Living with Dignity
Our hospice program is perhaps the best example of our mission in action. Every professional on our team embraces the philosophy of always putting patient needs ahead of all else. In hospice care, this is crucial to the physical and emotional well-being of the patient.
The broad needs of hospice patients have led us to build a multidisciplinary staff. These medical professionals have extensive hospice experience, and understand the importance of following your physician’s specific directions. It’s a structure that enables us to maintain a high quality continuum of care. Our team includes:
| Physicians/Medical Directors |
Hospice Volunteers |
| Registered Nurses |
Physical Therapists |
| Certified Nursing Assistants |
Occupational Therapists |
| Medical Social Workers |
Speech Pathologists |
| Spiritual Support Professionals |
Registered Dietitians |
| Bereavement Specialists |
Respite Care |
Minimizing Pain to Maximize the Quality of Life
It’s not uncommon for hospice patients to experience extreme and continuous discomfort at some point in their care. This can include physical pain, fatigue, depression and shortness of breath. For those patients, we provide specialized palliative care. This medical specialty is centered on safe but aggressive pain management treatments. More importantly, it can dramatically improve the patient’s comfort and quality of life.
Cost Efficient - Medicare Approved
We have the operating systems in place that allow us to provide the highest level of care in the most efficient manner possible. For patients and their families, it means more personalized attention without a higher cost. In addition, our services are covered by the Medicare Hospice benefit of Medicare Part A, as well as by Medicaid. We are also certified by the Medicare/Medicaid program as a hospice program.
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What is a Hospice Volunteer?
A hospice volunteer is someone who wishes to make a difference in the lives of the terminally ill by contributing directly or indirectly to the services provided by Hospice Services of LHC Group. Volunteers provide emotional support and practical assistance, which enhances the comfort and quality of life for patients, their families and loved ones. These services include being available for companionship, listening or simply "being there", as well as running errands and preparing meals.
Volunteers Contribute to the Success of Hospice Programs
The importance of our volunteers to the hospice program cannot be overstated. Without volunteers we could not provide either the kinds or the scope of services which are so urgently needed to enhance the quality of life for our patients and their families.
In addition, since hospice was developed in response to a community need, it is appropriate and necessary that the members of the community share in, and contribute to that growth. Volunteers serve as a link between hospice and the community for mutual support and information sharing.
Our Goal
The goal of our volunteer program is to enhance the quality of care delivered to each patient and family by supporting the professional team members.
Volunteer Tasks
- Listening and supporting the patient and family
- Reading or sitting with a patient for short periods of time
- Preparing meals
- Letter writing
- Baby sitting for children
- Observing and reporting
- Being a liaison between staff and the patient and family
- Running errands
- "Checking on" patient and family by telephone
- Assisting with clerical tasks
- Assist with community events such as educational offerings or health fairs
To become a hospice volunteer, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at a location near you. Please see the list of Hospice facilities.
Click on the facility’s link below for more information.
Arkansas
Patient's Choice Hospice (Springdale)
Louisiana
Missouri
Access Hospice Care (Branson)
North Carolina
Tennessee
Washington
Assured Hospice (Centralia)
Assured Hospice (Forks
Assured Hospice (Olympia)
Assured Hospice (Port Townsend)
Assured Hospice (Sequim)
Central Basin Home Health and Hospice (Moses Lake)
West Virginia
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does Hospice mean we are "giving up" on our loved one?
A: When a patient is admitted to hospice, it usually means there is no further curative treatment to offer. That does not mean, however, that all treatment will be discontinued. The focus is now on improving quality of life and encouraging the patient to live life to the fullest. Aggressive pain and symptom management will be provided to your loved one.
Q: Should I tell my loved one he/she is dying?
A: The hospice team will answer questions concerning death when asked, at time of admission to hospice, or when plans or decisions need to be made. Hospice staff members encourage families to be honest with the patient about about the terminal prognosis. This is a time for the patient and family to discuss issues that may need to be resolved before the patient dies. More often than not, the patient is already aware of his prognosis, but doesn’t want to say anything for fear of causing emotional pain to his family. Don’t be afraid to be honest with your loved one and say the things that need to be said.
Q: Is hospice only for people with cancer?
A: Although many of our patients have cancer, patients with any end stage disease can qualify for hospice. Some diagnosis we care for include end stage heart, lung, liver, and kidney disease, Alzheimer’s disease, end stage ALS and AIDS, just to name a few. Patients are referred to hospice care when they continue to decline after receiving optimal therapy for their condition. Anyone facing a life-limiting illness may be eligible for hospice care.
Q: A criteria for admission to hospice is a prognosis of six months or less. What if the patient lives longer than six months? Will he/she be discharged from hospice?
A: Hospice can care for patients as long as they meet the criteria. It is the responsibility of the hospice team to continually monitor the patient’s appropriateness for hospice. It is not uncommon for patients to "improve" under the care of the hospice team. This occasionally occurs due to the aggressive pain and symptom management provided by experts in palliative care. Often, when debilitating symptoms are controlled, quality of life improves and the patient feels like living again. In fact, our hospice team has discharged patients who have experienced a significant level of improvement and no longer meet the criteria for hospice.
Q: Is it true that hospice uses drugs to hasten death?
A: No. The goal of hospice care is to increase comfort while allowing the natural dying process to occur. This is often done through the use of medications which provide symptom relief without sedation. Family members are educated on how to assess their love one for pain and how to safely administer medication. Often times when a patient is provided with pain control, their bodies and minds "relax" and death may occur. In these cases, death was already imminent. The difference is the patient experienced a comfortable death, free of pain.
Q: My dad wants to die at home. What if I am not able to care for him?
A: Our team understands that concern and can offer support to not only the patient but to you and your family. As the disease progresses, the hospice team will educate you about how to meet the special needs of your dad. Should a situation warrant additional care, the hospice team is able to offer respite care in the case of "caregiver burnout" and continuous care during a medical crisis. If you and your family feel the need to admit your father to a nursing facility, hospice will assist you with this, and is able to continue providing hospice care after the transfer to his new home.
Q: My mother has been taking Morphine for 2 months now. Yesterday, her physician increased her dose because she was experiencing increased pain. Does this mean she is becoming addicted to morphine?
A: Addiction occurs when a person takes medication to get a "high" or a psychological effect, not for pain. Morphine is recommended for moderate to severe pain and is safe when used as recommended. Over time, tolerance to the medication occurs, and an increase in the dose is required. This does not mean your mother is addicted. When providing pain management for our patients, we may need to increase the dose several times. The right dose of morphine is the dose it takes to control your mother’s pain.
Q: Is hospice care expensive?
A: Hospice is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance. Medicare and Medicaid Hospice Benefits cover all hospice services related to the terminal diagnosis, and requires little, if any, out-of-pocket expense. Private insurances pay differently and out-of-pocket expenses for the patient and family may vary. In this case, the patient will be informed of any possible costs, upon admission to hospice.
Q: Is it too early to call hospice if my brother is not experiencing pain or other discomforts? Should we wait until our brother has only a few days to live before calling hospice?
A: No to both questions! Hospice care not only manages physical suffering. Hospice care is designed to maximize the quality, relationships, and experience at the end of one’s life. When a patient is being told there is no further curative treatment, a referral to hospice should be made. When a referral is made in the last few days of a patient’s life, the full aspect of hospice care can not be really provided. It is possible to provide adequate pain and symptom management when death is imminent; however, the hospice team can not fully gain the trust of the family due to the fact that they can only focus on their loved one’s impending death.
Q: If I am admitted to hospice, can I keep my own physician?
A: It is your choice of whether or not you want to continue seeing your own physician. Hospice has working relationships with many of the area physicians. Hospice does need to be notified of new medications or treatment provided by your physician. If some of your treatments and/or medications are not included on the Hospice Plan of Care, you may be responsible for some out-of-pocket expense.
Q: Is it true that hospice will let my Mom starve to death?
A: NO! As the disease progresses, your Mom’s appetite may decrease. This is part of the natural dying process. Her body does not need the calories that you or I need. The hospice team will help you to understand this and to be comfortable with the idea of your Mom not eating. When a patient is receiving nutrition through a feeding tube, hospice will not encourage you to discontinue the feeding. The team will, however, as the disease progresses, help you understand that, as evidenced by certain signs and symptoms, the feedings may no longer be beneficial for your mother. Hospice care is about choices and being comfortable with any decisions made!
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Hospice Resources
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