What Is Hospice?
Advantage Hospice & Home Care provides quality, compassionate care to adults, children and infants faced with any life-threatening illness (such as cancer, Alzheimer's, AIDS, ALS, end-stage heart and lung disease, and severe birth defects) and who, according to their physician, have probably entered the last six months of life. The focus of hospice care is on "comfort" and not cure. Hospice care involves a team-oriented approach in providing expert medical care, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to the patient's needs and wishes, as well as to the patient's loved ones.
Care can be provided in the patient's home, skilled nursing facility (SNF), acute care hospital, residential care, assisted living and other long-term care facilities.
Advantage Hospice & Home Care services include:
- Specialized health care services that focus on pain relief, symptom control, comfort and support for terminally ill patients at home
- Special program for skilled nursing facility residents and hospice patients in contract hospitals
- Care for children facing life-threatening illness
- An interdisciplinary team of specially trained professionals to help care for the patient including a physician, nurse and social worker as well as a chaplain, health aide, homemaker and volunteer as needed
- 24-hour on-call availability of a hospice medical professional
- Medical supplies and equipment
- Instruction in care giving to help loved ones care for the patient
- Assistance with the patient's personal hygiene
- Respite care, support and practical assistance from trained hospice volunteers
- Emotional and spiritual support for patients and their loved ones
- Bereavement support for surviving family members, loved ones and care givers for a minimum of 13 months after the death of a patient
How can a person receive hospice care?
Anyone can make a referral for Advantage Hospice & Home Care care - physicians, family members, patients and friends can refer a patient simply by calling the Admissions Department at Advantage Hospice & Home Care. A nurse will answer your call, collect information about the patient's condition and contact the family physician to ensure that hospice care is appropriate. Then a Advantage Hospice & Home Care nurse and social worker will schedule an initial home visit to help educate about the comprehensive services of Advantage Hospice & Home Care. During the visit, the patient and loved ones will have an opportunity to learn more about Advantage Hospice & Home Care services and ask any questions that may arise, as to whether hospice care is appropriate.
Are Advantage Hospice & Home Care patients still cared for by their own physicians?
Yes. The patient's physician leads the hospice team. Advantage Hospice & Home Care provides its comprehensive services through an interdisciplinary team approach, offering the best care available for patients and their families. A specially trained hospice team that includes a nurse, social worker, home health aide, homemaker, chaplain or volunteer, provide expert medical care, spiritual and emotional support for the patient and their loved ones. Team members make scheduled visits to the patient's home, depending on the needs of the patient. A Advantage Hospice & Home Care medical director is also available for consultations. The patient' s physician, hospice staff and medical director work together to ensure quality hospice care for the patient.
Most hospice patients are cared for at home. What happens if we need help between visits from our hospice team members?
Patients and their loved ones are never alone during this difficult time. Advantage Hospice & Home Care ensures that specialized, compassionate care is always available. If you need help, simply call us. A medical professional is always available to answer your call, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Does Advantage Hospice & Home Care serve patients with diseases other than cancer?
Yes. Hospice care is available to patients with heart disease, kidney disease, ALS, Alzheimer's, severe birth defects, AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses.
What does hospice care cost to the patient?
The best answer comes in terms of coverage. The Medicare hospice benefit covers the full cost of standard hospice services at home and in skilled nursing facilities. Many other forms of insurance reimburse all or part of the cost of hospice care. If the patient is uninsured and the cost of care causes family hardships, the Advantage Hospice & Home Care Foundation may be asked to provide funds for unreimbursed patient care. The availability of funds is based on community donations to Advantage Hospice & Home Care, however care is NEVER limited on lack of ability to pay.
What geographic areas does Advantage Hospice & Home Care cover?
View our Service Locations page.
For more information about Advantage Hospice & Home Care services, please Contact Us and ask for the Admissions Department.
