Describing Hospice Care
Hospice is not a place it is rather a group of specially trained individuals working together to provide care and support to terminally ill patients and their families. The primary goal of hospice is to improve the quality of the patient and family member life by offering a variety of services. The hospice team is made up of nurses, physicians, social workers, ministers and volunteers. The group is designed to provide pain relief to the patient while also providing spiritual and emotional support to the patient and their families. Hospice care generally takes place in the home of the patient or a close relative. If the patient is residing in a nursing care facility, services will take place there. The team will be of assistance for the remainder of the patient’s life and offer counseling services for family members directly following the a patient’s death.
Who Would Benefit From Hospice Care
Patient’s are referred to hospice when they have a life threatening illness that is no longer responding positively to conventional treatment. When the physician determines that the patient’s life expectancy is six months or less hospice is generally required. Patient’s who have illnesses such as cancer, AIDS, Lung disease, Pamyotrophic lateral sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and renal disease, fit into this category. Certain diagnostic tools determine the prognosis for each condition. Cancer can be a life-threatening disease that affects bones, blood, internal organs and cells. When treatments such as chemotherapy or surgeries are no longer benefiting the patient, keeping the individual as comfortable as possible is a hospice near los angeles necessity. People with AIDS would greatly benefit from the pain management and other services hospice has to offer. Any disease which is assumed to cause the patient’s life to end is considered for hospice care.
What Hospice Does
Hospice does not prolong the person’s life. It in turn makes the person’s last days full of comfort and dignity. Registered nurses administor pain medication to alleviate pain and suffering. Trained volunteers makes routine visits to the home to assist family members and caregivers. Volunteers will do household chores, cook, clean and watch over the patient for a period of time so that the caregiver can get out of the house for awhile, run errands or simply have some alone time. Ministers provide spiritual counseling services. Mental health professionalist are there to address fear, loneliness and depression.
Paying For Hospice Care
Over half of the individuals receiving hospice care are 65 or older and receive medicare. Most states offer hospice coverage through medicare. The hospice care provider can assist you to see if you qualify for benefits. Certain private insurance companies also offer hospice care coverage. If a person does not have any health insurance coverage Medicaid will provide coverage for these services.