A Look At Hospice Care

When people have a terminal illness, one of the more difficult topics of discussion is hospice care. This is the care that patients may receive during the end stage of a disease. It is a special type of care that includes both the patient and “caregiver or family.” At Interim HealthCare Hospice, our services focus on quality of life and making the patient comfortable. While most people are aware of hospice, they do not know much about it until they are faced with terminal illness.

Our team of hospice professionals is specially trained in this kind of palliative care where compassion sets the tone for meeting a patient’s needs. While hospice is not about giving up, it is a service for patients are no longer interested in seeking aggressive treatment toward a cure. Instead, they wish to receive basic home health care that relieves pain and suffering. Hospice may also be administered in a hospital or assisted living facility.

While many of Interim’s patients have cancer, others suffer from Alzheimer’s, respiratory and heart disease. Whether or not to participate in hospice care is the patient’s choice. This decision is a difficult one that may be made with help from family members and doctors. In some cases, hospice care may be mentioned by the physician when a diagnosis is made. In other cases, the patient may be the one to bring it up with their doctor or may approach Interim HealthCare Hospice when they feel the time is right.

Our home hospice care team is made up of doctors, nurses and aides, therapists, social workers, volunteers, counselors and chaplains. Each has a special role in caring for the patient and family. It is not just about receiving treatment, but non medical home care as well. The wishes of the patient are taken into account with all aspects of care. Support for the patient and their family members is an integral part of hospice. As the illness progresses, there comes a time when the patient is never left alone. Many people have a fear of dying alone. One of the purposes of hospice is to make sure that does not happen.

Covering expenses for hospice is usually provided by Medicare or the patient’s insurance plan. Hospice coverage is provided by Medicaid in some states. Interim HealthCare Hospice does not charge the optional co-pay that some insurance companies allow. We do provide a free evaluation for anyone seeking information on hospice care.