| |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
This is a list of the our most frequently
asked questions. If you don't find what you are looking for,
please contact us: info@wwhospice.org |
|
| |
|
|
| |
What is hospice? |
|
| |
Hospice offers comprehensive, compassionate
care for people at the end of life and support for families.
Hospice offers palliative care that seeks to comfort rather
than cure. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Who can receive
hospice care? |
|
| |
Any person facing the advancing stages of any
terminal illness is eligible for care. Hospice care is
appropriate when the following conditions are met:
The physician thinks that the patient will live 6 months or
less if the disease runs its normal course; aggressive
treatments are not working or providing relief to the
patient; and the patient, family and physician agree and
understand that the focus of care is on comfort (pain
control and symptom management), not cure.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
What patient care services does
WWCH offer?
|
|
| |
Hospice care can include a wide variety of services to
relieve the patient and family of many of the burdens
associated with a terminal illness. Hospice patients are
cared for by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers,
certified nursing assistants, clergy and volunteers. Each
provides assistance based on his or her area of expertise.
In addition, WWCH provides medications, supplies and
equipment related to the terminal illness. A registered
nurse is on call 24 hours per day, seven days a week.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
How does hospice address pain
management?
|
|
| |
WWCH addresses physical, emotional and spiritual pain.
Hospice nurses and doctors are up to date on the latest
medications and techniques for pain and symptom relief. The
success rate of hospice in managing pain is very high, and
most patients can be kept comfortable.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Will medications prevent
the patient from being able to talk or know what is
happening?
|
|
| |
Usually not. It is the goal of hospice to allow the
patient to be pain free but alert. By continually
consulting with the patient, hospices have been very
successful in reaching this goal.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
What is the role of the
patient’s physician in hospice care?
|
|
| |
The patient’s physician remains responsible for and coordinates care
of the patient with WWCH nurses.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Does hospice do anything to
make death come sooner?
|
|
| |
WWCH recognizes dying as a natural process and neither
hastens nor postpones death.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Where is hospice care
provided?
|
|
| |
Hospice is a philosophy of care, not a place. Most hospice
patients receive care at home or at the home of a relative
or friend. Hospice care can also be provided in long term
care facilities and nursing homes. Some hospices have
residential units designed to provide a homelike setting for
patient care. Walla Walla Community Hospice does not have an
in patient facility.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
How is hospice different from
other types of home health?
|
|
| |
Comfort vs. Cure: For most home health care
providers, the goal is to make the patient well. With
hospice care, the staff and family recognize that the
patient will not get well. They focus on comfort and support
rather than cure.
Interdisciplinary Team Approach: In hospice, all
members of the care team – physicians, nurses, social
workers, chaplain, nursing assistants and volunteers –
work together to coordinate care.
Family Focus: Hospice care focuses on the entire
family. The hospice team teaches the family how to be
involved in their loved one’s care.
Grief Support: Hospice care does not end when a
patient dies. Hospice support staff and volunteers
maintain contact with the family for at least one year after
the death of a patient.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Is there any special equipment
or changes I have to make in the home before hospice care
begins?
|
|
| |
The hospice RN and social worker will assess your needs,
recommend any equipment, and help make arrangements to
obtain any necessary equipment. Often the need for equipment
is minimal at first and increases as the disease gets worse.
In general, hospice will assist in any way it can to make
home care as convenient, clean and safe as possible.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
How many family members or
friends does it take to care for a patient at home?
|
|
| |
There is no set number. One of the first things the
hospice team will do is to prepare an individualized care
plan that will address the amount of caregiving needed.
Hospice staff visits regularly and are always accessible to
answer medical questions and provide support.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Is hospice care only for
cancer patients?
|
|
| |
No. Hospice care is for all terminally ill patients in the
end-stage of any disease, including, but not limited to lung
disease (emphysema, fibrosis, COPD, etc.), heart disease,
neurological disease (ALS, Alzheimer’s) and AIDS.
There is also no age restriction. While most patients in
Hospice are over 60 years of age, younger adults and
children are also served.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Who can refer a patient to
Walla Walla Community Hospice?
|
|
| |
Although anyone can refer a patient to a hospice program,
many referrals originate with the attending physician. To be
admitted, a patient must agree to treatment aimed at comfort
rather than cure and have an incurable disease resulting in
a limited life expectancy as certified by a physician.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
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 is
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.
Hospice staff members are highly sensitive to these concerns
and are always available to discuss them with the patient
and family.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
When is it the right time to
contact hospice?
|
|
| |
It is important that services begin as soon as a patient
qualifies for care. Hospice becomes an appropriate choice
when curative treatments are no longer effective. Hospice
can provide relief from physical and emotional pain so that
the patient can live their remaining days in comfort and
dignity.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
What if my doctor does not
mention hospice?
|
|
| |
The patient and family should feel free to discuss hospice
care at any time with their physician, other health care
professionals, clergy or friends.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
What does the hospice
admission process involve?
|
|
| |
One of the first things WWCH 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.
A hospice nurse will arrange an admissions appointment to
make sure that the patient agrees that hospice care is
appropriate. The patient will be asked to sign a consent
form and insurance forms, similar to the forms patients sign
when they enter a hospital. The form says that the patient
understands that the care is palliative (aimed at pain
relief and symptom control) rather than curative and
outlines the services available. The form Medicare patients
sign also tells how electing the Medicare hospice benefit
affects other Medicare coverage for a terminal illness.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Who pays the costs of care by
WWCH?
|
|
| |
Hospice care is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most
private insurance. Patients without insurance resources are
accepted and are provided the same level of care as patients
with insurance.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
What if the patient gets
better?
|
|
| |
If the patient’s condition improves, they can be
discharged from hospice and begin treatment or resume daily
life. If the patient should later need to return to hospice
care, Medicare and most insurance programs will allow
additional coverage.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Does hospice care end when the
patient dies?
|
|
| |
A unique feature of hospice care is that continuing
support for family is provided for at least a year following
the death of a loved one.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
What other programs does WWCH
offer?
|
|
| |
WWCH coordinates grief support
groups, provides
individualized grief counseling through the One on One
program, and provides grief and bereavement support to
children through Camp Amanda.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
©2010 Walla Walla Community Hospice
|
|
