Menu
A Few Of The Benefits
This is always a difficult decision to make, but in-home hospice care can make it a little easier because your loved one can get the care they need in a place where they are the most comfortable.
Patients are most comfortable in their home.
Studies show being at home helps prevent patient depression.
Studies show being most comfortable (at home) helps the patient live longer.
Eliminate the stress and confusion of having to learn a new environment.
The patient can keep their most-treasured memories with them during this critical time.
The patient is proud of their home, and they want to be remembered here, not in a hospital setting.
Easier for the patient and easier for their visitors.
Studies show patient overwhelming prefer to be at home.
When it comes to hospice care, people often have numerous questions due to the sensitive and complex nature of end-of-life care. Here are the most frequently asked questions about hospice care based on common concerns and inquiries from patients and their families:
Hospice care is specialized care designed to provide support to people in the final phase of a terminal illness. It focuses on comfort and quality of life, rather than cure. It aims to enable patients to be pain-free and as comfortable as possible, with a focus on living life as fully and as comfortably as possible in the final days.
Hospice care is for patients who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and have a prognosis of six months or less if the disease follows its natural course, as certified by a physician.
Hospice care services typically include pain management and symptom control, emotional and spiritual support, medical supplies and equipment, medication for symptom control and pain relief, assistance with the emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual aspects of dying, volunteer and bereavement support, and assistance for the patient’s family.
Hospice care can be provided in various settings: at home, in hospice centers, hospitals, nursing homes, or long-term care facilities, depending on the needs and preferences of the patient and family.
Hospice care is covered under Medicare, Medicaid GA, and most private insurance plans. Each of these has specific eligibility criteria and benefits.
Yes, hospice care can be discontinued at any time. If a patient’s condition improves and they no longer meet the criteria for hospice, or if they choose to return to curative treatments, hospice care can be stopped.
Hospice uses a combination of medication, counseling, and therapy to manage pain and symptoms. The focus is on the patient’s comfort and quality of life.
Family members are an integral part of hospice care, often serving as the primary caregivers, with the hospice team providing support, education, and respite services.
While both hospice and palliative care provide comfort, palliative care can begin at diagnosis, and at the same time as treatment. Hospice care begins after treatment of the disease is stopped and when it is clear that the person is not going to survive the illness.
Hospice care provides counseling and support for patients and their families to help them cope with emotional and spiritual issues related to death and dying, including grief counseling and support groups.
To start hospice care, a referral is usually made by the patient’s physician, stating that the patient has a life-limiting illness and meets the specific criteria for hospice care. Following the referral, a hospice representative typically meets with the patient and their family to discuss the services and to develop a care plan tailored to the patient’s needs and wishes.
The hospice care team is a multidisciplinary team that may include doctors, nurses, home health aides, social workers, counselors, chaplains, pharmacists, therapists, and trained volunteers. This team works together to address the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of the patient and their family.
Yes, patients can continue to see their personal doctor while receiving hospice care. The hospice team works in conjunction with the patient’s personal physician to ensure the care plan is consistent with the patient’s needs and wishes.
The focus of hospice care is on comfort and quality of life rather than curative treatments. Treatments that are intended to cure the patient’s illness are generally stopped. However, treatments aimed at relieving symptoms and improving comfort are continued. Decisions about specific treatments are personalized and based on the patient’s wishes and the family’s desires in consultation with the hospice team.
The frequency of hospice team visits varies depending on the patient’s needs and the specifics of the care plan. Some patients may require daily visits, while others might have visits several times a week or less frequently. The care plan is regularly reviewed and adjusted as needed.
Hospice care includes bereavement support for the family following the death of the patient. This support can include counseling, support groups, assistance with funeral planning, and help in adjusting to life without the loved one. Bereavement services are typically available for up to a year after the patient’s death.
These questions address the core aspects of hospice care, but individual needs and circumstances can lead to many more specific inquiries. It’s always best to discuss any questions or concerns with a healthcare provider or a hospice care organization (us) to get information tailored to the individual situation.