Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs hospice care?
Some 78 percent of all hospice patients have cancer. Others may have either heart disease, dementia, or AIDS. However, Wells House Hospice provides compassionate palliative treatment and end-of-life care to patients without regard to diagnosis. More than a million patients and their families have utilized the services of hospice.
When should a decision about entering a hospice program be made and who should make it?
At any time during a life-limiting illness, it’s appropriate to discuss all of a patient’s care options, including hospice. By law the decision belongs to the patient.
Understandably, most people are uncomfortable with the idea of stopping an all-out effort to “beat” the disease. Wells House Hospice is highly sensitive to these concerns and always available to discuss them with the patient and family.
Should I wait for our physician to raise the possibility of hospice, or should I raise it first?
The patient and family should feel free to discuss hospice care at any time with their present physician, other healthcare professionals, clergy, or friends.
What if our physician doesn’t know about hospice?
Your physician will know about hospice.
More information is available from a variety of sources:
• National Hospice Helpline, 1-800-658-8898.
• American Cancer Society 1-866-228-4327
• American Association of Retired Persons 1-888-687-2277
Can a hospice patient who shows signs of recovery be returned to regular medical treatment?
Yes. If the patient’s condition improves and the disease seems to be in remission, patients can be discharged from hospice and return to aggressive therapy or go about their daily life.
What does the hospice admission process involve?
One of the first things hospice will do is contact the patient’s physician to make sure he or she agrees that hospice care is appropriate for this patient at this time. The patient will also be asked to sign consent and insurance forms. The “Hospice Election Form” states that the patient understands that the care goal is pain relief and symptom control rather than curative. The form Medicare patients sign states how electing the Medicare hospice benefit affects other Medicare coverage for a terminal illness.
Is there any special equipment or changes I have to make in my home before hospice care begins?
Wells House Hospice will assess your needs, make recommendations, and help make arrangements to obtain any necessary equipment.
How many family members or friends does it take to care for a patient at home?
There’s no set number. One of the first things a Wells House Hospice team will do is to prepare an individualized care plan that will, among other things, address the amount of care giving needed. Our hospice staff visits regularly and is always accessible to answer medical questions and provide support.
Must someone be with the patient at all times?
In the early weeks of care, it is usually not necessary for someone to be with the patient all the time. However, one of the most common fears of patients is dying alone. Later in the illness, Wells House Hospice will recommend constant care. While family and friends must be relied on to give most of the care, our hospice provides volunteers to assist with errands and to provide a break and time away for major caregivers.
How difficult is caring for a dying loved one at home?
It’s never easy and sometimes can be quite difficult. At the end of a long, progressive illness, nights especially can be very long, lonely, and frightening. Our hospice has staff available around the clock to consult with the family and will make night visits if the need arises.
What specific assistance does hospice provide home-based patients?
Wells House Hospice patients are cared for by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, counselors, home health aides, clergy, therapists, dietitians, and volunteers. In addition, hospices can help provide medications, supplies, equipment, and additional helpers in the home.
Does hospice do anything to make death come sooner?
No. Wells House Hospice does nothing either to speed up or to slow down the dying process. Just as doctors and midwives lend support and expertise during the time of childbirth, our hospice provides its presence and specialized knowledge during the dying process.
Is caring for the patient at home the only place hospice care can be delivered?
No. Although, 90% of hospice is spent in a personal residence, some patients live in nursing homes or hospice centers. Wells House Hospice is one of the few hospice programs in the Long Beach and Stanton areas that has such hospice centers.
How does hospice manage pain?
Wells House Hospice believes that emotional and spiritual pain are just as real and in need of attention as physical pain, so it addresses each. Our hospice nurses and doctors are up to date on the latest medications and devices for pain and symptom relief. In addition, our physical, speech and occupational therapists assist patients to be as mobile and self-sufficient as possible. To stimulate the intellect they are often joined by specialists schooled in music therapy, art therapy, and diet counseling. Finally, counselors of all kind, including clergy, are available to assist family members as well as patients.
What is hospice’s success rate in battling pain?
Pain levels vary widely among patients. However, using a combination of medications, counseling, and therapies, most Wells House Hospice patients can be kept pain free and comfortable.
Will medications prevent the patient from being able to talk or know what’s happening?
Usually not. It is the goal of Wells House Hospice to allow the patient to be pain free but alert. By constantly consulting with the patient, we have been very successful in reaching this goal.
Is Wells House Hospice affiliated with any religious organization?
Hospice is not an off-shoot of any religion. Some churches and religions start hospices which serve a broad community and do not require patients to adhere to any particular set of beliefs. Wells House Hospice provides chaplain support. However it is not affiliated with any church or religion.
Is hospice care covered by insurance?
Insurance coverage for hospice care is available through Medicare nationwide, by Medi-Cal in California, by Madicaid in some 38 states, and by most private health insurance providers.
If the patient is eligible for Medicare, will there be any additional expenses to be paid?
Medicare covers all services and supplies for the hospice patient. In some hospices, the patient may be required to pay a 5% or a $5 co-payment for medication and Respite Care. You should find out about any co-payment when researching a hospice.
If the patient is not covered by Medicare or any other health insurance, will hospice still provide care?
The first thing Wells House Hospice will do is assist families in finding out whether the patient is eligible for any coverage they may not be aware of. Barring this, we will provide for anyone who cannot pay using money raised by the community or from memorial or foundation gifts. Wells House Hospice has its own non-profit foundation.
Does hospice provide any help to the family after the patient dies?
Wells House Hospice provides continuing contact and support for family and friends for at least 13 months following the death of the loved one. We also sponsor bereavement groups and support for anyone in the community who has experienced a death.
What do you mean when you say, “Respite Care”?
There comes a time in caring for a hospice patient at home when the family and the volunteer workers need to be relieved of their daily duties. The patient is at that time moved into the hospice facility or a skilled nursing facility for a short term of 1 to 4 days.
We hope this has helped you better understand hospice.
