Frequently Asked Questions

Hospice care is for any person who has a life-threatening or terminal illness. When treatments are no longer effective or desired, the goal shifts to relief from symptoms, so patients can live their remaining days in comfort. A physician referral is required to begin hospice care, but anyone can receive more information. Most reimbursement sources require a prognosis of six (6) months or less if the illness runs its normal course. Patients with both cancer and non-cancer illnesses are eligible to receive hospice care.

Hospice care is a team that works closely together, focusing on the dying patient’s needs, whether physical, psychological, or spiritual. The team provides these services in a patient’s home or elsewhere:

• Regular home visits by registered nurses to evaluate symptoms, adjust medications, and consult patient about changes
• Drugs to ease suffering such as anti-anxiety medications, opiates, gentle oxygen support, and IV fluids.
• Home health aides and homemakers for services such as bathing and meals.
• Emotional and spiritual counseling for patient and family to cope with end of life issues.
• Medical equipment and supplies such as hospital beds, oxygen, wheelchairs, and commodes.
• Volunteer support to assist patients and loved ones.

Patients and families often tell us that they wish they had known about hospice sooner. It is never too early to educate yourself. Some possible diagnosis for hospice are: terminal cancer, heart failure, ALS, liver failure, stroke, dementia, and heart failure.

For most home health care providers, the goal is to help the patient get well. In hospice, the team recognizes that the patient will not recover. Care focuses on comfort, rather than a cure. There are also more services and accessibility in hospice such as more frequent visits, equipment and support.

Hospice care is provided in a setting that best meets the needs of each patient and family. While most people prefer staying in their home, hospice care is also available in nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities according to patient needs.

Yes. However, many symptoms that would normally require hospitalization can be successfully managed at home by the hospice team, thus preventing the stress of hospitalization. Generally when a person is in hospice, all treatments from the hospital have been exhausted. If a patient needs to go back to the hospital, they must sign out of hospice care.

We are a physician driven company and care deeply about the patient experience of comfort and support through this difficult time. Our focus is on people, not profits. Our commitment is to meet the needs of the patients and families we serve. As our name suggests, you can trust us to provide loving care and superior services.