Can I still keep my personal possessions and receive hospice care?

Hospice service is not based on the amount of income or personal property that our patients have. We will never ask for banking information or for proof of ownership of property. Patients can have all their personal property without losing hospice care

How Does Hospice Provide Comfort?

Hospice provides care 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Our staff is trained to effectively handle situations that involve your care.

Your primary physician plays an important role in the plan of care and is continuously involved with the care you receive.

The hospice medical director, which is a physician, oversees the plan of care and meets with the hospice staff every 2 weeks and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Registered nurses coordinate each patient’s plan of care and focuses on pain management, symptom relief, and educating the family how to care for their loved one.

Home Health Aides assist with bathing, dressing, linen changing, light housekeeping, transfers, preparing light meals, and all other personal needs.

Licensed social workers offer support with emotional, financial, and end of life issues. They provide detailed information on advanced directives and guidance with making those decisions.

Chaplains offer spiritual support and counseling based on your preference of faith.

Volunteers are available to assist with everyday activities, provide phone calls of concern, or just simply mailing a card to let you know someone cares. These are trained individuals that are not paid but do these acts of kindness because of passion they have for helping people.

As the end of life’s journey draws to a close, Heart to Heart Hospice provides comfort packs in the home, which enables nursing staff to have medications readily available to provide comfort when it matters most.

Can I still keep my personal possessions and receive hospice care?
Hospice service is not based on the amount of income or personal property that our patients have. We will never ask for banking information or for proof of ownership of property. Patients can have all their personal property without losing hospice care

What Diagnoses are Common to Hospice Care?

Anyone who has been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness where a cure is not possible such as:

• Cancer
• Heart Disease
• Lung Disease
• Alzheimer's
• Kidney Disease
• Liver Disease
• Congestive Heart Failure
• Emphyseme
• Any illness for which there is no cure

What is Hospice Care?

Hospice is a special concept of care designed to provide comfort and support to patients and their families when a life-limiting illness no longer responds to cure-oriented treatments. Hospice is about living each day to the fullest. The goal of hospice is to improve the quality of a patient’s last days by managing their pain and symptoms.

Hospice deals with the emotional, social, and spiritual impact of the disease on the patient and their family.

The patient’s primary physician and/or the hospice medical director determines what medicines will be most effective, after assessment of the patient’s pain and symptoms.

A hospice nurse coordinates the care provided by the hospice team to the patient; and initial assessment is done by the hospice nurse upon admission, after which the hospice plan of care is written and approved by the physician.

The hospice team is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to meet the needs of the patient and family, at home. Team members may be reached by calling Heart To Heart Hospice, Inc.’s local or toll free number at any time.

Bereavement counseling for a bereaved family is available up to 13 months following the death of a patient. Periodic checks are made to assure the family is handling their grief appropriately, with counseling, support groups, and other involvement being encouraged as needed.

What is Paid for with Hospice Care?

Hospice pays for:

• Medications related to the illness
• Medical supplies
• Durable medical equipment
• Nutritional supplements
• Professional nursing services available 24 hours, 7 days per week

What is Respite Care?

Medicare Hospice Benefits pay for 5 days/4 nights in-patient care so that patients can have continued care if their caregivers and/or family members need to be relieved of their care-giving duties for a short period of time.

What Services are Provided by Hospice?

Hospice provides 4 levels of nursing care by a professional nursing staff:

1. Home Care for pain management and symptom control
2. Continuous home care during a crisis
3. General in-patient care for pain and symptom management
4. Respite care – relief for the caregiver

Note: The patient DOES NOT have to home bound to receive hospice services. Hospice provides care at home, assisted living or personal care homes, contracted nursing homes, and contracted hospitals.

Who Pays for Hospice Services?

Hospice services are paid for by Medicare Part A, most state Medicaid, Private Insurance, and Private Pay.
*No one will ever be denied services from Heart To Heart Hospice, Inc. due to their inability to pay for services.

Who Qualifies for Hospice Care?

When a patient is diagnosed by a physician as being terminally ill and a life expectancy of 6 month or less would be a good lifespan; the person has elected not to receive further curative treatment and the person lives in the area of service that hospice is provided.