How Long Can A Patient be on Hospice?
Hospice care is a type of medical care aimed at improving the quality of life for people with a life-limiting illness who have reached the final stages of their lives. In addition to providing physical comfort and symptom relief, it addresses their mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. Hospice care helps patients with terminal cancer, heart failure, chronic lung disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, AIDS, end-stage Alzheimer’s, life-threatening strokes, and other life-limiting illnesses.
To qualify for hospice, patients must have been told by a doctor that they are unlikely to live for more than six months. However, some people’s time in hospice care may be longer or shorter than six months. Even after being diagnosed with a terminal illness, it is not possible to say exactly how much time a person has left. This makes it difficult to predict how long a person will remain in hospice care. If a patient’s health improves, they may be released so they can undergo more active treatment. Those whose illness goes into remission will also be discharged. It is important to note that if a patient’s condition improves enough that their life expectancy changes to longer than six months, they will not be eligible to continue hospice care under Medicare. The patient can return to hospice care at any point in the future if they meet the eligibility requirements again.
Hospice care can be serviced to patients in their own homes, whenever possible. Many patients prefer to be in a familiar setting where family members can come and go with ease. Patients also can reside in a nursing home and receive hospice care at the facility. One great aspect of hospice is that it can be offered in in-patient facilities, for those who need temporary hospitalization due to more severe symptoms. In-patient facilities can also be used to provide respite care for patients whose caregivers need a break for personal or medical reasons.
When it comes to True Care and how we differ, our hospice team is available 24 hours a day, and our nurse will respond to emergencies within minutes. Regardless of the time or date, on-call services with True Care can assist with sending aides to assist with daily living activities, such as feeding and bathing, if necessary. We also have chaplains and social workers and a bereavement coordinator on call.