Common Questions About Hospice

How can a person be referred to Hospice Ministries?

Anyone may contact us to discuss the need for hospice care.

Are family members involved in hospice services?

Family members are encouraged to participate in the patient’s care as much as possible. The patient and family always have the last word in the decisions that are made.

Must someone be with the patient at all times?

In the early stages of care, it is usually not necessary to be with the patient at all times. Once a patient’s disease progresses to the point it is unsafe for the patient to be alone, then it is recommended a caregiver be with the patient at all times.

Who pays for Hospice Ministries’ services?

Our reimbursement is from Medicare, Medicaid, the Veteran’s Administration, private insurance, and private pay. Hospice Ministries provides care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.

What about the patient’s attending physician?

Attending physicians are encouraged to continue caring for their patients in conjunction with the hospice team. If he or she chooses to relinquish the role, the patient will be referred to our Medical Director.

Does hospice cover medication, equipment, and supplies?

Yes, if the need for these items is related to the life-limiting illness.

What happens if we need the hospice nurse on weekends or nights?

A Hospice Ministries’ Registered Nurse is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help patients and family members deal with the challenge of a life-limiting illness.

Can a hospice patient who shows signs of recovery be returned to regular medical treatment?

Certainly. If improvement in the condition occurs and the progression of the illness stabilizes, the patient may be discharged from Hospice Ministries.

Are personal care services provided?

Hospice Ministries’ Hospice Aides help preserve each patient’s dignity and independence. They help with personal care such as bathing and dressing.

What is the role of the Social Worker?

The social worker will help resolve difficult situations and helps deal with emotional issues. The social worker may help with financial planning, help obtain other community resources, and help support the patient and family in coping with the illness and death.

What about spiritual needs?

Hospice Ministries’ Chaplains respect each person’s spiritual preference, honoring all faiths and denominations. They are sensitive to the spiritual needs of terminally ill patients and involve clergy of patient’s or caregiver’s own faith, if it is desired.

How can volunteers help?

Volunteers offer a friendly smile, a listening ear, and a helping hand. They can run errands, read to the patient, or just offer support by being there. Each volunteer has completed an in-depth training program and all are ready to offer helping hands for everyday tasks.

How do you help us with our loss?

Bereavement support is the way we care for our family members before and after a loss. Our services include personal visits, telephone calls, educational materials, and support group opportunities. We continue to support our hospice families for thirteen months after their loss.

Does going to hospice care mean giving up hope.

Choosing hospice care in no way means a patient is giving up hope. It may be redefining hope. Whereas a patient once hoped for a cure, they may now hope to be pain-free. Hope for a patient may mean seeing a distant friend or relative one last time or taking a trip to the beach. Hope could be as simple as wanting to spend as much time with loved ones as possible or remaining at home rather than having to go to the hospital or nursing home.

If a patient lives longer than six months, can hospice continue to care for him or her?

The patient’s own physician and the Hospice Medical Director decide whether or not hospice care is appropriate. If the physician determines the illness is still following its normal course, then the patient continues to be qualified for hospice care. Some patients receive hospice well beyond six months.

Is hospice expensive?

Medicare and Medicaid both have comprehensive hospice benefits and there is no cost to the patient. Most private insurances also pay for hospice services. Hospice Ministries accepts patients based on their need for care, not their ability to pay.

Are all hospices the same?

Not all hospice programs are the same. There is only one Hospice Ministries. We have our own inpatient facility, a grief center for children and adolescents, a program to honor veterans and meet their special needs, an in-hospital hospice program called “Passages”, a “Faith in Action Program”, a Pet Therapy Program, a large number of volunteers, and multiple locations providing inhome hospice care. Hospice Ministries is not for profit.

Once a patient elects hospice care, can he or she return to traditional medical treatment?

Patients always have the right to reinstate traditional care at any time, for any reason. If a patient’s condition improves or the disease stabilizes, he or she can be discharged from a hospice and return to aggressive, curative measures, if so desired. If a discharged patient wants to return to hospice care, Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance companies will allow re-admission.

Is hospice only for people with cancer?

Hospice care is appropriate for all people with a life limiting illness, regardless of the diagnoses. Some of the most common non-cancer diagnoses are congestive heart failure, chronic lung disease such as COPD, stroke, and Alzheimer’s dementia.