Hospice

requirements of the chronically ill, typically within their home and community rather than as an in-patient1. Hospice is based on the same principles of care, however, it requires that a patient be deemed with six months or less to live and that life-sustaining treatments be ceased, creating an important distinction between the two. Hospice and palliative care both provide comfort, but hospice is for comfort during end-of-life. Pain and palliative care patients have indicated that receiving that care

up of members that are appointed by the executive commissioner and will serve a four year term. The advisory council must consist of at least five physicians two of which must be certified in hospice and palliative care, at least two advanced practice registered nurses of which must also be certified in hospice and palliative care, and seven health care professionals. Those health care professionals include nurses, social workers, pharmacists, and spiritual care professionals (Texas Legislature, 2015)

fortunate in that I did not have to face death in my life until I was an adult in college and when I did, it was the expected death of my maternal grandmother after years of living with Alzheimer’s. We knew her health was declining and when she went into hospice in her final weeks, I was able to take time off school to see her one last time. She died about a week later. At the time I knew I was lucky to be able to visit and say my goodbyes, even if she didn’t know who I was. That visit was cathartic for both

can be a very difficult time for everyone involved. Hospice is a great opportunity to take advantage of; it is used for patients who are not to be recovered from their illness but rather to provide comfort and emotional support to the terminally ill, resulting in the patient being as comfortable as possible. The caregiver and patient can also have an extra support system from the nurse and interdisciplinary team. Not everyone understands what hospice is and has different views on what it may offer to

are many options to explore as consider such as Hospice, Palliative, and pain management. Hospice are is a beautiful option, there is a common misconception that if you're put on hospice care, you're dying. This couldn't be further from the truth. "Hospice care is a specialized care designed to provide support to you and your loved ones during an advanced illness. Hospice care focuses on comfort and quality of life, rather than cure. The goal of hospice care is to enable you to have an alert, pain-free

from a change is Season’s hospice. I used to work there part-time. Individuals become eligible for hospice upon reaching a 6 month or less terminal diagnosis. Individuals have the choice of dying comfortably in a hospital, nursing facility, or their home after electing hospice. Hospice care delivers palliative care to terminally ill patients. Patients with an identifiable short prognosis receive comprehensive interdisciplinary team-based palliative care through hospice in a place where they chose

July 10, 2015: To all Management and Supervisory Staff Conducting Restructuring and Staff Reductions of 24-hour Continuous Care Nursing Services Gulf-Side Hospice has provided excellence of care and services to the people of the west coast communities of Florida since 1976. Due to recent, unfortunate changes in insurance coverage, eligibility for patients to receive 24 hour continuous skilled nursing home care has been limited. The new limitations will cause the responsibility of care to

the fact she has requested to be with her family during her last days. it will be appropriate for Ella to live out her last days in the comfort of her own home. Since Ella has come to terms that she has cancer and her physician has recommended Hospice, I would assume not treating the cancer is not a decision factor for treatment decisions. She has come to terms that treatment is not available and her alternative methods are no longer effective. Although her family wish that she remains in a facility

life-limiting illness experience the benefits of a palliative care service or if they do it is very near the end of life. As an oncology nurse and a hospice nurse, we have seen

ICU. Reimbursements at an average of $622 per day at skilled nursing facilities. Although Medicare spending in 2010 was $13 billion dollars for hospice, costing approximately $10,700 on average per patient. Payments made to hospice from Medicare is not limited, although it does enforce an aggregate cap for agencies, per beneficiary of $24,500 dollars. (Hospice end of life care, 2011. Bill Fay). Ira Byock, M.D., chief medical officer of the Providence Institute for Human Caring tells Steve Kroft a correspondent