What is Hospice Care?

Hospice is a program for people in the advanced stages of a chronic or terminal illness who have made the decision to live the remaining days of their lives with dignity and surrounded by compasionate caregivers. The hospice team consists of nurses, nurses aides, social workers, spiritual care advisors, physicians, volunteers, dieticians, therapists and bereavement counsel that will facilitate helping you "live with", verses "dying from", an illness.

How is hospice care reimbursed and what is the cost to the patient and family?
Hospice has been reimbursed by Medicare since the early 1980's and most insurance plans have an end of life benefit. Medicare reimbursement covers medical equipment, supplies and medications related to the hospice diagnosis, as well as care and services of the hospice team. Co-pays for Medicare patients are usually waived but various hospices may have different policies on this.

I have heard it said that a positive attitude improves quality of life. How does hospice assist the dying and their loved ones in "finding the positive."
It has been said that the lessons of life are the wisdom of dying. The care provided by hospice team members is a sharing of these lessons learned from those they have been privileged to care for and contain the knowledge of how to live each day fully. One of the most important lessons learned from the dying is present moment living in which our thoughts remain focused on what is immediately in front of us, recognizing the importance and significance contained in each instant. To live without taking anything for granted opens one to the beauty and grace that surrounds us all. At the very least, I hope that the dying and their loved ones leave enough time to have the conversation with each other that includes the following phrases: "I forgive you, please forgive me, thank you, I love you and good-bye."