Hospice Care At Home In Alameda City, California
While providing hospice care at home can be challenging, many family members choose to do so as a gift to their loved ones. According to Medicare surveys, nearly 80% of caregivers report a positive experience with hospice care.
There will be ups and downs. You are not, thankfully, alone. Throughout your journey, the hospice care team is there to support you. If you require a temporary break, Medicare covers respite care option as well. It covers patient transportation and up to five consecutive days for inpatient care in a nursing home or hospital. Melodia Care Hospice is providing Hospice Care At Home In Alameda City, California be sure to Contact Us for more information.
Who Is Responsible For Hospice Care?
A hospice service provides hospice care. The hospice care team comprising of health care professionals will collaborate with the patient’s primary caregiver (typically a family member) to provide 24-hour care and support.
Similarities Hospice vs. Home Health
While hospice and home health care have some similarities, the two modes of care are tailored to each patient with distinct needs and goals. For instance, hospice and home health care services are available regardless of the location of the patient.
Hospice provides comfort care when curative medical treatments are no longer effective or desirable for a patient with advanced illness. Home health care is curative in nature, assisting patients in regaining functionality following injury or illness.
Hospice Care
Hospice care is palliative care for patients with a six-month or less prognosis, as determined by a physician, if their disease progresses naturally.
Hospice care is routinely provided to patients in their homes, nursing homes, assisted living communities and nursing homes for the elderly. A family caregiver (or friend) provides daily care, assisted by an interdisciplinary team member from one of the hospice experts, which includes a nurse, aide, physician, chaplain, social worker, volunteer and bereavement counselor with additional specialists assisting as needed. Each team member has received training in providing compassionate end-of-life care. Along with routine hospice care in the home, the Medicare Hospice Benefit requires three additional levels of care:
Continuous care entails a nurse or hospice aide staying at patient’s bedside around the clock to manage acute symptom flare-ups by Medicare guidelines. Inpatient care is provided in a hospice unit or hospital bed until symptoms are controlled and the patient can return home.
Respite care involves temporarily admitting the patient to a Medicare-certified facility to provide family caregivers with a break of up to five days and nights to alleviate stress and avoid burnout.
Typical hospice services include the following:
- Provision of medications, equipment and supplies necessary for the patient’s hospice diagnosis management — at no cost to the patient or family
- Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, telephone access to hospice experts who can answer questions, address crises and dispatch clinicians to the patient as needed.
- Spiritual and psychosocial support for both patients and families, including assistance with funeral arrangements, bereavement counseling and VA benefits.
A common misunderstanding about hospice care is that it is provided in a facility with on-ground location. Hospice may not be in an on-ground location but a philosophy of care that emphasizes comfort for terminally ill patients and their caregivers, family and friends. While hospice care can be provided in an inpatient facility if your loved one’s condition requires it, most hospice care is provided in patient’s home.
The Hospice Team
The Critical Ingredient in Providing High-Quality Hospice Care. The interdisciplinary hospice team who cares for your beloved one is the key to provide complete end-of-life care. The hospice team, made up of highly skilled healthcare professionals, psychosocial and spiritual professionals, working together with one goal: to offer full comfort to your loved one while offering care and support to you, family and friends.
Melodia Care Hospice Benefits Are Guaranteed
Medicare benefits require all Medicare hospice providers to adhere to a specific list of services. Among these services are the following:
- Consultations and services of a physician, including the development of a care plan
- Providing nursing care
- Wheelchairs, walkers and medical beds are all examples of medical equipment that will be provided.
- Bandages and catheters are examples of medical supplies which will be provided.
- Prescription medications used to manage symptoms or alleviate pain associated with a terminal illness.
- Services of a hospice aide and a homemaker
- Respite care is designed to provide caregivers with temporary relief.
- Services in physical therapy
- Services in occupational therapy
- Services in speech-language pathology
- Services in social work
- Nutritional counseling
- Counseling for grief and loss for you and your family
- Volunteer assistance with errands, friendly visits or light caregiver support
- Any other Medicare-covered services that are required to manage pain and other terminal illness-related symptoms.
- Occasionally, hospice programs offer additional services such as music therapy, pet therapy and massage or physical therapy.
- After six months, you can still receive care.
- Patients and families may continue to receive comfort care as long as the hospice medical director certifies that a hospice patient is terminally ill during a face-to-face visit.
- Patients continue to receive care for non-terminal illnesses.
- Patients continue to receive routine medical care for non-terminal illnesses. For instance, a patient with diabetes may obtain checkups and diabetes medication through Medicare or another insurance plan.
- You may terminate hospice care at any time and resume curative treatment.
- Families may choose to discontinue care when a patient’s health improves, a new treatment can be chosen instead.
Physician Of Primary Care
If wanted, your beloved primary care physician can be your trusted doctor. The doctor’s tasks include assessing the need for and candidacy for hospice care for your loved one, initiating a hospice referral and remaining active for your loved one at home.
Medical Director Of A Hospice
The hospice medical director is responsible for developing your loved one’s care plan, ensuring that the care team meets those goals and consultation with your loved one’s physician to improve and adapt care.
Case Manager - Registered Nurse
The RN case manager will visit your loved one 2-3 times per week — or more frequently if necessary — to ensure that your loved one’s care needs, as well as those of caregivers and family, are met and to supervise the care provided.
Licensed Social Worker
The social worker establishes a plan of care for your loved one’s psychosocial needs and meets with your loved one, caregivers and family to provide counseling and emotional support as well as to assist you in navigating the paperwork, financial tasks and other responsibilities associated with the end-of-life journey.
How Hospice Provides At-Home Care For Patients?
Hospice patient care’s ultimate goal is to provide a comfortable, pain-free environment — consistent with the patient’s wishes for end-of-life care — in which life can be enjoyed to the fullest extent possible.
Management Of Pain & Symptoms
As your loved one’s terminal illness progresses, pain and symptom management will be required. Your loved one’s care team will closely monitor their care needs and develop a treatment plan that is both respectful of your loved one’s end-of-life care preferences and comfort.
Sessions Of Specialized Therapy
Specialized therapy sessions, such as visits, art therapy sessions and other beneficial therapies, can be provided in the comfort of your loved one’s home to maximize physical, emotional and spiritual comfort.
Counseling Psychosocial
A terminal diagnosis imposes a significant psychosocial toll. Depression and severe anxiety are prevalent, afflicting approximately one-third of people diagnosed with a terminal illness. Hospice care is provided by skilled psychosocial counselors who assist your loved one in comprehending the end-of-life process and re-establishing social and emotional health
Counseling For Emotions & Spirituality
Regret, anger and grief are all common emotions for those approaching the end-of-life stage. As time passes, many people seek to mend broken relationships, mend hurt feelings and strengthen bonds with friends and loved ones. Before death, hospices provide skilled spiritual and emotional counselors who can assist your loved one in achieving spiritual and emotional peace.
How Hospice Provides Care At Home For Family & Friends?
When a terminal diagnosis is received, it profoundly affects your loved one’s family and friends. As a holistic approach to end-of-life care, hospice takes special care to support all those closest to your loved one.
Education Regarding End-Of-Life Care
Your family and friends may be completely unaware of the symptoms or demands placed on you as a caregiver as a result of your loved one’s illness. Hospice educates family and friends about your loved one’s specific disease, what to expect as the disease progresses and how they can support both you and your loved one during this difficult time.
Education For Caregivers
While not every member of your family will be directly involved in the care of a terminally ill loved one, they can still learn how to support you and your loved one during this difficult time. Hospice can educate and counsel your family and friends on the best ways to uplift and support you as a caregiver and your loved one.
Counseling For Psychosocial, Emotional & Spiritual Issues
The news of a terminal diagnosis and its progression can elicit strong emotions in family members and friends. Accusing a loved one of insufficient caregiver care, arguing over the best course of action for a loved one’s estate and various other issues can arise when a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Hospice is fully aware of the familial and relational stress that a terminal diagnosis can cause on you, your family and everyone connected to your loved one and offers to counsel to help mend these familial bonds in the interest of creating a loving, supportive environment for everyone during the end-of-life process.
Make An Appointment With Melodia Care Health & Hospice
Home care, palliative care and hospice care can all be confusing, so if you need assistance determining which option is best for your loved one, you can reach us at any time by contacting us through our 24/7 online customer support chat or by calling 1-888 635-6347 (MELODI-7) & Melodia Care Hospice.