Hospice programs provide care without attempting to cure the condition.
Hospice is a special way of caring for people who are terminally ill. According to the Hospice Foundation of America, one out of three people in the United States chooses hospice when end-of-life care is needed. The goal of hospice is to provide physical care and emotional support for terminally ill patients and their families. Physicians typically refer patients for hospice care programs. Making the decision to choose hospice care is often confusing and difficult, but resources are available to help you choose a hospice care provider.
Instructions
1. Determine where your loved one will receive hospice care. Hospice care can take place inside the home, at a nursing home or in a hospital for short-term hospice care. It is important to know where hospice care will be needed because you want a company with staff in your area should you need immediate assistance with your loved one.
2. Ask the referring physician or social worker for a recommendation. When a patient is referred to hospice care by a doctor or social worker, the patient is usually provided with a list of hospice care providers in the area. Because health care personnel work with hospice care providers every day, they are often aware of complaints against the company and of the company's general reputation.
3. Consider the quality of care offered by each hospice care provider on your list. Most hospice agencies operate under general guidelines that require they offer basic care, but quality of service is extremely important for patients and their family. According to WhereToFindCare.com, you should look for quality care services in important areas, such as pain management, staff responsiveness to patient requests and quality of personal care received.
4. Verify that the hospice agencies you are considering accept your loved one's insurance and are a Medicare-certified agency. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, you must receive care from a Medicare-approved hospice program to receive full coverage status. Call your local Medicare office or visit the Medicare website (see Resources) for a statewide list of Medicare-approved hospice programs.
5. Compare the different kinds of services offered by the hospice agencies being considered. It is important to verify that a hospice agency has a full staff available to provide care when necessary, including nurses, home health aides, social workers, chaplains and volunteers who can provide a break for your family when needed. Verify that the staff is available through a local office to provide quick assistance when you need immediate attention.
6. Check whether the hospice care providers on your list are registered with leading hospice care organizations, such as the Hospice Association of America and the National Association of Home Care and Hospice. You can ask someone at the hospice center whether it is registered. These associations represent thousands of hospice providers, health care personnel, caregivers and volunteers who serve terminally ill patients and their families. Membership signifies an agreement to provide high standards of quality care for hospice services.
Tags: hospice care, hospice care, care providers, hospice agencies, hospice care, hospice care providers