10 Oct What Should We Expect from Hospice Care?
If you or someone you care for is living with a terminal illness, you may be thinking about electing hospice care. You may be looking into resources to help you make a decision about whether or not to choose hospice care. It’s an important decision–one that involves learning about hospice, asking questions about hospice care and then becoming comfortable with your decision.
Before you make your decision about whether or not to receive hospice care, it’s important to know what you can expect if you do elect to receive those services. Here are some of the things you should know about hospice care and what’s involved with it.
First, you need to know that hospice providers are regulated by both state and federal agencies. They are required to provide certain services to patients in need of hospice care. Most hospices provide the following services, as defined by the Medicare Hospice Benefit, which became law in the United States in 1982:
Nursing care
Credit: Medscape
Your loved one will be assigned to a nurse case manager. A nurse will visit your loved one in his home—whether his private residence or another place he calls home—one to three times per week. You and your loved one will also have access to an on-call nurse 24 hours a day via phone to answer questions and address concerns.
Physician participation
Your loved one’s regular physician is often involved in hospice care and will work in cooperation with the hospice medical director, who is also a physician. You do not have to stop seeing your regular primary care doctor just because you are receiving hospice services.
Medical Social Services
Your loved one will also be assigned to a social worker who can assist him or her with social service needs as they arise. This might include assistance in finding resources for your loved one or the family.
Dietary Services
Credit: FocusOnTheFamily.com
Your loved one may benefit from dietary services—when appropriate. Sometimes when a patient is first admitted to hospice care, he or she may not have been eating well, and a dietitian or nutritionist can help in creating an eating plan to meet the needs of the patient with regard to calories, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, etc. Sometimes when patients begin to eat better–taking in the calories they need, as well as the nutrients they need–they also begin to feel better.
Spiritual Guidance and Counseling
If you or your loved one is in need of spiritual care, a chaplain will be available at your request or at the request of your loved one or his or her representative. Hospice chaplains can offer spiritual guidance, pray with patients, offer support and comfort, answer questions you may have regarding your spiritual walk, and about life and about death. Bereavement care and counseling are also available after your loved one passes away to those affected by your loved one’s passing, whether they are family or friends.
Assistance from a Hospice Aide
Assistance from a hospice aide: Certified Nurse’s Aides can help your loved one with his personal care, such as bathing, dressing and grooming and usually visit two to three times per week.
Medication
The Medicare Hospice Benefit also provides coverage for all medications your loved one will need related to his terminal diagnosis, as well as those medications that are used to control pain and other symptoms he may experience.
The Provision of medical equipment
The hospice agency will also provide equipment and supplies needed to ensure your loved one has a safe, caring environment in which his needs are met within his place of residence (private home, assisted living facility, skilled nursing facility). Examples of these supplies include a hospital bed, a wheelchair or walker, oxygen and concentrators, adult incontinence briefs, bandages, latex gloves and other necessary items.
Laboratory tests/other diagnostic studies
Lab tests, x-rays and other diagnostic studies will be covered under hospice care if they are deemed necessary to the care of the patient. (Routine lab tests, however, are not usually a covered part of hospice care.)
Respite care
This type of short-term assistance can be helpful if you need to take a break from caregiving so that you can rest, recharge and avoid becoming overwhelmed and stressed—both signs of caregiver burnout.
Therapy
If appropriate, hospice services may also provide a physical, occupational and/or speech-language therapist to assist your loved one.
Additional assistance
Some hospice agencies offer services in addition to ones required by Medicare. Often these services are provided through volunteer or charity programs in the community.
Assistance from hospice volunteers
Specially-trained hospice volunteers are available for times when an extra set of hands or an extra pair of listening ears can be of help to you or your loved one. Hospice volunteers may provide temporary companionship, assist you and the family with errands or household chores and help in other ways as needed/requested.
Other services may be provided to the patient as deemed necessary and appropriate for the patient. These services may vary from patient to patient, depending on his or her scenario, diagnosis, needs, etc. Part of the beauty of hospice care is that it can be tailor-made to meet your unique needs or the unique needs of your loved one.
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