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Ministry Materials: HOSPICE INFORMATION SHEET
Overview
- Hospice focuses on care for persons with terminal illness. Its services
include: nursing, home health aide assistance, social work, pastoral care,
volunteers and a 24 hour, seven day a wee ability to contact a nurse for
advice or a visit if needed. Additionally, bereavement services are offered
for 13-18 months after the patient’s death.
- Hospice considers the patient and family to be the unit of care. Hospice
services are a family support system, not a substitute. If there is not caregiver
in the home, the patient and family (or other involved party) will be asked
to participate in planning for future care.
- Hospices can, in cases of medical crisis, provide temporary intensive
services or respite care for a limited period of time in order to give the
caregiver a rest.
- Hospice Services can be available in a nursing home.
- Hospice services can be available in a hospital.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
- Anyone with Medicare "A" has the Hospice Benefit.
- In most cases Medicaid covers Hospice Services. Patients should check
with the Medicaid Office.
- Most private insurers and HMOs have Hospice coverage.
- Hospices are paid a per-diem rate. This means that for a daily pre-set
rate they provide the services named above plus all medications, supplies,
and equipment that pertains.
- Hospice benefits are available for six months and can be renewed. Unfortunately,
many persons do not become hospice patients until shortly before death and
thus do not receive the full benefit of the palliative care offered by the
hospice team.
HOSPICE TEAM
- Hospices operate on a true disciplinary team spirit. Hospice professionals
of all disciplines are skilled and expert in pain control, symptom management
and spiritual and psychological aspects of death and dying.
- They have resources of a Medical Director and the ability to access him/her
24 hours a day, seven days a week should that patient’s primary MD be
unavailable or request that the Hospice MD assist with the problem. The primary
MD, however, is kept informed about progress and problems and remains involved
in the plan of care.
- Hospice nurses pronounce death in the home, relieving the family of all
the worry and stress of ambulance, medical examiner, equipment return, etc.
Patients and family are treated with dignity and respect. The nurse will
call the funeral service that the family has chosen if desired.
For information about a hospice in your area:
Prepared by: Jacqueline J. Fajkowski, RN, CHPN
Hospice Federation of Massachusetts, Hospice Care Inc., Stoneham, MA
781-255-7077
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