Think about a hospice or palliative care consult if…

• Multiple re-hospitalizations (2 or more in 6 months)
• DNR/DNI Goals of Care in place or discussion needed
• Advanced Disease & Frequent Infections Present
• Consistent Weight Loss
• Multiple Chronic/Co-morbid Medical Conditions
• Pre-Hospital/ED Cardiac arrest survivor
• Consideration of peg tube, enteral feeding, tracheostomy placement

Common Hospice Disease Triggers

• End Stage Malignant Neoplasm
• Aspiration Pneumonia
• End Stage COPD
• Heart Failure
• Septicemia
• Renal Failure

Did you know…

We provide 13 months of bereavement support to Hospice at HCS families. We also offer support groups that are open to the community.

Myths about what hospice is or how it works can be detrimental to its success. So, we hope by busting a few of these myths, we can help provide a better understanding of what hospice really is.

MYTH #1 – Hospice is this place where people go to die – to give up hope.

Fact: Quite the opposite. Hospice is not a place. It is a special kind of health care focused on keeping the patient comfortable once the patient and physician have decided that the underlying disease can no longer be treated or cured. Hospice care can occur in a variety of settings ꟷ home, nursing home or assisted living.

MYTH #2 – Hospice is just for the patient.

Fact: While service to the patient is a large part of what hospice provides, it is so much more than that. Hospice care not only provides for physical needs, but it also provides for the psychological/spiritual needs of patients and families. Hospice also provides bereavement follow up for families for up to 13 months after the death; groups are also available to the community as needed.

MYTH #3 – Once on hospice care, a patient can no longer receive traditional care.

Fact: Each patient’s plan of care is individualized to his or her circumstances by their primary care physician and their hospice care team. Patients sometimes go in and out of hospice based on their needs. Hospice patients are encouraged to keep appointments with their primary care physician as desired and these are covered under Medicare Part B.

MYTH #4 – Patients can only get hospice for six months.

Fact: Medicare benefits and some private insurance companies base the need for hospice on a certain set of criteria. Within those criteria, it speaks to the prognosis for life expectancy being six months or less. This does not mean the care is automatically discontinued should the patient live beyond this timeframe.

MYTH #5 – Hospice only starts when a person is homebound & bedridden.

Fact: Hospice is about enhancing quality of life. Many patients can live happy, productive lives outside of the confines of their home. They are encouraged to celebrate life in any way they can do so, focusing on living to the best of their ability.

These are just a sampling of the myths that surround hospice care. If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact a hospice team member to get all the answers you need. Call us at 603-352-2253.