FAQ

Hospice Care is a service for people with serious illnesses who choose not to continue treatment to cure or control their illness. People may choose to enroll in hospice care if the treatment available is unlikely to be effective or if continuing it has become too burdensome. Hospice goals aim to provide comfort and peace to help improve quality of life for the person during the end stage of their illness. It also helps family members cope with their loved one's illness and can also provide support to the family after the person dies. Medicare and Medical reimburses for hospice services at 100% when a physician determines based on their best medical judgment that a patient has a life-expectancy of 6 months or less.

Many people with a serious illness often are referred to Hospice or it's recommended they consider electing Hospice. A serious illness may be defined as a disease or condition with a high risk of death or one that negatively affects a person's quality of life or ability to perform daily tasks. It may cause symptoms or have treatments that affect daily life and lead to caregiver stress. Common examples of serious illnesses include dementia or Alzheimer's related conditions, cancer, Cardiac disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, neurological disease like Parkinson's, Renal and Liver Disease.

Anyone with a serious illness who doctors think has a short time to live - generally 6 months or less -usually qualifies for hospice care. For Medicare to pay for hospice care, patients have made the choice to stop pursuing aggressive and invasive medical treatment intended to cure or control their illness. An evaluation by a Registered Nurse can be provided at no cost or commitment to elect services.

Despite the benefits of using hospice care, many people wait to receive hospice care until the final weeks or days of life. It's important to talk with your doctor , family or loved ones about your illness and how your disease is progressing. Expressing and understanding the wishes of a seriously ill individual who may want and not want certain medical interventions can be expressed and followed. Starting hospice early may be able to provide months of meaningful care and quality time with loved ones.

Hospice care can provide a range of different services depending on your symptoms and end of life care wishes. These services include, but are not limited to, emotional and spiritual support for the person and their family, relief of symptoms and pain managed by a licensed clinical team, help with advance care planning and non-clinical support services, therapy services, like physical or occupational therapy with quality-of-life goals, home health aide assistance, durable medical equipment like hospital bed and wheelchair, medications all related to the patients qualifying condition and much more.

Finding hospice care, whether it's in a nursing home, assisted living facility, hospital, or a private home, may be more difficult or complicated during COVID-19. These facilities may continue to update their services and policies to comply with state department of health and CDC guidelines to protect the health and safety of people receiving care as well as staff.

Hospice can be provided in many settings - a private home, nursing home, assisted living facility, or in a hospital. Many people choose to receive hospice care at home so their friends and family can visit as they wish. Other considerations may include one's home environment vs. another setting, cost, and stability of the person's condition. Choosing where to receive hospice care is a personal decision, but it may be helpful to talk with family members, your caregiver, or your doctor about the level of care you need and if it can be provided at home. Adding a Hospice interdisciplinary team will be an added asset wherever a patient may choose to receive care. Read more about where end-of-life care can be provided.

Yes! Advance care planning involves making decisions ahead of time about the health care you would want to receive at the end of life. Studies have shown that patients who have participated in advanced care planning receive care that is more aligned with their wishes and are more satisfied with their care.

When you begin hospice care, medication and treatments that are prescribed to cure your serious illness will stop. For example, if you are receiving chemotherapy that is meant to treat or cure your cancer, that must end before you can enter hospice care. However, a person in hospice can continue to take medications to treat other conditions or symptoms, for example, high blood pressure.

Most Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance providers will cover some of the services provided by hospice. Older adults enrolled in Medicare can receive hospice care if their healthcare provider makes a referral for hospice evaluation and the patient is found to be appropriate to elect services. In most cases, they will need to sign a statement choosing hospice care instead of other Medicare-covered treatments for their illness.

While some may think hospice provides 24 hours a day, 7 days a week custodial care, or full-time care at home or an outside facility, this is rarely the case. Although hospice provides a lot of support, most of the day-to-day care of a person dying is provided by family or faciality where a patient resides. However, a person from a hospice care team is usually always available to respond over the phone or for visit to assess for unexpected needs that can arise 24/7.

Most people with advanced dementia cannot communicate clearly, which means they may not be able to share their concerns with their caregivers. Caregivers may find it difficult to provide adequate care at the end of life because of this and other concerns. Hospice care can help with this situation. Hospice - whether used at home or in a medical facility - can provide the additional needed support they may need during challenging periods of changing conditions and near the end of life. Studies show that family members of people with dementia who received hospice report better quality of care and having more of their needs met at the end of life.

Studies have shown that when a person enrolls in hospice care they are more likely to have increased family satisfaction and better symptom and pain management. They are also less likely to undergo tests or be given medication they don't need or want.