allude to a task they feel they need to accomplish, such as seeking forgiveness.
Common symptoms in this period also include physical changes, such as:
DAYS BEFORE DEATH SYMPTOMS
In the days before death, a series of physiological changes will occur. Their pulmonary system will start to degrade and the will become congested, leading to a tell-tale “death rattle.” Their breathing will also exhibit fluctuations, as they may begin to respirate up to 50 times per minute or as little as six. When exhaling, they may “puff” their lips. They may also begin to cough more frequently, but in general, the congestion itself is painless.
During their last days, your loved one may begin to experience hallucinations in which they talk to people who aren’t there or who have also died. It is important to maintain a close eye on your loved one if they begin exhibiting these symptoms. There is no guarantee for how long they may have left, and some people pass through this process faster than others.
Some common symptoms those a few days from death experience include:
24 HOURS BEFORE DEATH SYMPTOMS
During the last 24 hours of your loved one’s life, much of your loved one’s time will be spent sleeping. While awake, they will have difficulty interacting with you because many of their senses may be failing. However, their hearing should remain, and may be the only way they can experience the world. You can use a normal speaking voice when talking to them. Many of the physical changes they have experienced for the past few months will become more pronounced.
HOURS BEFORE DEATH SYMPTOMS
In the final hours of life, your loved one’s body will begin to shut down. Their circulatory and pulmonary systems will slowly begin to fail. This may lead to falling body temperatures, but may also cause sudden outbursts. Your loved one will also experience greater difficulty interacting with the outside world. They may not be able to see you and may be unresponsive when you try to communicate with them. However, their hearing may yet remain intact. They may still be able to understand you, even if they cannot respond.
Some symptoms a person may experience during this time include:
HOW TO TELL WHEN YOUR LOVED ONE HAS PASSED
Eventually, your loved one will pass away, but it can be difficult to tell at first if this has happened. It’s not uncommon for a person to be unresponsive throughout the dying process, and it is easy to think that your loved one is simply asleep or unconscious when in fact they have died. If you suspect this is the case, call your hospice nurse, who can provide you with further instructions. Special procedures must be followed when removing our loved one’s body from your home.
Here are a few tell-tale signs that indicate when your loved one has passed away:
END OF LIFE CARE THROUGH YOUR LOVED ONE’S DYING PROCESS
Hospice care allows you to share your loved one’s most difficult journey with them, which can make it easier for you and them to obtain closure. Providing a high quality of life should be your main focus, which may be easier early on when you can still participate in a range of activities together. To properly care for them later in the dying process, make sure they are hydrated and fed without forcing anything on them. It will be normal for your loved one to become somewhat dehydrated during their final days. You may also have to clean them and move them to avoid bedsores.
Maintaining good communication with your loved one can help you provide them with the best possible support during their last days. In doing so, you may find that you both may want to spend time alone. This can help both of you cope with the dying process and allow you to better appreciate the time you have together. Your loved one can also let you know of any medical care they wish to receive or refuse should they become unresponsive.
We love our customers, so feel free to visit during normal business hours.
39500 West 10 Mile Road, Suite 101A, Novi, Michigan 48375, United States
Mon | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Tue | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Wed | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Thu | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Fri | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Sat | Closed | |
Sun | Closed |
We are deeply grateful for kindness and compassion you extended to our family during our time of loss.
Thank you for all your care and support for us and our mom.
Family of Ruth Shope.
To Open Arms Hospice, thank you for al you do when a family is in need at this time in life. We appreciate you all!!
A special Thanks toTracy and Veronica for their love and expertise.
The Saroki Family.
Chaplain Lauren and the Open Arms Team
Thank you for the lovely card.
We really appreciate your kindness in caring for my father.
I know my father is happy and holding mom’s hand as they dance together in heaven.
God Bless
Anthony & Family
About a year ago my mom was diagnosed with fast onset dementia. She was under the watch of Open Arms Hospice and we are beyond grateful for the loving, respectful, patience and compassion the entire team provided to my mom and our family.
Dementia is difficult to manage and this entire team made it look effortless. Many nights and early mornings my mother would be up, disruptive and they had such a loving, caring way to help her and keep her calm and safe. We always felt like we could sleep at night knowing they were caring for her because other places my mom has been at we could not rest and we were constantly scared for my moms safety. The nurses/aids, doctor, social worker, Chaplin Lauren, Dan Clemente and entire team goes ABOVE AND BEYOND to keep everyone feeling comfortable and loved during a time when life is coming to an end. We are forever grateful for the loving care Open Arms Hospice provided to my mom.
With love, The Allmacher-Harshfield Family
I just wanted to say how wonderful Open Arms Hospice was in assisting with my sister’s mother-in-law’s passing.
Veronica was amazing! The care and devotion to Marlene & our family was so caring and professional we can’t thank you enough.
To Dan Clemente owner of Open Arms and his beautiful wife who assisted in dropping off medication late in the evening, so she would be more comfortable and pass peacefully.
You will never know how your kindness touched our family!
I would highly recommend this company if you are in need of hospice services.
Lori G.
I want to thank you all for everything you did for my mother.
I am having a very hard time as many of you may have guessed.
She was my mom, my little girl, and then my baby.
Thank you again!
From the Family of "Nanny Fein"
March 1, 2021
Dear Dan, Tracy, Colleen, Veronica, Ligia, Kristi and Open Arms Staff.
Thank you for the excellent care of our Mom, Helen and prior to that, your care of our Dad, Ralph. More that excellent care, you showed our parents love and every kindness, warmth and dignity. You kept us informed after every visit and brought a bit of joy with you every time you visited. We are so appreciative of all you have done to help our parents on their journey home. Particularly during the pandemic closures, you were part of Mom’s “hands on” family when we could not be there. Such a difficult time for all, however we had a measure of peace, being certain of how well Mom was loved and being cared for. May the Lord Bless each of you in every way.
Love,
Sandy, Sue and the Walz family
Celebrating Team Members Birthdays