In this article, I will outline key points my fellow hospice team members and I have observed in our day to day work.. I have worked over 12 years as a Spiritual Counselor in Hospice Care. Each person teaches me something, though it is I who is supposed to minister to them in the final moments. For my colleagues and I, working in hospice is an ongoing challenge and learning experience, that presents us with learning of the deepest kind – on a soul level. In this article, I share with you the perspectives of my colleagues and myself, at a Hospice Center in Northern, IN (USA). We work together as a team and here are some of the insights from my colleagues.

Hospice is not a place. It is a concept of care. Hospice staff go to people’s homes and extend care for the mind, body, and soul. Much of our work is to free people of physical pain, so a patient can be attentive to living until he/she dies. This is a time when many patients reflect on their life. This integration occurs naturally and is deeply embedded in the psyche/soul of an individual.

Much of the work we do at the end of life is transitional. We are supporting a dying patient as he/she moves into becoming more soul than body. It is a work that challenges and changes anyone who is touched by a person whom I like to say is “awakening into their most authentic self.”

Our Hospice President wanted me to remind doctors of the need to have appropriate points of referral to Hospice Care. Early referrals enable all the services of Hospice care to become established and integrate holistic care. In addition to physicians, hospice centers are comprised of volunteers, social workers, nurses, bereavement counselors, and spiritual counselors who work to establish care, creating the opportunity for patients and families to share their deepest concerns.

My co-workers in the social work department wanted me to share the importance of good listening. The patient is dying to everything he or she has ever known.. As he or she begins to die, they become very reflective, and may want to share their reflections with their caregivers.

Through these reflections, a patient gives meaning to their life. When we listen to a patient share their story, we are being invited into their soul. The tears that surface are symbols of love a person acknowledges and encountered during the course of his or her life.

My colleagues in Nursing wanted me to remind healthcare professionals to be liberal with medications for pain relief. It is vital to give a patient enough medication to keep him or her from being in pain. Hospice Nurses gauge this daily in their patients. The doctor/nurse team in palliative care is so important that one cannot underestimate the cooperation and good communication needed between health care team members to do what’s in the best interest of the patient.

When a patient’s pain is under control, the ability to focus on living creates hope in the midst of dying. This capacity to have quality of life in the midst of dying gives the patient a sense of control that disease takes away. Our ability to create this quality of life for a dying patient is a wonderful use of our medical capacities in order to bring healing comfort to those who need it.

The Bereavement Counselors on my team wanted to share with medical professionals the importance of taking time to understand and comfort family members, especially those who are care givers of the terminally ill. It is vital to the bereavement process that doctors and nurses take time to share with the caregivers that their loved one is dying.

Watch out for technical medical language – or jargon – when you speak with family members. It is not always understood, and in fact, has a way of blocking a sense of personal closeness that family members need, in order to fully participate in what their loved one is facing.

Intellectual understanding of a patient’s prognosis is important. In addition, a family member also needs to know that their loved one is personally cared for until he/she dies. Here, we enter into a realm of care that transcends the body. This is where we care for the souls of all the family members who are involved in a patient’s care. The way we care for the family system of a patient’s life during this point can promote or hinder the bereavement process.

My fellow Spiritual Counselor and I believes that our ability to be open to a patient’s personal faith is what leads to a sense of peace beyond death. Earlier I talked about the deepening awareness of soul, that dying people often experience. In addition, many of our patient’s have religious thoughts of God, as he or she understands God.

A person’s capacity to believe in a higher power that is beyond themselves is a vital part of the dying process. Here, a patient moves through merely what he or she has been taught about their Creator to a more intimate and direct experience of what is beyond concepts, labels, and formal religion.

Dying people have much to teach us about living. For many persons, facing the end of their life might be the first time they have confronted this topic. For others, it may be something they have thought about intellectually, but now have to confront it through experience. Regardless of what path people have taken to reach this point, for most every one, endings become a time for spiritual awareness.

My first Hospice patient taught me something I will never forget. She wanted me to sit in silence with her and pray meditatively. Our time together was filled with space: space to feel eternity reach through the dying experience and surround our inner selves with peace. This gave far more meaning beyond anything she or I could have ever comprehended in purely intellectual terms about dying.

Even to this day, I remember her words: “What matters in life IS NOT matter.” It was her way of telling me that there is more to life than what we see and touch. And as she neared the end of her life, it was the inner, spiritual aspect of life that was taking on a life of its own.

Regardless of your philosophy, if you are a health care provider who is dealing with the terminally ill, it becomes important to respect the idea of soul, even if you do not believe in it yourself. By soul, I do not mean something specific to a particular religion. I mean, rather, an awareness that can be experienced among persons of all paths and religions.

As professionals who care for those who are dying, it is vital we remember we are caring for a person’s soul and their body.

As part of the process of turning towards non-material things, a person begins to let go of the various roles he/she carried out in life. At such a time, the need to find meaning and hope beyond this existence becomes vital to the well being of a patient who is dying. As caregivers, the need to look through our eyes and no longer with them enables us to view our patients as more than a disease in dis-ease. It is here we connect with them soul to soul and forge an eternal relationship with them that will never die.

As a dying patient begins to let go of their personality, an identity with something within him/her begins to emerge. This emergence is a calm awareness that has been with him/her their whole life. It is the part of us not attached to the experiences of the world. It is an identity with an aspect of us that transcends even death itself. In some ways, this perspective on dying enables the one who is dying to awaken into eternal life.

There are many definitions of the word soul. But most everyone agrees that it refers to something unseen, and yet we know exists. Inside us is a landscape of the soul. It is the part of us that knows without a doubt that an experience is true without having a tangible experience of it. This part of us guides us through some of life’s most difficult circumstances. It gives us hope beyond our present circumstances transcending us from self-centered awareness to life-centered awareness. This part of us is the same part a dying person begins to identify with at the end of their life giving them a sense of peace beyond anything he/she has been able to conceive to this point in life.

As the dying person makes their journey towards his or her end, and beyond, he or she is engaging in one of life’s most sacred journey. As the spiritual aspects of a person unfold along this journey, it becomes a chance for others to learn from them. As a health care provider, you are in a unique position, not only to comfort people as they make this final journey, but to also learn from and be deepened by your patients.

The spiritual awareness that can develop within you as a result, of the peace that grows in a dying person can be a lesson that you carry with you, and share not only with other hospice patients, but all of your patients, family and friends.

Sam Oliver, author of, “God a Logs on Living and Dying”

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Question by rive_gauche79: Is hospice care only for those who are dying?
My mother has advanced breast cancer and is currently receiving treatment. She has not been given an estimated life expectancy or been told that there is nothing else that can be done for her. However, the doctor who recently treated her with radiation suggested hospice for her because I am her sole caregiver and am in need of help. Is hospice appropriate for her situation? I am not ready to give up treatment (chemo); however, I don’t want her to suffer through chemo that isn’t going to work.

Best answer:

Answer by Belie
Hospice isn’t for those that are dying, it’s for those that cannot receive the best treatment at home and would be better off staying in a hospital environment where they can monitor her around the clock.

What do you think? Answer below!

As a funeral director for almost three decades, I have witnessed many changes in the death care industry. Of all these changes, none has had a more positive effect than the advent of hospice programs in my opinion.
Before hospice for years families struggled daily while caring for terminal loved ones, many times with little or no support. Sadly, these patients themselves often had little professional support and sometimes no support other than what family and friends could provide. At the end, loved ones were faced with the task of making final arrangements, usually physically worn and mentally fatigued. Hospice programs have had a huge impact in this area, providing the caregivers with “respite care” and allowing them time to rest and relax.
Hospice has had other positive influences in funeral planning as well. It has been my experience that families working with hospice programs are generally better prepared for funeral planning. Many hospice programs offer funeral counseling as part of their services. These can range from general funeral information counseling to assistance with all stages of planning or preplanning a funeral. It has been my observation that families involved with these hospice programs are many times far less stressed during the funeral arrangement conference and certainly better informed.
Today in almost all areas of the United States hospice programs are available. Hospitals, nursing facilities, etc. have long recognized the positive impact these programs bring to the patients and their caregivers. Finding a hospice program can be as simple as calling your local medical facility or health care provider and requesting this information. Any of these facilities should be able to provide you with referrals to your local hospice programs.
As a funeral professional, I encourage anyone faced with caring for a terminal loved one to consider a hospice program in your area. The benefits and support of these programs are immeasurable to the patient, caregivers and families. I cannot think of better advice to give to any family and wih hopes it will make the burden of final planning also easier to bear.

Question by PB: Is volunteering with hospice or a palliative care/rehabilitation facility good for a pre-med student?
I need to get volunteering experience for my application to medical school. Is volunteering with my local hospice/palliative care system good volunteer experience? I will have direct patient contact performing either respite care for families or providing companionship to patients who are terminally ill or have neurological problems like dementia/alzheimers.

Best answer:

Answer by Sonia L
Definitely yes. Not only will it teach you patient-care skills but also demonstrate to your interviewers (in the future) that you are able to deal with difficult situations. Stay there for a year or two, get good references, but also try to get some lab volunteer/work. Because you will also need references from your professors.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Patients and their families are usually overwhelmed when faced with the diagnosis of terminal illness. Many patients are symptom-free until an illness or hospitalization reveals they have a life-limiting condition. Suddenly, everything changes. Feelings of fear, confusion, doubt, and even isolation are common. Major health decisions must be made. Most people are at a loss as to where to turn for guidance. A hospice care team can help you navigate this new terrain. It is never too early to call hospice to inquire about comfort care.

Comfort care involves managing pain and symptoms so patients can live their lives as fully as possible. Generally it follows therapies such as chemotherapy or radiation. The concentration is on quality of life when quantity of life is limited. The patient’s primary care physician (or discharge planner, if the patient is still hospitalized) is a good person with whom to start the conversation. You may not feel hospice care is right for you or your loved one now, but the best time to ask about hospice care is before you need it. What Can I Expect? The hospice philosophy is a holistic one that embraces the physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of every patient. But remember: this journey is not about the patient alone. It involves the patient’s entire supportive network.

Hospice care is interdisciplinary-including physicians, nurses, social services (social workers, clergy, volunteers and bereavement staff)-and everyone involved is prepared to support you on the road ahead. Hospice care is synonymous with supportive care. Whether you are the patient or the caregiver, we stand ready to provide practical guidance, training, and nursing supervision so the patient can remain at home as long as possible. We provide state-of-the-art pain management and symptom control.

Other resources and services include home health aides, who can assist with care when appropriate; volunteers who can provide respite or companionship; medication relative to the terminal diagnosis; and equipment such as hospital beds. When remaining at home is not an option, hospice services are provided elsewhere: at nursing homes, residential care facilities, or a hospice facility, if your community has one. Steps to Take Living with a terminal illness impacts every area of a patient’s life as well as a caregiver’s. There are new decisions and challenges daily.

Everything from your finances to your career, social life and plans for the future will be impacted. The hospice team can help you identify coping strategies. You and your loved one are the important players here; it will be necessary to address end-of-life choices (what you want or don’t want) to ensure these decisions are not made during a crisis. Let hospice help you with direction and guidance regarding some of these decisions.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) suggests the following steps:

* Make an appointment with an attorney to prepare/update a durable power of attorney for financial decisions

* Update your life insurance policies as needed

* Provide your family and physician with copies of your advance directive (a document that states what you do and do not want in the event of a health catastrophe)

* Review your health insurance so you know what is covered and what isn’t

* Write down important information such as names of banks, where safe deposit keys are, names of attorneys, etc., and share it with someone you trust

* Talk with your employer about disability and other benefits Take one day at a time.

There are many adjustments to be made. While living with terminal illness can be very difficult, the diagnosis can also be a blessing. Knowing that your time is limited puts things into perspective. It can also be a special time to examine relationships and repair them as needed. By electing to begin hospice care, you will acquire an entire team of professionals to help with care and decision-making. You don’t need to feel alone. We will help you celebrate the remainder of life, and find some peace, understanding and balance.

Question by s.r: How does hospice work with a three year old baby?
My lil nephew was transported to hospice this morning. How does it work and what do they do ? How long is it before they take the lil body ?

Best answer:

Answer by jackie m
It depends why he is there, if it is to give the parents respite care for a few weeks then it is up to the parents to arrange when he will be there but if it is to spend his final days or weeks there it would be with the agreement with the hospice but it is usually arranged withing a few days.

What do you think? Answer below!

Hospice nurse recognized for work
Susan BarrKern Valley Sun Cory Garoutte-Archer, a long-time valley resident and a registered nurse with Optimal Hospice, makes it a practice to avoid the spotlight.
Read more on Kern Valley Sun


2011 Indiana Home Care & Hospice Guide Now Available

Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) April 4, 2011

The Indiana Association for Home & Hospice Care (IAHHC) is proud to announce that the 2011 Indiana Home Care and Hospice Guide is now available online at http://www.indianahomeandhospice.org. The 2011 Home Care and Hospice Guide is the resource for those looking for a home care, hospice or personal service provider.

 

Included in the guide is a county by county listing of all IAHHC members throughout the state including a listing of the counties they serve, services provided and payment types accepted. The 2011 Home Care and Hospice Guide also provides insight into home care, hospice and personal services agencies including helpful hints on what to ask and look for when selecting an agency. Visit http://www.indianahomeandhospice.org to start using the 2011 Home Care and Hospice Guide.

 

IAHHC is the voice of Indiana’s home care providers. Our mission is “to advance the cause of home care and hospice through leadership, collaboration, advocacy, and education.” We represent all of home care: traditional home health nursing services, home-based and inpatient hospice care and non-medical services that allow Hoosiers to remain independent in their own homes. To learn more about us please visit http://www.iahhc.org.

 

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

When hospice begins caring for a terminally ill patient, there’s often a need for additional assistance in the home. The primary focus of hospice care is quality of life through comfort, dignity and understanding. Hospice addresses the physical, psychological and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients, while supporting the well being of family members.

Combining Hospice and Home Care

Combining hospice with home care offers the ultimate level of end-of-life care when the fundamental goal is to keep a patient in their home setting, and provide family members necessary support in working towards that goal.

Whether your loved one is working with a home health specialist, staying in a hospital, or living in a long-term care facility or elsewhere, hospice is provided on the basis of need, not the ability to pay. “Time and time again, we receive letters from family members who wish they had known about hospice sooner. The longer we have to develop a rapport with the patient and family, the more benefits we can offer,” says Janet Hessenflow is the executive director of Crossroads Hospice in Kansas City, Missouri.

Medicare and Medicaid services pay 100 percent for hospice care, as do many private insurance plans. It is important to research your benefits, as hospice may present minimal or no out-of-pocket costs to the family. When hospice is chosen, the hospice pays for all medical equipment (such as a hospital bed, commode, wheelchair, oxygen, etc.), medical supplies (such as wound care supplies, ostomy supplies, incontinence products, etc.), and all medications related to the end-stage or terminal diagnosis.

Hospice Story (parodie de Loft Story)

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Question by Teresa: How long do you have when Hospice comes in ?
My granny has Alzheimers (last stages). Within the past few days she doesnt eat, or drink, sucks liquid off a sponge sometime, but she is so swollen under her eyes, her hands, and her feet, she now has blood blisters on her feet! They are calling Hospice in today. What is her time frame?

Best answer:

Answer by Christy SD Nurse
there is no way to know for sure, especially with out during an assessment. It could be days or months…

Add your own answer in the comments!

According to Thirteen.Org, Medicare spends over .2 billion dollars per year on hospice services. Since Medicare is the largest payer of hospice care, they set the payment policies for other insurers. Although hospice care is more cost-effective than hospital stays, many insurance companies still do not cover all of the costs that can be incurred. A daily hospital stay can cost as much as 0 to ,000 per day! Hospice, on the other hand, may cost as little as around 0 per day.

According to the Hospice Association of America, the current rates as of 2005, set by Medicare, are as follows:

Routine Home Care Day – 6.49 per day for those that receive hospice care at home
Continuous Home Care Day – 8.26 for 24-hour a day home care
Inpatient Respite Care Day – 0.85 a day for care in an inpatient facility, but not for more than five days.
General Inpatient Care Day – 2.69 for care provided by a Medicare-certified hospital, skilled nursing facility, or inpatient unit of a hospice.

Extended care benefits help cover things like nursing home, hospice, and home care. When a loved one needs one of these services, it can cause a huge out-of-pocket expense for the family. You can save thousands by having supplemental coverage such as extended care benefits. An added benefit also includes a payout to a family member who is missing time from work to care for the ill loved one. This money can be used as needed, as the caregiver sees fit.

With extended care benefits, if you or a loved one is hospitalized for cancer treatment, the policy will pay the charges of the skilled nursing facility up to the maximum amount per day for a specified number of days prior to the hospitalization. Depending on the plan that you have, this could be between 0 and 0 per day.

Another type of policy that would be helpful to have in advance is a cancer insurance policy. Out of all of the hospice patients, approximately 78 percent of those in hospice are there as a result of cancer. Since cancer patients often have to spend part of their lives requiring nursing care, home care, or hospice, a cancer insurance policy can help cover even more costs that the family may incur.

In regards to hospice, in the sad event when your loved one is terminally ill as a result of cancer, and is no longer receiving any cancer treatments, the policy may cover between and 5 per day for each of the first 60 days of hospice services, no matter if they are at home, are receiving outpatient care, or are confined in a hospice center.

After discharged from a covered hospital confinement, this type of policy can pay between and per day to assist with the home recovery costs that might be incurred. This continues to pay out for a total number of days equal to the days spent in the hospital receiving cancer treatments. Although this does not seem like much, it does still help. Since you would be helping your loved-one anyway, a few extra dollars paid out for doing so helps to pay for the things you will need to care for them.

For just pennies a day out of your pocket, you can invest in supplemental cancer insurance or extended care benefits. Although they are not your primary coverage, they will help fill in the gaps that may be left by your primary insurance company. Think of it as an affordable way to protect your savings from being drained, while ensuring complete healthcare coverage.Call us today at 866-614-3400!

Question by AnimalLover<3: Thinking about volunteering at my local hospice, anything I should know?
I derive great meaning and enrichment from forming connections with individuals in my life. In addition, when I’m alone, I feel an emptiness and a great need to be comforted or to comfort. I’m thinking about volunteering at my local hospice, is there anything I should know before I make the call?

Best answer:

Answer by TAT
It can be very difficult watching people die and the family grieve but it can also be rewarding. You must be able to handle grief and loss.

What do you think? Answer below!

Hospice of Huntington to unveil donor wall today
HUNTINGTON — Hospice of Huntington will honor those who have “served with their treasure” in the unveiling of the Dame Cicely Saunders donor wall on Thursday evening. Saunders is widely recognized as the founder of the modern hospice movement.
Read more on The Huntington Herald-Dispatch

Hospice care consists of services designed to help the patient and the family to cope with a terminal illness. The goal of hospice is to provide comfort and support to a patient when no cure is available or treatment is no longer desired.
The services of hospice are provided through a team approach.

The hospice team consists of professionals and volunteers. Core services provided include medical, nursing, counseling and social services. In addition, necessary medication and medical equipment are provided. The professional staff, such as the nurse and social worker, provides direct care to the patient and they teach the family to care for the patient between visits. Home health aide services provide the patient with bathing and household chores related to the patient.

Volunteers are available to provide companionship to the patient and give the family members support and a sometimes much needed break. After the patient dies, the family is entitled to a year of bereavement counseling to cope with the grief of losing their loved one.
Caring for a hospice patient at home can be time consuming and stressful for family members. Many families don’t think that they can manage the care of their loved one, but most realize that they can, with the help of the hospice team. Family members are not expected to become medical experts, but they will need to give more time and attention to their loved one. Caring for a hospice patient can been seen as similar to caring for a newborn baby. Both require extra time and are stressful. In both situations, your entire focus is on the newborn or the hospice patient.

One major difference between caring for the newborn and the hospice patient is that caring for a newborn is joyful while caring for the hospice patient brings sadness and grief when your loved one dies. Family members should not hesitate to speak with the hospice team about feelings of stress and sadness. Hospice services are for the patient and family members, and the hospice professionals are trained to deal with this and can provide support and ideas to help families to cope. Many family members, despite the exhaustion and stress of caring for a hospice patient, view their effort as one final gift they gave to their loved one.

Attract More God In Your Life
In good times and bad, spiritual music can create balance in our lives and reinforce our beliefs in the Divine power that lies within us…is greater than our mortal self…and is the Creator of the Universe.
Attract More God In Your Life

What is hospice care?

Hospice care is for people who can no longer benefit from regular medical treatment and are likely in their final months of life. The goal of hospice is to keep pain and suffering to a minimum, not to cure the underlying illness. For both you and the person in your care, this requires a shift in mindset from searching for a treatment that will restore health to accepting that comfort, dignity, pain relief, and privacy are prime concerns toward the end of life.

How hospice care works
Like most people, you may think of hospice as care received at home — which is often the case. But someone can also receive this end-of-life care in a hospital, nursing home, or private hospice facility. Which is best depends on a patient’s physical condition, whether the home is suited to providing hospice care, and the resources available in your community,

Hospice care isn’t necessarily continuous, and a patient may switch into and out of it as a medical condition improves or deteriorates. For example, if a patient is in hospice care and goes into remission — a period of relief from the symptoms of an illness — the hospice care can be stopped, only to be resumed again if the symptoms reoccur or the condition gets worse.

The entree to hospice care usually comes from a diagnosis and realization: To qualify for most hospice care, a doctor must diagnose a patient with a terminal illness — that is, a medical condition that may cause death within six months or less.
Getting hospice help

You may find that you need to use some steely persistence to get the mechanics of hospice care initiated, both in dealing with attending physicians and in finding a hospice organization willing and available to provide the needed care.

For one thing, hospice workers can’t step in until they have a written referral from a physician. In addition, you’ll have to locate hospice providers and make sure they’re willing and able to help. In spite of the role hospice plays, it can sometimes take some lobbying to gain admittance to a hospice facility. For instance, if the facility thinks a patient might be too much of a handful (has a tendency to run off, for example), you may need to convince the staff that you’ll visit and help regularly, if not daily.

The initial hospice meeting
During an initial orientation meeting, hospice workers meet with you, the patient, and interested family members to assess the plan of care. If you’ll be providing care at home, the orientation workers will evaluate whether the place needs to be equipped with any special gear, such as an elevating hospital bed, a pad to help prevent bedsores, protective coverings for the floor, or ramps for a wheelchair. They may also investigate details ranging from the neighbors to the nearby barking dogs to the number of steps in the patient’s house.

What to expect from hospice care
If a patient requires elaborate medical care and monitoring, hospice care may be given in a building dedicated to hospice, or in a hospital or skilled nursing facility — generally in specific rooms or wards decorated with touches such as curtains and couches to lend a more homelike feeling.

In hospice facilities, the usual rules on visiting hours and mealtime schedules are relaxed. Visitors are generally free to come and go as they wish, and meals are often family favorites. Again, the aim is to make the patient feel as comfortable and cared for as possible.

The fact that hospice care usually comes in a peaceful setting and is often given by people the patient knows and loves rather than administered in cold, clinical surroundings is one significant aspect that sets it apart from other types of traditional medical care. But there are many other differences:

Personalized care. Hospice care (sometimes referred to as “death care” rather than health care) is more personal and personalized than regular medical care. The most crucial thing is to ensure that the care fits the patient’s wishes and offers the most comfort possible — a challenge and an opportunity generally not available in conventional medical settings.
It’s not uncommon to hear that hospice workers make superhuman efforts to pay attention to detail and help maintain a dying person’s dignity. They may try to make sure the patient gets the food he or she likes best or to make sure his or her clothes are clean and fresh.

Hospice care from a team. Typically, hospice care is a team effort, combining the talents and training of doctors, nurses, social workers, counselors, home health aides, clergy, therapists, and trained volunteers. Their joint efforts are focused on relieving symptoms and alleviating side effects of pain control medications — and on giving social, emotional, and spiritual support.

Workers at hospice organizations coordinate and supervise the care that comes from various outside sources. But if you or any family members are able, you’ll be responsible for administering much of the hands-on care, such as administering medicines and changing dressings. If a caregiver or family members aren’t equipped to do this, hospice workers may help secure other caregivers to take over or contribute to the work.
A hospice case manager will usually be assigned to make sure that all care needs are met — and to coordinate the comings and goings of all involved, which is especially important if the care is at home.

Other services offered by hospice care
Companionship. As they near death, many people seem to retrench, displaying less interest and energy in engaging with the world and people around them. But they may find it soothing to have someone read to them, play their favorite music, or simply sit quietly nearby as a calming presence.

Others seem energized at the end, with a strong urge to reminisce and discuss the past — and they might find it most soothing to have a compassionate person around to listen and interact with them. Interestingly, many find it easier to open up to strangers rather than family members who carry the history and baggage of the years. Many hospice services can arrange for such social visitors, often drawn from a pool of community volunteers.
Spiritual care. Hospice care emphasizes the spiritual needs of a patient and the rest of his or her family members. The spiritual care provided is tailored to the needs and beliefs of the individuals involved — and can encompass issues as basic as talking about the meaning of death to performing particular religious rituals. For example, a hospice worker may be able to arrange to have a volunteer visit daily and read Bible passages to a patient who would find this soothing.

Transferring from home care to inpatient care. If a patient’s medical condition changes and he or she must be admitted to a hospital, extended-care facility, or a hospice inpatient facility, the hospice provider can coordinate the transfer. Hospice workers can also stay informed about the treatment and keep in touch with you and family members, arranging to resume in-home care when appropriate.

Respite care. As a caregiver, it’s practically inevitable that you’ll need time off from your responsibilities to relieve stress, regroup, and prevent burnout — and respite care makes that possible. Hospice workers can provide temporary, intermittent, substitute care, relieving you of daily caregiving responsibilities.

During the break, you can rest and attend to your own personal and health needs. Most hospice services arrange for one to five days of respite care.

Family conferences. Hospice services generally schedule regular family conferences, often facilitated by a nurse or social worker, so that family members can stay informed about their loved one’s condition and can learn what to expect during the days of physical decline ahead. Such conferences also provide everyone with the opportunity to discuss their feelings, talk about expectations, and learn about death and dying.

After-death services. After a death, hospice workers can perform necessary cleanup, dispose of unused medications, and call for the body to be picked up by a funeral or cremation service if that has been arranged in advance.

Bereavement care. Following a death, the hospice care team can help everyone through the grieving process. A trained volunteer, clergy member, or professional counselor can provide emotional support through visits, phone calls, e-mail messages, and letters. Many hospice agencies also offer support groups or will make referrals to other medical or psychological resources if needed. Bereavement services are generally available for about a year after a death occurs.

Paying for hospice care
How much hospice care will cost depends on the length and types of services required. But because a patient may receive the care at home rather than in a hospital, and because palliative end-of-life care generally doesn’t require a great deal of technical equipment, it’s generally less expensive than traditional medical care.

Another thing that helps hold down the cost of hospice care is that most providers have a policy of basing their charges on need rather than an ability to pay.
Still, hospice bills can easily run several thousands of dollars or more if care is required for more than a few months.

Some of the costs must be paid with personal family assets and insurance, at least initially. The vast majority of hospice care bills, however, are currently paid by Medicare, the federal health insurance program that covers some younger people with disabilities and those adults who:

are age 65 and older who haven’t turned 65 yet but who’ve received Social Security disability payments for two years, or are diagnosed with end-stage renal disease.

In some locales, church and religious groups offer volunteer services and money for those who can’t afford to pay for hospice care on their own. In addition, those with limited income and financial resources may qualify for such care through the Medicaid program. And still others receive financial assistance through programs offered by specialized groups, such as the Veterans Health Administration, Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services, or Indian Health Services.

Question by Don’t you get it??: Once you enter Hospice why is it that they start to take you off medications?
My Father is starting Hospice today, and they said that they will be taking some med away… Is this normal?

Best answer:

Answer by K.P.
Absolutely, A hospice, most often, is where someone is going to die.They begin removing meds slowly and only maintain the ones needed to keep the patient out of pain. It’s like a legal assisted suicide, it allows the person to die with dignity.

What do you think? Answer below!

A Guide to Children and Grief and The Funeral Preplanning Guide
Here are some eBooks you might find useful if you know a grieving child or if you are trying to make end-of-life decisions for yourself or a loved one.
A Guide to Children and Grief and The Funeral Preplanning Guide

San Francisco, CA (Vocus) February 11, 2009

Hospice By The Bay offers an eight-week group to help adults who have lost a spouse, partner, or significant other, cope with feelings of grief. The group meets Thursdays, March 19th – May 7th, 6:30-8:00pm, at Hospice By The Bay, 1902 Van Ness Ave., 2nd Floor, San Francisco. The fee for one group series is waived for those whose family member received Hospice By The Bay’s care in the past year. Donations are gratefully accepted. For other community members, the fee is $ 175. Hospice By The Bay is committed to providing support to anyone who needs our services regardless of their financial circumstances. Contact our Bereavement Team to qualify for our sliding scale fee.

Reservations are required. Please call the Bereavement Team at (415) 526-5699, ext. 8500, by March 12th. For online information about Hospice By The Bay Bereavement groups and activities, visit www.hospicebythebay.org.

Hospice By The Bay, which serves Marin, San Francisco, Northern San Mateo, and Sonoma counties, is dedicated to providing the highest quality of end-of-life care to patients and their families regardless of their ability to pay. Hospice By The Bay also serves people whose lives have been affected by the loss of a loved one through its community grief support program.

Hospice By The Bay is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been serving the Bay Area since 1975. Hospice By The Bay programs are funded through health care reimbursement and financial donations from community members and businesses. For more information about Hospice By The Bay services or how to support our work, call (415) 626-5900, or visit www.hospicebythebay.org

Calendar Listing:

Spousal/Partner Loss Support Group Starts March 19th: Hospice By The Bay offers an eight-week, grief support group for adults who have lost a spouse, partner, or significant other. Meetings are Thursdays, March 19th – May 7th, 6:30-8:00pm, at Hospice By The Bay, 1902 Van Ness Ave., 2nd Floor, San Francisco. The fee for one group series is waived for those whose family member received Hospice By The Bay’s care in the past year. For other community members, the fee is $ 175. Hospice By The Bay is committed to providing support to anyone who needs our services regardless of their financial circumstances. Contact our Bereavement Team to qualify for our sliding scale fee. For reservations, call (415) 526-5699, ext. 8500, by March 12th For information about our grief support program, visit www.hospicebythebay.org.

Contact:

Erin Henke

Hospice By The Bay

Director of Communications & Community Relations

(415) 526-5668

ehenke (at) hospicebythebay (dot) org

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