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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hospice?
Hospice is a special kind of care for individuals with life-limiting illnesses, their families and their caregivers. The goal of Hospice is not to prolong life but to provide medical treatments that alleviate pain and maintain comfort and to offer support to patients and families facing end-of-life situations. The medical care provided by Hospice is often called "palliative" or "comfort" care. Hospice care is provided at home, in a nursing home or assisted living facility -- wherever the patient calls home.
Who is eligible for Hospice care?
Hospice care may be appropriate for anyone who has a life-limiting illness and a prognosis of six months or less to live, as determined by a physician. To receive Hospice care from Wuesthoff Hospice & Palliative Care, the patient must reside in Brevard County, Florida.
When should we contact Hospice? Who makes the decision?
At any time during a life-limiting illness, it's appropriate to discuss all of a patient's care options, including Hospice. The decision to choose Hospice legally belongs to the patient. You should feel free to discuss Hospice care with your physician.
What if my physician doesn't know about Hospice?
Most physicians know about Hospice. If your physician wants more information, our admissions department is available at (321) 253-2222 to answer any questions.
How do you get admitted to Hospice?
Our admissions department will contact the patient's physician to make sure he or she agrees that Hospice care is appropriate for the patient at this time. An admissions nurse will visit the patient and family to explain our Hospice services and evaluate the patient's condition. The patient will be asked to sign a consent form and insurance forms. One particular form, the Hospice election form, says that the patient understands that the care is palliative (comfort care for pain relief and symptom control) rather than curative.
Who will take care of my loved one?
Hospice uses a team approach to care for people with life-limiting illnesses. The Hospice team includes professional staff, trained volunteers and the patient's family and friends. Professional staff will include a medical director (physician), nurse, social services specialist, home health aide, chaplain, volunteer, grief support specialist and children's specialist, as needed. The patient's family and/or friends give most of the daily care to the patient. Hospice staff regularly visit to train the family on how to care for the patient, provide medical care, monitor medications to ensure pain and symptom control, assist with physical care as needed and offer emotional and spiritual support to the patient and family. Hospice nurses are on call 24 hours per day. Hospice does not provide continuous, around-the-clock care for patients in the home.
Must someone be with the patient at all times?
It is important that Hospice patients have someone who can be designated as their primary caregiver. The person involved in this caregiving role will vary from situation to situation, but the patient's need for caregiving will likely increase over the course of the illness. While family and friends must be relied on to give most of the care, Hospice volunteers are available to assist with errands and provide a break and time away for caregivers.
Does Hospice do anything to make death come sooner?
Hospice does nothing either to speed up or slow down the dying process. Just as physicians and midwives lend support and expertise during the time of childbirth, Hospice provides its presence and specialized knowledge during the end of life.
How does Hospice help with pain?
Hospice nurses and physicians are experts in the use of the latest medications and treatments for pain and symptom relief. Hospice professionals are also trained to help relieve the emotional and spiritual pain that accompany this end-of-life journey.
What is Hospice's success rate in battling pain?
Using a combination of medications, counseling and therapies, most patients can attain a level of comfort that is acceptable to them and a quality of life that exceeds that which they might have had in a traditional healthcare setting.
Will medications prevent the patient from being able to talk or know what's happening?
It is the goal of Hospice to help patients be as comfortable and alert as they desire. Hospice staff have been very successful in reaching this goal by constantly consulting with patients and helping them to achieve their desired goals of comfort and awareness.
Is Hospice care covered by insurance?
Medicare provides nationwide coverage for Hospice care. Florida and other states offer a Hospice Medicaid benefit, and it is also covered by most private health insurance policies. If you have questions about coverage, check with your employer or health insurance provider.
What Hospice services does Medicare cover?
- Physician services
- Nursing care
- Home health aide services
- Psychosocial, spiritual and bereavement counseling services
- Medical equipment and supplies related to the terminal illness
- Medications related to the terminal illness
- Lab and diagnostic tests related to the terminal illness
- Short-term inpatient and respite care
- Physical and other therapies
If the patient is not covered by Medicare or any other health insurance, will Hospice still provide care?
Wuesthoff Hospice & Palliative Care will provide services to any resident of Brevard County who needs Hospice care, regardless of ability to pay. Money raised from the generosity of our community supporters and from memorial gifts helps to pay for these services.
Does Hospice provide any help to the family after the patient dies?
Wuesthoff Hospice & Palliative Care provides continuing contact and support for family and friends for at least a year following the death of a loved one. Our grief support department also sponsors support groups throughout Brevard County for anyone in the community who has experienced the death of a family member, a friend or a loved one.
Can a patient who shows signs of recovery be returned to regular medical treatment?
If improvement in the condition occurs and the disease seems to be in remission, the patient can graduate from Hospice. If this patient should later need to return to Hospice care, Medicare and most private insurance will allow additional coverage for this purpose. Regardless of coverage, however, no Hospice-appropriate patient is ever turned away due to an inability to pay.
How can I get more information about Hospice care?
If you or someone you know is facing a life-limiting illness and a cure is not expected, please call our office at (321) 253-2222 or toll free at (800) 259-2007 for more information or to make a referral.
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© 2008
Wuesthoff Health System. All rights reserved.
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