What is hospice?

Hospice Compassus

What is hospice?

The primary objective of hospice is to maximize the quality of life. Hospice provides services to relieve symptoms, manage pain, and give emotional and spiritual support to both the patient and family who decide to forego curative treatments in favor of comfort measures. At Hospice Compassus, we respect the right of the patient and family to:

• Enjoy the best possible quality of life
• Have their values and wishes honored
• Experience dignity in their care
• Receive care in their environment of choice
• Know what to expect and receive continuous support.

Who is eligible for hospice?

A common misconception is that hospice care is only for those diagnosed with terminal cancer. Hospice services are available for individuals who, according to their physicians, have entered the last six months of life if the disease progression were to run its normal course. At Hospice Compassus, we provide care for patients being treated for a variety of medical conditions, including:

• Heart disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Respiratory disease
• Liver or renal (kidney) disease
• Stroke or coma
• Neurological disease
• AIDS/HIV
• Cancer.

How do I know if I need hospice?

You or your loved one may benefit from hospice services if you are experiencing some of the following:

• Frequent hospitalization
• Loss of appetite or progressive weight loss
• Deteriorating mental abilities
• Recurrent infections requiring repeated antibiotic treatments



How do I get on hospice?

A physician has to certify your eligibility for hospice care. At Hospice Compassus, our trained Hospice Care Consultants and Hospice Nurses will work with you and your physician to obtain all necessary information. Our team will guide you and your family through this difficult decision.

What can I expect hospice to do for me?

Hospice care is provided by an interdisciplinary team of professionals and trained volunteers. At Hospice Compassus, care is directed by the patient and managed by our team, which includes:

• Our medical director, working in conjunction with your personal physician,
• Experienced nurse case managers,
• On-call nurses,
• Social workers,
• Physical therapists,
• Dieticians,
• Hospice aides,
• Chaplains,
• Bereavement counselors
• Other auxiliary services as needed.

We also provide medications, medical equipment and supplies. Our on-call staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If I live in a nursing home, can I receive hospice care?

Absolutely. Hospice Compassus provides services wherever our patients call home:

• Patient’s home or apartment
• A friend or relative’s home
• Assisted living facility
• Nursing home
• Hospital if medically necessary.

How do I pay for it?

Hospice is a fully covered Medicare and Medicaid benefit, unlimited in length, and it is also covered by many private insurance companies. Most plans cover hospice care, medications, supplies, and equipment related to the hospice diagnosis, with no out-of-pocket expenses to the patient.

Opening its first hospice in 1979, Hospice Compassus is a family of community-based hospices. Our nationwide network is a vast resource, benefiting both patients and families. Hospice Compassus has a common culture around three core values: Compassion, Integrity, and Excellence. Our primary goals are to provide the highest quality hospice care and service in every community we operate, and to be both the hospice provider of choice and the hospice employer of choice. For additional information, please visit us at www.hospicecompassus.com.

Hospice Compassus

Margaret.Carlson@hospicecom.com
http://hospicecompassus.com/index.cfm