A hospice referral may come as a surprise to a patient and their loved ones. After a long illness, a progressing disease, or a life-limiting injury, families may correlate hospice with giving up hope. To the contrary, hospice opens the door to a network of professional support, compassionate care for pain and symptom management and resources for the patient and their families. Many families unnecessarily delay hospice because they don’t understand its benefits. Waiting too long for hospice can affect an individual’s quality of life, and even the quantity, as patients often live longer (and better) on hospice. Medicare-certified hospice care can usually occur in your home or other facility where you live, like a nursing home. Hospice care can also take place in an inpatient hospice facility. Knowing when to call hospice for you or a loved one can be difficult, but there are signs that it’s time for hospice:  Frequent visits to the hospital or ER that indicate traditional treatments are no longer working. Contacting your physician more frequently Increased confusion or forgetfulness Progressive weight loss Increase use of medication to relieve pain and symptoms Spends most of the day in a chair or bed Increased shortness of breath Frequent or recurring infections A rapid decline in health over six months despite medical treatments Started needing help from others with four or more of the following daily activities? Getting in/out of bed; Bathing; Eating; Dressing; Walking; Speaking Diagnosed with a terminal illness by a physician If you answered “yes” to four or more of these questions, it may be time for a hospice evaluation. Contact your physician or Texas Family Hospice to determine if now is the right time for hospice. Never Truly Ready, but Prepared We’re never completely ready to say goodbye to our loved ones, but we can alleviate some stress by having end-of-life conversations sooner rather than later. Outlining your wishes provides direction for the process and peace of mind. Finally, recognizing the key signs for hospice readiness helps pave the way for compassionate help and vital resources.

We’re never completely ready to say goodbye to our loved ones, but we can alleviate some stress by having end-of-life conversations sooner rather than later. Outlining your wishes provides direction for the process and peace of mind. Finally, recognizing the key signs for hospice readiness helps pave the way for compassionate help and vital resources.

Deciding to call hospice is the first step to ensuring you or your loved one gets the care they need while living out their end of life with dignity. During this call, you’ll explain your reasons for the hospice referral just so we can better understand what type of help is needed. Your journey with Texas Family Hospice will start with a thoughtful consultation with our experienced team. We’ll discuss your needs, concerns, and thoughts, and based on your consultation and decisions, we’ll create a customized care plan. There will also be paperwork to ensure the correct medication is administered, but don’t worry. We’ll be there every step of the way to ensure you experience a seamless and compassionate admission process.

Refer your patients to Texas Family Hospice to ensure they get the necessary care. Our experienced nursing staff is well-seasoned in hospice care and works closely with doctors and other healthcare providers. Know that your patient’s care is in the hearts and hands of our compassionate staff, who provide the highest quality medical equipment and comfort items to meet your patient’s needs.

No one diagnosis qualifies patients for hospice, but rather a combination of symptoms and circumstances. For a patient to be eligible for hospice, they need to have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and a diagnosis of six months. The patient should have also experienced significant weight loss, visited the hospital frequently, and had a Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) rating of 50-60%.

One of the most common questions patients and their loved ones have about hospice care is, “Who pays for hospice care?” The cost of long-term care for seniors varies as much as the types of care available and the degree of assistance you or a loved one need. LongTermCare.gov estimates nursing home care costs at over $6,000 per month. Inhome care is generally far less expensive depending on where you live, the level of care and hours of service that are required each week. The two top payers of hospice care are government-backed Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare provides 100% hospice care coverage under the Medicare Hospice Benefit for people aged 65 and up. Medicaid provides hospice care coverage for seniors, low-income families, and patients with a disability. Private insurance will include hospice care benefits according to your plan.