Making the Bold Decision.
How to Qualify for Hospice Care: What You Need to Know.
If you or a loved one are facing a serious illness, understanding hospice care can help you make better informed decisions. Here’s how to know if someone qualifies:
1. Life Expectancy: Hospice care is for patients with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of six months or less, as certified by a doctor and a hospice physician.
2. You’ve Boldly Chosen to Focus on Comfort: Patients agree to receive comfort care instead of curative treatments for their terminal illness.
3. Doctor’s Approval: Both the patient’s doctor and a hospice doctor must certify eligibility.
4. Patient Choice: The patient must choose hospice and sign a statement accepting this type of care.
5. Coverage: Hospice is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, VA benefits, and most private insurance plans.
If you’re thinking about hospice, why not talk about it now. Discussions with your family, friends who may have experienced hospice, and loved ones, only provides you information to make informed decisions about your next steps. Home care, palliative care, and other options may be the best fit for the time and situation that you are in.
How Do Your Family Members Play a Role?
1. Emotional and Spiritual Support: They can provide comfort, reassurance, and companionship.
2. Advocacy: Family members advocate for your goals and wishes. Having a clear understanding of what those wishes are is so important while taking the burden off their shoulders.
3. Communication: They can serve as a bridge between the patient, hospice team, and other healthcare providers, helping to coordinate care and share important information along the journey.
4. Physical Care: Some family members will be the primary care givers to assist with daily needs and comfort measures along with the support of the hospice provider.
5. Self-Care and Support: Hospice programs also offer resources and counseling to help families cope with the emotional and practical challenges of end-of-life care.
Family involvement is essential for both the patient’s well-being and the family’s own emotional health.