 |
  |
||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
|
||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Frequently Asked Questions The following are some of the questions most often asked regarding hospice care. We hope they will help you understand our services better. Q. What is Lory’s Place? A. Lory’s Place is a grief healing and education center dedicated to building hope and strength for every grieving family. Lory's Place provides services at no charge to adults as well as children, age 3 to 18, and their parents, guardians, grandparents, other relatives and close friends through peer support groups, community education and supportive activities. The Center also offers an Anticipatory Grief program to assist those experiencing the anticipated death of a loved one, family member or someone close due to illness or disease. Q. What exactly is hospice care? A. Hospice is compassionate care for the terminally ill and their family members. In addition to addressing the physical needs of the patients, hospice provides spiritual and emotional care to both the patients and their entire families. Hospice allows the patient to spend their final days in dignity and comfort. Q. What specific assistance does hospice provide patients? A. Each patient is cared for by an entire team of professionals to include: the patient's physician, the nurse, and the hospice social worker. Optional services available to assist the patient and family are home health aides, clergy, therapist, and community volunteers. In addition to staffing, hospice also provides medications, supplies, and equipment related to the terminal illness. Q. How does hospice "manage pain"? A. Hospice nurses are up to date on the very latest in pain medications and techniques for symptom relief. It is the goal of Hospice to allow the patient to live as alert and pain free as possible. Hospice recognizes that emotional and spiritual pain are as real as physical pain, so each is addressed with respect for the entire individual. Q. Does hospice do anything to hasten or postpone the dying process? A. No. Hospice simply provides a comforting presence and specialized knowledge during the dying process. Q. When should a decision about entering a hospice program be made? A. At any time during a life-limiting illness it is appropriate to discuss all of a patient's care options, including hospice. Understandably, many people are uncomfortable with discontinuing aggressive therapy. Hospice staff members are highly sensitive to patient and family concerns, and are always available to discuss them. Q. What does the hospice admission process involve? A. Hospice will contact the patient's physician to verify that hospice care is appropriate. The hospice admissions nurse will schedule an informational visit with the patient and the patient's family. There is no obligation to sign with hospice at this time. Q. What changes should the family make in the home before hospice care begins? A. None. Hospice will access the needs and make arrangements for all necessary equipment. Q. Can a hospice patient return to regular medical treatment? A. Yes, the patient can be discharged from hospice care for a variety of reasons. The patient may be readmitted at a later date, if he/she is hospice appropriate. Q. Is the home the only place that hospice care can be administered? A. No. Although most patients remain at home, many patients live in nursing homes, Adult Foster Care Homes, and Assisted Living facilities. Q. If the patient is eligible for Medicare, will there be additional expenses to be paid? A. Medicare covers all services and supplies that are related to the terminal illness. Q. If Medicare or health insurance does not cover the patient, will hospice still provide care? A. Yes. Hospice is committed to providing care, regardless of the patient's ability to pay. Q. What type of services are provided to the family after the patient dies? A. Hospice provides Bereavement support for at least a year following the death of a loved one. Back to Top
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||