Hospice

Hospice

How e3 Partners with You

For over a decade, our staff of trained Clinical Aromatherapists and healthcare professionals has partnered with hospice organizations. We can assist you in the selection of essential oils, the development of policies and procedures, and training for your staff on safe, effective application methods. Our goal is to help you utilize aromatherapy as a safe, gentle and effective way to bring comfort to your patients and their families.

Learn more below or contact us to set-up an initial consultation.

Aromatherapy Benefits

In a hospice setting the primary goal is to bring comfort to the patient and family members during this time of transition.  Many hospices report remarkable improvements in the quality of life for patients, caregivers, and staff.

The benefits include:

• A calm peaceful environment – reducing stress for patients, family and caregivers
• Relief from physical and emotional symptoms such as nausea, pain, depression and anxiety
• Promotion of peaceful interactions with staff by calming anxious or agitated patients
• Stress relief for staff leading to increased job satisfaction, better performance and fewer health problems
• Less unpleasant odors
• Involvement of caregivers and family members in connecting with loved one in a caring, helpful manner

Safe Implementation Guidelines

E3 has partnered with many hospice organizations to design a comprehensive aromatherapy program. We’ve seen when hospice providers explore aromatherapy they face a series of important considerations, such as:

1. Choosing essential oils that will provide comfort and support to the patient, family and staff.

The first step is to use only certified, therapeutic-quality essential oils.  E3 utilizes independent lab testing Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) to certify essential oils are free of pesticides and synthetics, are unadulterated, and the chemical constituents are in the range necessary to be effective for intended use. The next step is to identify specific concerns, for both patients and staff, that can be enhanced by aromatherapy. For example, if nausea is a common concern a hospice may choose to use ginger and/or peppermint essential oils to minimize symptoms.

2. Creating standardized policies and procedures on the appropriate use of aromatherapy for hospice.

Standardized policies and procedures are important to ensure essential oils are used safely and effectively. Each essential oil requires a separate protocol specifying the recommended level of dilution, the dosage, and the application method. It also requires that the patient’s health history, current conditions, prescriptions, etc. are taken into consideration. Having well-documented protocols empower the staff to make knowledgeable decisions on the use of essential oils for each patient.

3. Educating and training staff on safe application methods.

There is a great deal of misinformation circulating on the internet regarding the use of essential oils that is both unnecessary and unsafe. Therefore, it is extremely important that staff receive training so they know which essential oils are safe to use, understand the chemistry of these essential oils, and know how to administer them in a safe manner. The most common application methods in the hospice setting are inhalation, diffusion, gentle/comfort care, massage, and wound care.

Please see Specific Recommendations below for our list of the essential oils and blends most commonly used in hospice settings.

Contact Us

E3 is happy to share their experience and research to assist you in the selection of essential oils. We can also partner with you in the development of policies and procedures and the training of your staff on safe, effective application methods. Contact us to set-up an initial consultation.