Patients receiving palliative or hospice care can continue to see their primary care physician and other specialists, though insurance coverage may vary; check with your insurance carrier for limitations.
Families’ Experiences Associated with High Satisfaction Regarding Hospice Services
( National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, 2005— based upon 116,974 surveys from 819 hospices; National Institute on Aging, July 2016)
• Family members concurred that the hospice team regularly informed them about their loved one’ s condition.
• The family felt that the hospice team provided family members with the right amount of emotional support.
• Family members felt that the hospice team provided them with accurate information about the patient’ s medical treatment.
• Family members could identify one nurse as the team leader in charge of their loved one’ s care and care plan.
The Take-Away Message
Although similar, palliative care and hospice care are two distinct care options available to people living with chronic illness or disease. In particular, hospices vary widely as to the services, professional staff, and frequency of visits they offer. A referring practitioner cannot( and should not) promise or assure which services a patient and family will receive from a hospice organization. Families need to consult with hospice agencies on an individual basis to ask questions specific to one’ s own situation. We at CurePSP hope that you will discuss your needs and concerns with your family, your physician( s), and an experienced social worker or nurse, and then interview at least two different palliative care and / or hospice agencies to determine which one is the best fit for you.
Resources
• American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine • info @ aahpm. org • www. palliativedoctors. org
• Center to Advance Palliative Care • 212-201-2670 • capc @ mssm. edu • www. getpalliativecare. org
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services • 800-633-4227 • www. medicare. gov
• www. medicare. gov / coverage / hospice-care
• Death with Dignity • 503-228-4415 • www. deathwithdignity. org
• Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care( EPEC) • 312-503-3732 • info @ epec. net • www. epec. net
• Eldercare Locator • 800-677-1116 • www. eldercare. acl. gov
• Family Caregiver Alliance— National Center on Caregiving • 800-445-8106 • www. caregiver. org
• Five Wishes • www. fivewishes. org
• Grandfolk • www. grandfolk. com
• Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association • 412-787-9301 • hpna @ hpna. org • www. advancingexpertcare. org
• Hospice Association of America— National Association for Home Care and Hospice
• 202-546-4759 • hospice. nahc. org
• Hospice Foundation of America • 800-854-3402 • info @ hospicefoundation. org • www. hospicefoundation. org
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization • 800-658-8898
• caringinfo @ nhpco. org • www. caringinfo. org • www. nhpco. org
• National Institute on Aging Information Center • 800-222-2225 • niaic @ nia. nih. gov • www. nia. nih. gov
• U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs • www. va. gov / GERIATRICS / Guide / LongTermCare / Hospice _ Care. asp
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