 |
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 and who are referred by their personal physician. |
| |
|
|
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. |
| |
|
|
Is all hospice care the same? |
|
No. Amazing Grace Hospice™ believes that everyone has the right to make choices about their end of life journey and to have those choices honored. Amazing Grace Hospice is committed to serving each patient and family with integrity and respect. Our mission is to assist patients in managing life's journey with dignity and compassion. |
| |
|
|
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 Amazing Grace Hospice and return to aggressive therapy or go on about their daily life. If the discharged patient should later need to return to Amazing Grace Hospice's care. Medicare and most private insurance will allow additional coverage for this purpose. |
| |
|
|
How is a patient admitted to Amazing Grace Hospice™? |
|
One of the first things Amazing Grace Hospice will do is contact the patient's physician to make sure he or she agrees that hospice care is appropriate for this patient at that time. If the patient does not have a physican, Amazing Grace Hospice has a medical director that will develop and oversee the patient's plan of care. |
| |
|
|
Is there any special equipment or changes I have to make in my home before hospice care begins? |
|
Amazing Grace Hospice 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, Amazing Grace Hospice will assist in any way it can to make home care as convenient, compassionate and safe as possible. |
| |
|
|
How many family members or friends does it take to care for a patient at home? |
|
There's no set number. One of the first things Amazing Grace Hospice will do is to prepare an individualized care plan that will, among other things, address the amount of care giving needed by the patient. Amazing Grace Hospice staff visit regularly and are always accessible to answer medical questions. |
| |
|
|
Must someone be with the patient at all times? |
|
In the early weeks of care, it’s usually not necessary for someone to be by the patient's bedside at all times. Later, however, since one of the most common fears of patients is the fear of dying alone, Amazing Grace Hospice generally recommends someone be there continuously. While the family and friends do deliver most of the care, Amazing Grace Hospice has volunteers to assist with errands and to provide a break for primary caregivers. |
| |
|
|
What specific assistance does hospice provide home-based patients? |
|
Amazing Grace Hospice patients are cared for by a team consisting of a physician, a nurse, social workers, counselors, hospice aides, clergy, therapists, and volunteers. Each one provides assistance based on his or her own area of expertise. In addition, Amazing Grace Hospice provides medications, supplies, equipment, and other services related to the terminal illness. |
| |
|
|
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, Amazing Grace Hospice provides its presence and specialized knowledge during the dying process. |
| |
|
|
Is caring for the patient at home the only place hospice care can be delivered? |
|
Amazing Grace Hospice patients receive care in their personal residences, nursing homes, hospital hospice units and inpatient hospice centers. |
| |
|
|
How does hospice “manage pain”? |
|
Amazing Grace Hospice believes that emotional and spiritual pain are just as real and in need of attention as physical pain, so it can address each. Our registered nurses and doctors are up to date on the latest medications and devices for pain management and symptom relief. In addition, physical and occupational therapists can assist patients to be as mobile and self sufficient as they wish, and they are sometimes joined by specialists schooled in music therapy, art therapy, massage and diet counseling. Finally, various counselors, including clergy, are available to assist family members as well as patients. |
| |
|
|
What is hospice’s success rate in battling pain? |
|
Very high. Using a combination of medications, counseling and therapies, most patients can attain a level of comfort they and their caregivers consider acceptable. |
| |
|
|
Will medications prevent the patient from being able to talk or know what’s happening? |
|
Usually not. It is the goal of hospice to have the patient as pain free and alert as possible. By constantly consulting with the patient, Amazing Grace Hospice has been very successful in reaching this goal. |
| |
|
|
Is hospice affiliated with any religious organization? |
|
No. While some churches and religious groups have started hospices (sometimes in connection with their hospitals), Amazing Grace Hospice serves the overall community and does not require patients to adhere to any particular set of beliefs. |
| |
|
|
Is hospice care covered by insurance? |
|
Hospice coverage is widely available. It is provided by Medicare nationwide, by Medicaid in the state of Texas, and by most private insurance providers. To be sure of coverage, families should, of course, check with their employer or health insurance provider. For more information on Medicare & Medicaid please click here. |
| |
|
|
If the patient is eligible for Medicare, will there be any additional expense to be paid? |
|
The Medicare Hospice Benefit covers the full scope of medical and support services for a life-limiting illness. Hospice care also supports the family and loved ones of the person through a variety of services. This benefit covers almost all aspects of hospice care with little expense to the patient or family. |
| |
|
|
If the patient is not covered by Medicare or any other health insurance, will hospice still provide care? |
|
The first thing Amazing Grace Hospice will do is assist families in finding out whether the patient is eligible for any coverage they may not be aware of. Barring this, some hospices will provide for anyone who cannot pay using money raised from the community or from memorial or foundation gifts. |
| |
|
|
Does hospice provide any help to the family after the patient dies? |
|
Amazing Grace Hospice provides continuing contact and support for caregivers for at least a year following the death of a loved one. Many hospices also sponsor bereavement groups and support for anyone in the community who has experienced a death of a family member, a friend, or similar losses. Please check with the hospice services agent you plan to use to see what they offer in this area. |
| |
|
|
What can we expect from the staff of Amazing Grace Hospice™ |
|
The interdisciplinary team of Amazing Grace Hospice is made up of very experienced health care professionals and volunteers. Each is highly skilled and specially trained to meet the needs of the terminally ill and their families.
The team is headed by our hospice Medical Director who, together with the patient, his/her family and primary physician, determine the patient’s eligibility for hospice. The Medical Director consults with the patient’s primary physician and the interdisciplinary team to develop the patient plan-of-care. With the help of the hospice team, the Medical Director also monitors the patient’s condition and prescribe palliative medications as needed to ensure that the patient is comfortable.
Our Registered Nurses make regularly scheduled visits to the patient to provide expert pain management and symptom control. Our staff provides education to the primary caregivers and patient so that care is provided properly and safely. The Registered Nurses also keep the primary physician and our Medical Director informed about the patient’s condition. Support from our Registered Nurses is available, as needed, anytime day or night.
Social Workers provide assistance with practical and financial concerns as well as emotional support, counseling and bereavement follow-up. They evaluate the need for volunteers and other support services needed by the family and facilitate communication between the family and community agencies.
Chaplains provide non-denominational spiritual support to patients and families, often serving as a liaison between them and their religious community. They offer support services ranging from crisis help to private and group grief support. Chaplains also often assist with memorial services and funeral arrangements.
Our nursing staff provides personal care and assistance with activities of daily living, feeding and bathing and hands-on care. They also perform limited household services to maintain a safe and sanitary environment in the areas of the home used by the patient.
Trained volunteers provide a number of important services. Volunteers offer direct patient support, companionship and practical, caring help. Volunteers can assist the primary caregivers by sitting with the patient to provide the caregivers respite from the sometimes overwhelming task of providing around the clock care for a loved one. Volunteers may also provide non-direct patient support by assisting the agency in its office and clerical work.
Finally, the most important thing you can expect from the Amazing Grace Hospice is a team that is committed to the philosophy of hospice patient care. |
| |
|
|
When is hospice appropriate? |
|
Hospice care becomes an appropriate method of care when a patient has reached the last phase of a life-limiting illness or condition. The subject of hospice care can be addressed at any time as the physician and patient discuss treatment options. When a patient chooses hospice, the decision is made to give up curative measures in favor of comfort care that focuses on pain management and symptom control, as well as emotional and psychosocial support for both patient and family. Amazing Grace Hospice works with the patient, families and physicians to make this an informed, caring processed. |
| |
|
|
Should I wait for our physician to bring up the subject of hospice or can I ask about it first? |
|
The decision to choose hospice should be made by the patient and their family with the input of a physician. Open and honest discussions about treatment options should be held throughout the course of the illness. If a patient or family feels that a physician is reluctant to discuss hospice care, it is always appropriate for one or the other to approach the subject. If there is a question you need answered, please call Amazing Grace Hospice at anytime. Most physicians know about hospice. However, if your physician would like more information, he or she may call us at 832.437.2098 or email us. |
