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Hospice Care for Your Loved Ones

Choosing to call in Hospice Care is one of the hardest decisions any family or caretaker must make.  If you’re unfamiliar with Hospice Care, you should understand it’s more of a comfort care for patients who have stopped fighting their illness and only seek comfort in their final days.  Hospice Care workers help not only the patients, but they take some of the burden from the caretakers as well.
If you’re struggling with calling Hospice, there are plenty of resources and blogs available online to give you direction and guidance.  The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization gives you three points to help know when it’s time to call in Hospice.  First, the illness is beyond cure and your focus turns to pain management and comfort.  Second, the patient decides to stop fighting, testing, and wants to go home and live the rest of their lives in peace.  And thirdly, you’re ready to let go and follow Hospice guidelines.
Hospice Care includes comfort care for patients no matter where they are housed. Hospice will tend to patients in nursing homes, private homes, and if hospitalized, they may talk to the family about moving the patient to a palliative care facility if a private home is not suitable.  Hospice helps patients be as comfortable as possible in their final days.  Their motto is, “no one needs to die in pain.”
Most insurance companies, including Medicare, will pay for Hospice care.  It’s important to talk with your insurance company before calling in Hospice to know what’s covered so you’re not hit with unexpected bills in an already tough time.