Hospice is end-of-life care that provides comfort and support for persons with life-limiting conditions as well as their families. Hospice care aims to understand the patient's goals for care to make the person comfortable and relieve their symptoms and pain for the entire length of their illness.

How do you know when hospice care is appropriate?
The patient, family and/or physician can initiate a hospice information visit as soon as a terminal disease is diagnosed. When the patient would like to move from a treatment plan focused on curing the disease to a plan focused on providing comfort and relief, they may choose hospice care. Arbor Hospice staff will meet with the patient and/or family to discuss available services, expectations and to develop a plan of help designed specifically for the patient and family needs.

Who is eligible for hospice care?
To receive hospice, the person must get a referral from a physician stating that if the person's disease follows its normal course, death may be expected in 6 months. This does not mean that care will only be provided for 6 months, hospice can be provided as long as the person's physician and hospice team certifies that their condition remains life-limiting.
    
Who provides hospice services?
Hospice care is a family-centered approach that can include a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, counselors, spiritual care counselors, home health aides and trained volunteers. They work together focusing on the dying person's wishes and needs --physical, psychological, social and spiritual. The goal is to help keep the person as pain-free as possible, with loved ones nearby until death. The hospice team works with the person and family to develop a care plan and support network that meets the person's needs for pain management, symptom control, and emotional and physical support.

What specific services are provided as part of hospice?
The hospice team will provide the following services:

• Manage your pain and other symptoms
• Support you through the emotional, psychosocial and spiritual aspects of dying
• Provide you with medications, medical supplies and equipment associated with the terminal illness
• Teach your family skills to help them care for you
• Deliver special services like speech and physical therapy, if needed
• Make short-term inpatient care available when pain or other symptoms become too difficult to manage at home or if your family needs respite time
• Provide grief support and counseling to your loved ones

Where is hospice care provided?
The hospice team will provide services to you in your home, wherever you consider home to be. If the family is uncomfortable caring for the patient at home, the patient can be cared for in a hospital, long-term care facility or nursing home depending on the needs of the patient.

Does insurance cover these services?
Hospice is provided regardless of one's ability to pay. Hospice is paid for by the Medicare Hospice Benefit, Medicaid Hospice Benefit and most private insurers. If a person does not have coverage through Medicare, Medicaid or a private insurance company, hospice will work with the person and their family to ensure services can be provided. Private insurance coverage varies but generally includes at least some hospice coverage. Contact your insurance provider to verify your level of coverage for these services.