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Hospice care is defined as the "end of life" care that is provided to a terminally ill patient. Hospice care is holistic care in that it touches all aspects of a patient's care: medical, physical (pain management), emotional and spiritual needs.
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The goal of hospice care is to provide comfort and dignity to the terminally ill patient and family. Hospice Care Services can be provided within a hospital, in a separate freestanding facility, in an assisted living, or in the patient’ home.
Determining the best placement and care for a hospice patient can be overwhelming for the hospice patient and their family members. It is a very difficult time to focus one's attention on the various services that hospice provides. With that in mind, finding a location where the hospice patient will feel comfortable is a priority. If the decision is for the hospice patient to remain in the home, then the family may want to arrange a "family conference" to determine what services each family can provide. Bringing a calendar to a family conference and outlining dates and times each family member can help and what services they are offering can be an invaluable tool when speaking with hospice services.
If home hospice is not possible then the family may want to seek community hospice resources. Depending upon the age of the patient, the family may want to place their loved one at a location with patients of similar age and needs. This may increase the chances that the staff there may have the unique skills to manage your loved ones care and needs.
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What is the process for starting Hospice? |
Hospice care is ordered by a doctor when a patient is expected to live six months or less. A consultation visit by the hospice medical director typically takes place within 24-48 hours of the physician order.
The visit is for the medical director to certify that they patient is terminally ill and probably has less than 6 months to live. The patient, if able, must consent to accepting hospice care and forgo routine medical care.
Hospice care may been terminated if the patient experiences remission or has reversed their decision on medical intervention.
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What are the different types of Hospice Care? |
- Adult hospice
- Prenatal hospice for a baby, who will die before or after birth
- Pediatric hospice for children 1- 21 yrs of age
- Faith Based Hospice Program
- Community Based Hospice Programs
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1. Location- At the time, the patient and their family member are given a choice of hospice services to contact, it is important to ask what services they provide and where they will be delivered. Hospice services can be provided in hospitals, assisted livings, senior apartments, nursing homes, hospice facility or in the patient/ family member's home. Be careful to consider all options available before agreeing to a specific hospice program.
With over 5,400 Hospice Care providers across the United States, choosing the closest one is not your only option. You can obtain a list of Hospice Care Centers by using our search tool on this page. In the search box above, enter a zip code (or a provider name if you have one) and click Search. You’ll be given a list of Hospice Care Services closest to you. If you choose advanced search, you can narrow down the list by providing a radius limit.
2. Quality –Quality is often overlooked but extremely important. When searching for hospice care, it is always best to compare the quality of care among the available hospice services. Areas such as pain management, staff responsiveness to patient and family concerns, quality of personal care issues are always a priority with the hospice patient. WhereToFindCare.com is the only place that gives you a quality score to assist you in choosing a Hospice Service Provider: the WTFC Quality Score.
Quality data from user surveys are obtained in real-time from people who have been experience with a Hospice Care Services and have submitted a review on WhereToFindCare.com. The WTFC Quality Score is the percentage of people who rated the Hospice Care Services on WhereToFindCare.com and said they received quality care. This experience-based satisfaction score cannot be found elsewhere today except by word of mouth.
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3. Recommendations –Word of mouth recommendations are very important. Recommendations can tell us whether we can get along with providers on a personal level.
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Ask friends, family, and other associates if they have had experiences with the Hospice Care Services on your list. You can also use WhereToFindCare.com to find word of mouth recommendations. We ask patients, visitors, and caregivers to rate providers by taking a short survey. You can read other people’s experience by going to a provider’s page on WhereToFindCare.com and clicking on the Survey Results tab.
There you see how others answered survey questions, and any comments made about the provider. Also look for CareStars™ recognition. People may have left comments on WhereToFindCare.com about exceptional caregivers at each Hospice Care Services. CareStars™ comments give you a sense that the Hospice Care Services employs caring individuals that will provide the service you need. And once you selected a Hospice Care Services, please revisit WhereToFindCare.com and share your experience by rating your provider. Your recommendation will help others make their decision.
4. Consider What Each Hospice Care Services Offers- Once you’ve narrowed down your list, you should consider all the other things each hospice provider has to offer. In your search results, click on the name of a Hospice Care Provider to see more information such as photos, video tours, amenities, description of available services, insurance accepted, contact information, and much more.
Some providers have contact forms on their provider page so it may be possible contact them or request a tour right on WhereToFindCare.com. When visiting the provider, please be sure to mention you saw them on WhereToFindCare.com!
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