What is hospice
care?
Heart 'n Home is special end-of-life care for individuals with life-limiting
illnesses. Hospice is a type of care, rather than a specific place of
care, that focuses on comfort rather than cure. Heart 'n Home strives
to meet all patient needs - physical, emotional, social, and spiritual
- as well as the needs of their loved ones.
Are all hospices
the same?
No. "Hospice" is a medical specialty like pediatrics, geriatrics,
oncology, etc. and each hospice is a different company. All hospices
have the same services, but their philosophies may differ. It is your
right to request the hospice of your choice where more than one hospice
serves your area.
Is the decision
for hospice care giving up hope or waiting to die?
No. Hospice is about living. Hospice strives to bring quality of life
and comfort to a patient and their family. Our successes are in helping
a patient and family live fully until the end. Often patients will feel
better with effective pain and symptom management. Hospice is an experience
of care and support, different from any other type of care.
How is hospice
care paid for?
Hospice is covered 100% by Medicare, Medicaid, and by most private insurances.
For individuals without Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance, the
Heart 'n Home Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3), may help cover the
costs. Heart 'n Home believes that no one should die alone or in pain
and our goal is to never turn a patient down regardless of their ability
to pay.
Who pays for hospice
care in a nursing home?
The Medicare Hospice Benefit allows hospice in nursing homes for eligible
Medicare and Medicaid individuals, as long as a hospice and a nursing
home have formed an agreement. In a nursing home, hospice is not financially
responsible for the room and board charges. If a patient is on Idaho
Medicaid, Medicaid reimburses Heart 'n Home for hospice, as well as
room and board charges by the nursing home.
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. Studies prove that hospice should be discussed before the
need, which will ease anxiety. Most physicians know about hospice. If
your physician wants more information, it is available from the National
Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Helpline, 1-800-658-8898 or
from Heart 'n Home Hospice & Palliative Care at (208) 452-2663 or
Toll Free at (866) 278-3662.
What does the hospice
admission process involve?
One of the first steps Heart 'n Home will do is contact the patient's
physician to make sure he or she agrees that hospice is appropriate
at this time. Heart 'n Home has a Medical Director available to help
patients who have no physician. The patient will be asked to sign consent
and insurance forms. These are similar to the forms patients sign when
they enter a hospital. The Election of Hospice Benefit form says that
the patient understands that care is palliative (focused on pain management
and symptom control) rather than curative. It also outlines the services
available.
Does hospice provide
24 hour in-home care?
No. Hospice provides intermittent nursing visits to assess, monitor,
and treat symptoms as well as teach family and caregivers the skills
they need to care for the patient. Members of the Heart 'n Home team
are on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer questions or visit
anytime the need for support arises.
What specific assistance
does hospice provide home-based patients?
Heart 'n Home patients are cared for by a team of physicians, nurses,
social workers, bereavement counselors, hospice aides, clergy, and volunteers.
In addition, Heart 'n Home provides medications, supplies, and equipment
related to the terminal diagnosis.
How does hospice
"manage pain?"
Heart 'n Home believes that emotional and spiritual pain are just as
real and in need of attention as physical pain, so it can address each.
Heart 'n Home staff are up to date on the latest medications and devices
for pain and symptom relief.
What is Heart 'n
Home's success rate in battling pain?
Very high. Using some combination of medications, counseling, and therapies,
most patients can be kept pain free, comfortable, and peaceful. Heart
'n Home nurses will assess your pain and symptom control at each visit
and Medical Directors are always available.
Will medications
prevent the patient from being able to talk or know what's happening?
Usually not. It is the goal of Heart 'n Home to have the patient as
pain free and alert as possible. By constantly consulting with the patient,
Heart 'n Home has been very successful in reaching this goal.
Does hospice provide
any help to the family after the patient dies?
Heart 'n Home provides continued contact and support to caregivers for
13 months following the death of a loved one. These services may include
personal visits, information concerning the grief process, and opportunities
for group support. Heart 'n Home also sponsors Bereavement Support Groups
and support for anyone in the community who has experienced a death
of a family member, a friend, or similar losses.
Can a hospice patient
who shows signs of recovery be returned to regular medical treatment
and/or curative 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. The patient may
also choose to leave hospice and return to curative treatment if that
is their choice. Hospice care is always a choice. If the discharged
patient should later need or want to return to hospice care, the patient
may re-activate their benefit.
Is there any special
equipment or changes I have to make in my home before hospice care begins?
Heart 'n Home will assess your needs, recommend any equipment, and help
make arrangements to obtain any necessary equipment. Often the need
for equipment is minimal at first and increases as the disease progresses.
In general, hospice will assist in any way it can to make home care
as convenient, clean, and safe as possible.
Must someone be
with the patient at all times?
In the early weeks of care, it's usually not necessary for someone to
be with the patient all the time. Later, however, since one of the most
common fears of patients is the fear of dying alone, Heart 'n Home can
provide Crisis Care during times of crisis for families. While family
and friends do deliver most of the care, Heart 'n Home can also provide
volunteer support to assist with errands or to provide a break and time
away for primary caregivers.
How many family
members or friends does it take to care for a dying loved one at home?
There's no set number. Heart 'n Home will prepare an individualized
Plan of Care that will, among other things, address the amount of caregiving
needed for the patient. Heart 'n Home staff visit regularly and are
always accessible to answer medical questions, provide support, and
teach caregivers.
Does hospice do
anything to make death come sooner?
Hospice neither hastens nor postpones dying. Just as doctors and midwives
lend support and expertise during the time of child birth, hospice provides
its presence and specialized knowledge during the end-of-life process.
Is caring for the
patient at home the only place hospice care can be delivered?
No. Although most of a hospice patient's time is spent in a personal
residence, patients also live in nursing homes, a family's home, or
hospice centers.
Is Heart 'n Home
affiliated with any religious organization?
No. While some churches and religious groups have started hospices (sometimes
in connection with their hospitals), these hospices serve a broad community
and do not require patients to adhere to any particular set of beliefs.
Heart 'n Home has certified chaplains on staff to support individuals
of any religious denomination.
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