Hospice Care
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice is not a place, but a special care offered by a compassionate staff whose focus is to provide clinical, emotional, and spiritual support to patients with a limited life expectancy. Hospice is directed by the patient’s physician, guided by patient and family wishes and supported by our caring and compassionate interdisciplinary hospice team 24/7.
How Do I Start Hospice?
Hospice care is eligible for patients who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Typically, the physician will initiate the hospice discussion when a patient’s prognosis is determined to be six months or less. However, anyone involved in the care of a patient, and patients themselves may contact Destiny. Upon receiving an inquiry, we will contact the patient’s physician for approval and send our professional staff to visit the patient and family at home or wherever the patient resides. Our licensed nurse will evaluate the patient and present our program services. We will then contact the physician to review the diagnosis and request orders to begin hospice.
We Provide A Special Care Plan
The hospice team develops a care plan that meets each patient’s individual needs for pain management and symptom control. Among its major responsibilities, the interdisciplinary hospice team:
- Manages the patient’s pain & symptoms
- Assists the patient with the emotional and psychosocial & spiritual aspects of dying
- Provides needed drugs, medical supplies, and equipment
- Coaches the family on how to care for the patient
- Delivers special services like speech and physical therapy when needed
- Makes short-term in-patient care available when pain or symptoms become too difficult to manage at home, or the caregiver needs respite time
- Provides bereavement care and counseling to surviving family and friends
Where Are Hospice Services Provided?
Patients may be seen at Skilled Nursing Homes, Assisted Livings, Board & Cares, and anywhere they call home. If relief is needed for caregivers, respite care is available at a Skilled Nursing Home for up to 5 days for each certification period. This care is provided 24 hours a day with skilled nursing staff available at all times.
Who Will Pay For Hospice?
Hospice is a covered benefit under Medicare, Medi-Cal, HMO, PPOs, and private insurance plans.
What Are Some Of The Benefits Of Hospice?
Medications to keep you pain free and comfortable, (DME) durable medical equipment, and other supplies related to the hospice diagnosis and care: (hospital bed, wheelchair, bedside commode, oxygen, diapers, etc.) will be covered by Destiny Hospice & Palliative Care.
