What is Hospice?
Hospice is a healthcare service that focuses on the relief of a patient’s pain and symptoms at the end of life. Hospice addresses the patient’s physical, emotional, and spiritual being while prioritizing comfort and quality of life by reducing distressing symptoms. In addition, hospice provides a compassionate and supportive environment for the patient’s family, caregivers, and loved ones.
Hospice is a philosophy of care, not a place. It is available to anyone who has a serious illness and has a prognosis of 6 months or less to live. Hospice care is rooted in the belief that the end of life deserves as much beauty and respect as the beginning. That means that individuals should have the freedom to choose the support they need - including the choice to stop receiving hospice care at any time.
How Is Hospice Care Provided?
Hospice is about so much more than medical care. Patients and their loved ones discover support for their body, mind, and spirit by working with a dedicated interdisciplinary team. Hospice teams focus not on the quantity of life of a patient but rather the quality.
Who Qualifies for Hospice?
Patients are eligible for hospice care when a physician (MD or DO) makes a clinical determination that life expectancy is six months or less if the terminal illness runs its normal course. In addition, a patient and their loved ones must agree that their focus will be on comfort and quality of life over curative measures. Ask your doctor or medical provider if you believe hospice is right for you.
Who Pays For Hospice Care?
Hospice care is paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, and many private insurances. For patients who are underinsured or without insurance coverage, hospice still may be available through charitable donations and grants. For more information on hospice coverage, contact BeLoved Hospice at (971) 236-1199.
Let Us Help You Get Prepared For Care!
When faced with a serious illness, life-limiting illness, you and your family want to feel prepared and understand your options. While this may seem like an overwhelming task, the team at BeLoved Hospice can help you navigate through resources for hospice care, palliative care, and curative treatment as well as insurance coverage, financial planning, and Advance Directives. If you have questions about the different options available to you, it is best to discuss with your Primary Care Physician. Of course, BeLoved Hospice is always available to answer any questions that you may have about the hospice benefit.
The Benefits of Hospice Admission
-Eliminating the need for repeat hospitalizations for pain and symptom management
-Providing care for the patient in the comfort of their own home
-All of the equipment, supplies, and medications needed to help patients remain safe and comfortable
-Care provided with respect to each individual’s personal preferences and religious or spiritual practices
-Flexibility of the care and services offered, based on the patient’s individual needs
-A compassionate team of doctors, nurses, social workers, spiritual counselors, and more who understand the unique needs of patients and their families at end-of-life
-Emotional and spiritual care not just for the patient, but for the family and loved ones as well
-An opportunity to increase your quality of life by having your pain and distressing symptoms managed so you can focus on the people and things that you love the most