Hospice Care At Home In Cressey City, California
When people face medical challenges at every passing stage of life, they turn to health experts for guidance and support. Similarly, when one has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and is soon going to be on the deathbed, the patient and their loved ones can benefit from the same approach by choosing hospice care for them. But many patients with life-limiting diseases want to be at home when going through the last period of their life; in such cases, hospice care at home can prove to be significantly valuable.
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is suitable for patients facing an incurable disease or condition that shortens their lifespan, a terminal stage in which they are considered within their last 6 months of life. Hospice or end-of-life care service focuses mainly on easing the patient’s quality of life rather than curing the disease. It not only addresses and fulfills the patient’s physical, emotional, spiritual needs but also offers counseling and practical help like cleaning the house, grocery shopping to family members of the patient.
Levels Of Hospice Care
Hospice care is divided into four levels by Medicare, which areas follows:
- Routine home care
- Continuous home care
- General inpatient care
- Respite care
Routine Home care
It is the most common level of care provided by nursing and home health aide staff. It can be provided anywhere, in a skilled nursing facility, assisted living facility, memory care or patient’s home. The patient is provided with routine care, which includes pain management, symptom management, emotional and spiritual counseling of patient and family, assistance with daily tasks and nutritional and therapeutic services all aimed at increasing comfort and quality of life of the patient as much as possible. Care will be provided on an as-needed basis, depending on the patient’s needs.
Continuous Home Care
Continuous care is also referred to as ‘crisis care’. The patient needs round-the-clock nursing support or extended periods of nursing support as their symptoms require intensive management. This kind of care proves to be beneficial for both patient and their caregivers.
General inpatient care
Short-term care might be necessary to control severe pain or stabilize the patient’s symptoms when a patient’s symptoms can no longer be managed at home without a hospital facility. So that they can return home; however, some patients prefer to spend their latter days in an inpatient care facility by choice as a neutral and safe space.
Respite care
It is a short-term, occasional stay at the inpatient hospice center so that the patient’s caregiver can have a much-needed break from providing care at home.
Usually, the physician or hospice team guides and determines the appropriate level of hospice care for the patient and their loved ones.
Who Is Responsible For Providing Hospice Care?
Hospice care is given by the interdisciplinary team comprising of healthcare professionals working with the patient’s caregiver to provide consistent care and support to the patient. Each person working in the hospice team circle has a unique responsibility.
The Primary Caregiver
A family member or a loved one is usually the primary caregiver. They make decisions for the patient. The primary caregiver works hand-in-hand with the team of hospice care and the patient to produce a personalized plan according to the patient’s wishes and needs.
Suppose the patient is receiving in-home hospice care. In that case, the primary caregiver is responsible for the patient’s physical care and records through which the patient’s symptoms are to be communicated later to the hospice team.
If there is no family member of the patient who can be assigned the role of primary caregiver, a hospice team member works with the patient in that case but in such cases, providing hospice care at home is not possible.
The Hospice Team
An interdisciplinary health care team comprising of physicians, nurses, social workers, counselors, dietitians, home health aides, clergy, therapists and trained volunteers work together to provide patients with the best care and fulfill their needs. They are well-trained in dealing with the unique issues surrounding death.
The nursing staff makes regular visits to patients who receive in-home hospice care and are available by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Other members of the hospice team can also visit depending on the patient’s needs.
Regular reports and meetings are conducted among primary caregivers and the hospice care team to consider patients’ every need. Professionals that makeup the hospice team along with their roles are as follows:
Hospice Physician
A primary care physician and a hospice doctor or medical director will supervise hospice care. Each patient gets to choose their primary physician.
Hospice Nurses
Hospice Nurses will visit the patient to provide care. They are also responsible for coordination within the hospice care team.
Hospice Health Aides
Hospice health aides can provide extra support for routine care, such as dressing, bathing, eating and cleaning.
Hospice Spiritual Counselor
Chaplains, priests or other spiritual counselors can provide spiritual care and guidance for the patient and their family.
Hospice Social Workers
They provide counseling and support and can also refer to other sources of help and act as advocates.
Pharmacists
Pharmacists provide and suggest medications depending on the patient’s condition, adjust the dosage to relieve symptoms associated with the terminal illness and monitor the patient for any side effects.
Hospice Volunteers
Volunteers provide various services, including companionship and respite for caregivers and assistance with transportation and other practical needs.
Hospice Bereavement Counselor
Following the loss of a loved one in hospice, trained bereavement counselors provide support and assistance to the family to overcome their grief.
Other Professionals
Therapy can be provided in terms of speech, physical and occupational mediums by therapists who provide additional care and support.
How To Find Appropriate In-Home Hospice Care?
Patient and their family should start looking for hospice care providers at early stage of advanced illness so that the patient can become a part of making a decision along with the primary caregiver. The quality of care, availability of needed services, the types of services covered, staff training & expertise and insurance coverage are all aspects required to be considered.
- Local Referrals
A primary physician or hospital discharge planner can help in finding hospices nearby. The phone directory also lists hospice care providers. In some cases, the American Cancer Society can give information and referrals. Or an agency may also offer referral services.
- State Resources
Suppose the physician or health care team is unable to provide a list of hospice agencies nearby. In that instance, the patient can obtain a list of licensed agencies by contacting the state’s hospice association or its health or social services department.
The state health department also oversees hospice certification and licensing, as certification permits hospice providers to receive Medicare or Medicaid financing.
- National Resources
National organizations like the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization or the National Association for Home Care and Hospice Care can help find hospice services.
Consider the following questions when choosing an in-home hospice care program:
- Does the in-home hospice care program provide healthcare professionals certified and licensed by the state or federal government? Does The Joint Commission accredit the hospice program?
- Does the hospice company provide training to caregivers who will look after you at home?
- Is the hospice program non-profit or profit?
- How many patients are assigned to each member of the hospice care team?
- Will the hospice personnel meet with you and your family frequently to discuss your care?
- What is the hospice’s policy on after-hours emergencies?
- What safeguards are in place to assure the quality of hospice care?
- What services do hospice volunteers offer? Are they well-trained?
- How will I pay for this? What will the insurance cover?
- How does hospice care help family members during grief or loss?
Before selecting hospice care, be sure to ask for brochures, consumer information or any other written statements highlighting and explaining services, eligibility rules, costs and payment procedures, employee job descriptions and malpractice and liability insurance.
When To Choose Home As A Hospice Location?
The following types of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases must choose hospice care at home:
- They are terrified of going to hospitals and despise being in them.
- Being in a hospital makes them feel claustrophobic and frightened.
- During their illness, they enjoy being accompanied by their friends and family since their presence makes them joyful.
- They wish to spend the remaining life in their own home.
- They have family members who can assist them with their hospice plan.
- They are not ready to spend their final days in a hospital or a nursing home.
- Their health condition isn’t so critical that its mandatory to take them to the hospital
Who Pays For The In-Home Hospice Program?
Since most terminally ill patients cannot pay for hospice programs, certain private insurance companies and government bodies cover the hospice medical expenses of patients.
Government Insurance Programs
The two main government insurance programs that are successfully running across America are Medicare or Medicaid.
Medicare covers most or all hospice costs through Medicare Hospice Benefit or Medicare Advantage Plan but the hospice provider should be Medicare-approved in order for the coverage to be possible.
This coverage falls under the Medicare Part A category which is the category for hospital insurance. Patients with a life expectancy of 6 months or less are given care, free of cost. But some patients have to make co-payment for prescription drugs and other symptom control products needed at home.
However, once the hospice benefits start, Medicare no longer pays for treatment to cure terminal illnesses, including prescription drugs. Medicaid covers hospice treatment in most states for patients with limited income and assets.
Medicare covers almost all costs related to hospice services, such as physician and nursing care, pain relief and symptom control medication, equipment like wheelchairs, physical therapy, nutrition counseling, speech therapy and bereavement counseling for family members.
Veterans' Administration (VA) Benefits
Veterans or ex-members of the armed forces of the US army who can avail the hospice care. Veteran’s Health Administration covers hospice care for those who meet the eligibility criteria for hospice care.
Qualified veterans who are in the final phase of their lives and no longer seeking any other type of treatment beyond palliative care fit the criteria and don’t have to co-pay for hospice care.
Private Insurance
Some work-based and private insurance policies provide coverage for hospice care for patients. The patient or the primary caregiver must review different plans and the costs they cover before opting. They must communicate with the insurance company to better understand the plan and the benefits they will get.
Financial Help If Patients Aren't Eligible For Insurance Programs
Patients who are uninsured but can self-pay also get hospice services. For those who are unable to pay and are uninsured, hospice services are given to them free of cost with the help of donations, gifts or community sources. Personnel from the hospice service team can provide better financial assistant to the patient and their caregiver.
What To Expect From Hospice Care At Home?
The medications and tools needed by the patient care delivered at home and the hospice team members will visit the patient when needed. Other than that patient is provided with the following comforts and facilities:
- 24 hours Telecare service.
- Intensive comfort care for the management of acute symptoms.
- Care transitions.
- Provision of emotional & spiritual support to loved ones of patients upon withdrawal of ventilatory consent.
How Difficult Is Hospice Care At Home?
Although home hospice care can be complex, many family members select it as a present for their loved ones. According to Medicare surveys, about 80% of caregivers think their hospice experience was pleasant.
There will be days when everything goes smoothly and days when everything goes wrong. Patients need to trust hospice care and it’s process in doing so they must realize that they are not alone. The hospice team will be there for them at every step of their end-of-life journey.
Medicare covers respite care if patient’s caregivers need a short break. It covers patient transportation and up to five days of inpatient care at a nursing home or hospital.
Objectives Of Melodia Care Hospice’s Care At Home
We have set a goal for all terminally ill patients to feel protected in Melodia Care Hospice’s care programs. We make every effort to give the highest level of care and comfort to patients and their families as they approach the end of life. The primary goal of providing hospice care at home is to bring families and patients closer together at such a difficult period in their lives. Instead of worrying about medical treatment, they can focus on bringing up old memories and laughing together.
Melodia Care seeks to alleviate the agony and burden of such patients and families to make them happy and satisfied by having our Hospice Care Team closely monitor their care at every stage. Particularly by supplying trained spiritual and psychological counselors who can help them reclaim their emotional and mental wellness.
You can reach us at any time of day or night by contacting us through our 24/7 online customer support chat or by calling 1-888 635-6347 (MELODI-7).