The Basics of Hospice Care

Do you have a loved one with a terminal illness? If so, you should become familiar with hospice care as a type of treatment for your loved one. Hospice care focuses on keeping a terminal care patient comfortable in his or her final days of life. This type of care is an alternative to standard medical care which focuses on treating and curing.

Doctor Diagnoses

Hospice care is usually initiated after a doctor has issued a diagnosis of terminal illness and a life expectancy of six months or less. When a doctor declares further treatment may only cause pain rather than a cure, hospice may be a good choice.

Choice of Care

Choosing the right hospice provider for you and your family member will require a decision between providing care at home or providing it in a nursing facility. If you have several family members who can assist with your loved ones care, at home care may be a good possibility.

Keep in mind, the constant care of a hospice individual can be very hard on family members. For this reason, many nursing homes and hospice care facilities provide around the clock care for your loved one. This allows your family time to rest and deal with their grief.

Paying for Care

Hospice care is cheaper than standard medical care. This is because Hospice only focuses on keeping a patient pain-free rather than running tests and attempting to find a cure.

Medicare will cover a fixed amount of hospice care services if a patient has been given less than six months to live. The patient’s family must cover the additional costs of the hospice care program as well as any costs associated with treatment and cures .

Services Provided

Hospice provides regular doctor and nursing care as well as assistance with daily activities. A hospice patient will receive all needed medical equipment and pain reduction medication. Hospice will also provide counseling for the patient and his or her family during these very difficult times.

Larry Parman
Attorney at Law