| Who Can Receive Hospice Services? |
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ARTICLE SUMMARY People who are seriously declining from old age, suffering from end stage heart and lung disease, or those who have cancer are the most common group of people receiving hospice today. If your parent or loved one is in a decline – has lost a significant amount of weight, is in pain, has lost mobility – then they may be eligible for certification for hospice care. Who can receive services:
Hospice is simply additional care. It is merely seeking a benefit to help provide care when care is needed for those who are suffering and need our help. Who can receive hospice services FULL ARTICLE People who are suffering from cancer, end stage heart and lung disease, or seriously declining from old age are the most common group of people receiving hospice today. If your parent or loved one is in a decline – has lost a significant amount of weight, is in pain, has lost mobility – then they may be eligible for certification for hospice care. Hospice companies provide free evaluation to a patient to see if appropriate for hospice services. The certification is a statement prepared by a hospice company that states the patient has 6 months or less to live if the disease runs its normal course. This statement of terminal illness will be signed by 2 physicians, one of whom will be the hospice physician, the other is your own personal physician. Decisions to place a loved one in a hospice program are not irrevocable. The easy thing about hospice care is one can come in and go out of the hospice program as often as needed. At times once hospice care is begun, a patient’s condition will improve due to the extra care received, sometimes to the point that the patient can be discharged. Graduation from hospice care is a reason to celebrate. However, once services are discontinued, the patient may slip back into a decline, and once more, hospice services may be called for. There is nothing wrong with going in and out of a hospice program as the services are needed. Hospice is simply additional care. At some point in time we are all eligible for hospice care, and when that time comes, do not be afraid that this is giving up. It is merely seeking a benefit to help provide care when care is needed for those who are suffering and need our help. |