When most people hear hospice, they usually associate it with patients suffering from chronic and terminal illness such as cancer, stroke, COPD, and liver failure. What doesn’t readily come to mind is that hospice care can be just as effective for those suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and related conditions like vascular dementia, Lewy Body […]
Finding Peace of Mind for Patient’s Pets
Patients in hospice care receive support and help from caregivers such as loved ones and friends, or from professional caregivers, in a care-support facility. But what happens to the pets of those who enter hospice? What happens when their owners die? The strong bond between animal owners and their pets have long been recognized. So […]
The Business of Hospice Coverage
According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, in 2014, a larger proportion of hospice patients died or were discharged within seven days of admission when compared to 2013 and a larger proportion of patients died or were discharged within 14 days of admission in 2014 when compared to 2013. A smaller proportion of […]
What are a Dying Person’s Last Words Really Like?
What’s the craziest deathbed confession you’ve heard? Do people plan out their last words? These are questions former hospice chaplain and author Kerry Egan gets asked over and over again. “The questions don’t actually match up with what typically happens when someone is dying. Instead, I suspect they’re coming from a sort of Hollywood movie […]
Helping the Terminally Ill—Medicare Hospice and Benefits
We spend our lives investing in ourselves and building our future in multiple forms, from financial (setting up college savings for our families and retirement funds for us) to building healthy habits and taking care of our health (nutrition and exercise) – but there’s one thing we don’t prepare for unless we absolutely have to, […]
A Peaceful Home Death with Hospice
Dealing with a terminal illness is never easy, but having the option to remain in the comfort of one’s home with familiar surroundings and loved ones, is a comfort to those who need it most. Read on for the story of Stage Four: A Love Story, a story of a woman’s last few years with breast […]
Dying Better
There is mounting evidence connecting hospice care with increased quality of life for terminal patients and reduced stress for caregivers. According to Dr. Camilla Zimmermann, a palliative care researcher at the University of Toronto, patients and families enrolled in hospice for more than 30 days have experienced better quality of care at the end of […]
POLST Forms and Why They’re Important
You’ve been thinking about your end of life care and have taken measures about your decisions. You’ve read the articles, spoken with family and friends about your options and set up an Advanced Health Care Directive (living will), Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD), Durable POA (Health Care Proxy), and a Medical Information Release. For some […]
Paying for Hospice: Who, What, and How Much?
Medicare Hospice Benefit, Medicaid Hospice Benefit, and most private insurers pay for hospice care. If you find yourself entering hospice but don’t have any of these coverages, hospice can work with you and your family to ensure that the services you need are still provided. The Medicare Hospice Benefit is covered under Medicare Part A (hospital […]
Dying in Peace and Why Some People Don’t
Dr. Karen Wyatt, M.D., a hospice physician and death awareness advocate, has seen patients in a variety of settings including hospice, nursing homes, and hospitals – and though the level of physical comfort may vary depending upon the care, the physical death is always the same. However, there are times when it’s a struggle for […]
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