At Holistic Care Hospice of Jackson, Life Matters.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is hospice? Hospice is a team-oriented approach to caring for people with terminal illness. Hospice care includes pain and symptom management, and emotional and spiritual support that is tailored to the person's needs and wishes. Hospice also provides support to the person's loved ones as well. Hospice care does not seek to cure but rather to add quality to patients’ lives by providing professional care, comfort, and dignity.
When is the right time to call hospice? It is best to call hospice as soon as a life-limiting diagnosis is received. The sooner hospice services are started, the easier it is to get pain and problematic symptoms under control.
Do I have to give up my personal physician while I'm having hospice services? No, your personal physician will work with the hospice team to help direct your care.
Can I get hospice care at home? In an assisted living facility? Absolutely. Hospice care can be provided wherever you "put your head down to sleep at night."
Is hospice only for cancer patients? Not at all. Anyone with a life-limiting diagnosis and a life expectancy of six months or less can benefit from hospice including people with heart, renal or pulmonary problems or advanced dementia.
Is there only one hospice? No. Hospice is a generic term like "hospital." Just as there are different hospitals in a given area, there can also be different hospice choices.
How do I pay for hospice? Hospice participates in a wide variety of insurance programs. Hospice care is also part of your Medicare/Medicaid benefit.
Is hospice care covered by insurance? Hospice is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and by most major insurances.
Is caring for the patient at home the only place hospice care can be delivered? No. Hospice patients receive care in their personal residences, nursing homes, and inpatient hospice centers.
When should a decision about entering a hospice program be made and who should make it? At any time during a life-limiting illness, it’s appropriate to discuss all of a patient’s care options, including hospice. By law the decision belongs to the patient. Most hospices accept patients who have a life-expectancy of six months or less, if the illness runs its normal course.
Should I wait for our physician to raise the possibility of hospice, or should I raise it first? The patient and family should feel free to discuss hospice care at any time with their physician, other health care professionals, clergy or friends.
Can a hospice patient who shows signs of recovery be returned to regular medical treatment? Certainly. If the patient’s condition improves and the disease seems to be in remission, patients can be discharged from hospice and return to aggressive therapy or go on about their daily life. If the discharged patient should later need to return to hospice care, Medicare and most private insurance will allow additional coverage for this purpose.
When is the right time to call hospice? It is best to call hospice as soon as a life-limiting diagnosis is received. The sooner hospice services are started, the easier it is to get pain and problematic symptoms under control.
Do I have to give up my personal physician while I'm having hospice services? No, your personal physician will work with the hospice team to help direct your care.
Can I get hospice care at home? In an assisted living facility? Absolutely. Hospice care can be provided wherever you "put your head down to sleep at night."
Is hospice only for cancer patients? Not at all. Anyone with a life-limiting diagnosis and a life expectancy of six months or less can benefit from hospice including people with heart, renal or pulmonary problems or advanced dementia.
Is there only one hospice? No. Hospice is a generic term like "hospital." Just as there are different hospitals in a given area, there can also be different hospice choices.
How do I pay for hospice? Hospice participates in a wide variety of insurance programs. Hospice care is also part of your Medicare/Medicaid benefit.
Is hospice care covered by insurance? Hospice is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and by most major insurances.
Is caring for the patient at home the only place hospice care can be delivered? No. Hospice patients receive care in their personal residences, nursing homes, and inpatient hospice centers.
When should a decision about entering a hospice program be made and who should make it? At any time during a life-limiting illness, it’s appropriate to discuss all of a patient’s care options, including hospice. By law the decision belongs to the patient. Most hospices accept patients who have a life-expectancy of six months or less, if the illness runs its normal course.
Should I wait for our physician to raise the possibility of hospice, or should I raise it first? The patient and family should feel free to discuss hospice care at any time with their physician, other health care professionals, clergy or friends.
Can a hospice patient who shows signs of recovery be returned to regular medical treatment? Certainly. If the patient’s condition improves and the disease seems to be in remission, patients can be discharged from hospice and return to aggressive therapy or go on about their daily life. If the discharged patient should later need to return to hospice care, Medicare and most private insurance will allow additional coverage for this purpose.
TEN MYTHS ABOUT HOSPICE
Myth #1: Patients need to be imminently dying to be admitted to hospice services. False. Hospice care is most beneficial when there is sufficient time to manage symptoms and establish a trusting relationship.
Myth #2: Hospice only serves patients with cancer. False. Hospice is also appropriate for patients with end-stage respiratory, cardiac, liver, renal, dementia and neurological diseases.
Myth #3: There is a strict limit on the length of hospice services. False. Although the physician is asked to certify a prognosis of six months or less, there is, in fact, no limit to the length of hospice services. Should a patient stabilize over many months, or should there be a change in the goals of the plan of care, a patient may be discharged from hospice. A patient may choose to discontinue hospice services at any time for any reason.
Myth #4: Hospice patients are served only in their own homes. False. While most patients choose to receive services at home, Holistic Care Hospice also cares for patients in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, adult foster care, hospitals, and other places of residence.
Myth #5: Hospice patients may not be hospitalized. False. Patients may be admitted to the hospital for symptom control if needed.
Myth #6: Hospice means giving up hope. False. Hope never goes away. When the hope for a cure is no longer possible, the hope for living each day to the fullest becomes the focus.
Myth #7: Hospice is depressing; I don’t want to talk about death and dying. False. Holistic Care Hospice staff is friendly, caring, and sensitive to your needs. We emphasize life and living. Our staff does not force any kind of conversation.
Myth #8: Patients must be homebound to qualify for hospice. False. Many Holistic Care Hospice patients are able to continue an active lifestyle including visiting friends and family and pursuing meaningful interests and activities.
Myth #9: Hospice services are expensive. False. Medicare and Medicaid offer a Hospice Benefit under which hospice services are covered 100%. Medications, oxygen, and equipment related to the terminal illness are paid for. In addition, many commercial health plans now offer a hospice benefit as well, many with minimal co-pays. Holistic Care Hospice staff can check with your provider.
Myth #10: Patients are required to sign a ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ (DNR) order. False. You are not required to sign a DNR order for admission to hospice services. We appreciate how difficult it is to make the decision about resuscitation. Our staff is available to assist the patient and family with end-of-life decision making and, if desired, preparation of Advanced Directives for Health Care and the DNR declaration.
Myth #2: Hospice only serves patients with cancer. False. Hospice is also appropriate for patients with end-stage respiratory, cardiac, liver, renal, dementia and neurological diseases.
Myth #3: There is a strict limit on the length of hospice services. False. Although the physician is asked to certify a prognosis of six months or less, there is, in fact, no limit to the length of hospice services. Should a patient stabilize over many months, or should there be a change in the goals of the plan of care, a patient may be discharged from hospice. A patient may choose to discontinue hospice services at any time for any reason.
Myth #4: Hospice patients are served only in their own homes. False. While most patients choose to receive services at home, Holistic Care Hospice also cares for patients in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, adult foster care, hospitals, and other places of residence.
Myth #5: Hospice patients may not be hospitalized. False. Patients may be admitted to the hospital for symptom control if needed.
Myth #6: Hospice means giving up hope. False. Hope never goes away. When the hope for a cure is no longer possible, the hope for living each day to the fullest becomes the focus.
Myth #7: Hospice is depressing; I don’t want to talk about death and dying. False. Holistic Care Hospice staff is friendly, caring, and sensitive to your needs. We emphasize life and living. Our staff does not force any kind of conversation.
Myth #8: Patients must be homebound to qualify for hospice. False. Many Holistic Care Hospice patients are able to continue an active lifestyle including visiting friends and family and pursuing meaningful interests and activities.
Myth #9: Hospice services are expensive. False. Medicare and Medicaid offer a Hospice Benefit under which hospice services are covered 100%. Medications, oxygen, and equipment related to the terminal illness are paid for. In addition, many commercial health plans now offer a hospice benefit as well, many with minimal co-pays. Holistic Care Hospice staff can check with your provider.
Myth #10: Patients are required to sign a ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ (DNR) order. False. You are not required to sign a DNR order for admission to hospice services. We appreciate how difficult it is to make the decision about resuscitation. Our staff is available to assist the patient and family with end-of-life decision making and, if desired, preparation of Advanced Directives for Health Care and the DNR declaration.