The sad reality is certain illnesses cannot be cured – at least for the time being. And in some cases, the patient and their doctor may determine that there is nothing more that can be done.
Hospice care is actually made for times like this, when a patients’ life expectancy is 6 months or less. Instead of focusing on the cure, the emphasis is on care and comfort – and improving the patient’s quality of life.
Unsurprisingly, reports show that hospice care patients experience better pain and symptom management. It’s not only good for the patient, but it can boost family satisfaction and morale, too.
Some, expectedly, shy away from this type of care as it seems so “final” – not knowing the many benefits it offers. In fact, there are four stages that help address varying patient needs.
Let’s explore them.
Routine Home Care
As the most common of all levels, this is often done at home (hence the name.) That said, Medicare states it may be conducted in another type of home, be it an assisted living or skilled nursing facility.
Routine home care is recommended for patients in relatively stable conditions, especially those with easily-manageable symptoms (such as occasional nausea, vomiting, or anxiety.)
So while treatments such as chemotherapeutic drugs are no longer given, other medications (such as drugs that help manage blood pressure) are still administered.
As with the other stages of hospice care, routine home care may be covered by the following:
- Medicare (for patients with less than six months to live, according to a healthcare provider)
- Medicaid
- Private insurance
In this stage, the hospice care team members work to meet the patient’s many needs. The nurse, for example, makes regular visits and implements a care plan. Nurse aides, meanwhile, assist with feeding, bathing, or dressing. Other team members can counsel the caregivers about meal preparations, the bereavement process, insurance coverage, etc.
If more help is needed, volunteers can also assist the family with errands and other minor tasks.
Although routine home care is not a 24/7 service, many hospice care companies provide on-call support as needed. That’s why it’s best to pick a service near you: their nurses can get to you quickly.
Should the patient require more attention, they may be referred to the next stage of hospice service: general inpatient care.
General Inpatient Care
General inpatient care is extended to patients in a ‘medical crisis.’ Also known as crisis care, this is meant for individuals who experience unbearable pain. It’s also ideal for patients who experience any of the following:
- Breathing problems
- Seizures
- Restlessness
- Agitation
- Frequent nausea and vomiting
- Fractures
- Sudden deterioration
Often delivered in a skilled nursing facility or hospital, general inpatient care is meant to help those that need:
- Observation and/or psycho-social monitoring
- Medication administration and/or adjustment
- Wound care
- Minor procedures
- Other stabilizing forms of treatment
As per the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), only the physician can decide whether the patient needs general inpatient care. This stage of hospice care can last 2-7 days, after which the patient may be brought back home.
Continuous Home Care
Like the scenario above, continuous home care is for patients undergoing crisis periods.
According to the Medicare Coverage Guidelines, this means that the patient needs at least eight hours of care within a 24-hour period. Continuous home care often lasts for 1 to 5 days. As such, this is ideal for patients who experience any of the following:
- Severe breathing issues
- Uncontrollable pain
- Constant nausea and vomiting
- Extreme agitation
- Frequent seizures
- Worsening conditions
In continuous home care, at least 50% of the services should be provided by a nurse, while a caregiver or an aide may do the rest.
Although this stage of hospice care is often done at the patient’s residence, it may also be performed at any place the patient calls home. They include:
- Assisted living facility
- Long-term care facility
- Non-skilled nursing facility
Respite Care
Respite care speaks for itself. Unlike the stages above, this is meant to address the caregiver’s needs instead of the patient’s.
See, even the strongest of caregivers aren’t bulletproof. They can experience physical and/or emotional exhaustion – a condition aptly known as caregiver burnout. This can be caused by:
- Extreme demands on oneself
- Lack of control regarding the situation
- Unrealistic expectations regarding the patient’s condition
- Inability to separate their other roles (i.e., caregiver role vs. the role of spouse or child)
In some cases, caregivers may be struck with an illness that stops them from looking after the patient.
According to the NHPCO, these are just two of the reasons that allow for respite care. Additionally, it may be granted to caregivers who need to attend an important event, such as a wedding.
Respite care is done in an inpatient hospice facility, skilled nursing facility, or hospital. Medicare and other insurance programs can cover it for five days every billing period.
Hospice care can make a stark difference – even when the person has such a limited time on earth. And, just like everything else, it’s best to start early. To know which stage or level of hospice care your loved one should receive, consult your physician or hospice care professional immediately.
Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/hand-in-hand-hospice-patient-1686811/
Although home health and hospice care are two different approaches to care, but both of these health care services are possible to provide wherever the patient calls home.
Hospice is meant to offer comfort care to a patient with advanced illness when curative medical treatments are not effective or preferred anymore.
On the other hand, home health care dispenses services to patients who require physical therapy, intermittent skilled nursing care, or any other relevant services as prescribed by their doctor.
Some major differences between home health and hospice care are mentioned as follows:-Hospice care is defined as a comfort care for patients with a diagnosis of six months or less while home health care is generally suggested for treatment of a chronic condition or helping in recovering from a surgery or an injury.Hospice patients do not have to be homebound but home health patients have to be homebound in order to receive the required care and treatment.All the expenses are covered by medicare for hospice patients whereas home health care patients need to pay for medications, supplies and equipment.Besides training and education, family caregivers of hospice patients receive additional psychosocial support but home health care patients do not get the same.If you want to know more regarding services given through home health and hospice care you can book an appointment with Corridor group and get a consultation.
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