What is Hospice?
Hospice is a supportive service focused on pain and symptom management to individuals with a life limiting illness. Hospice care will provide medical services, emotional support, and spiritual resources for people who are in the last stages of a serious illness, such as cancer or heart failure. The hospice focus is to treat the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – and not just the disease. In addition to caring for the patient, hospice care will help family members manage the emotional and practical challenges of caring for a loved one who is in the last stages of life.
Hospice care can be provided at the patients home-in the hospital or a hospice center-in nursing or rehab centers. The goal is to keep one comfortable and improve quality of life as much as possible.
Hospice care is not a last resort. It is the type of care that focuses on the quality of life as opposed to prolonging life. During the often difficult last stages of a serious illness, many people feel that they have lost control over their lives and over what will happen to them. Hospice care can give you or your loved one , options. And knowing your options gives you back some control. It allows you to make decisions about things that are important to you.
The purpose of hospice is to enable patients to remain alert and carry on a pain free lifestyle. Hospice affirms the human spirit and allows the patient dignity, comfort and support when aggressive medicine is no longer desired or appropriate.
What are the levels of care provided by hospice?
There are four levels of hospice care. A hospice patient may be admitted under one level of care but find they require a different level throughout the disease process. You may be transferred to levels of care depending on symptoms or disease progression.
ROUTINE: Visits by the hospice team are provided and based on the needs of the individual and family. This includes medication, supplies, and equipment related to the life limiting diagnosis. Routine visits can be provided in private homes, extended care facilities (i.e.: personal care, assisted living) and nursing facilities (i.e.: skilled nursing homes).
INPATIENT: Provides short term clinical management for pain and symptom management in a hospital or skilled nursing facility. All hospice services are covered, including room and board. This is a short term level of care to alleviate immediate clinical issues.
RESPITE: 5-day accommodations for the patient in a licensed nursing facility designed to provide the caregiver with time to rest, recuperate or for personal time.
CONTINUOUS CARE: Higher level of care used during a medical crisis. Provides a minimum of 8 hours of Hospice care and is reassessed every 24 hours to ensure that immediate clinical needs are addressed, particularly during the actively dying process.
What kind of services are provided?
Hospice services usually include:
•Basic medical care with a focus on pain and symptom control.
•Access to a member of your hospice team 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
•Medical supplies and equipment as needed.
•Counseling and social support to help you and your family with psychological, emotional, and spiritual issues.
•Guidance with the difficult, but normal, issues of life completion and closure.
•A break (respite care) for caregivers, family, and others who regularly care for you.
•Volunteer support, such as preparing meals and running errands.
•Counseling and support for your loved ones after you die.
