The “caring, not curing” focus is what makes hospice care different from other forms of care, such as intensive treatments and palliative care. Hospice provides a comprehensive list of services to help patients live more comfortably and contently. These services also help patients reduce medical emergencies and hospital visits. 

Hospice services are personalized to each patient’s needs, but could include some or all of the following:

• Hospice physician services
• Hospice nurse visits
• Personal care aide visits
• Medical social work
• Counseling & spiritual care
• Volunteer services
• Prescription medications
• Durable medical equipment

Hospice care is recommended when a patient’s chronic disease is categorized as “life-limiting.” This is when the disease requires more frequent hospitalizations where conditions can be stabilized, but not treated or improved. At West Michigan Hospice, our goal is to eliminate those hospitalizations and treat conditions at home. 

However, it’s important to note that every patient is different and every condition progresses at a different rate. You or your loved one may benefit from starting hospice care sooner or later than others. We can conduct a professional health assessment to give a better timeline. 

This also relates to one of the most common myths about hospice care, which is that hospice care is just end-of-life care. Many people believe that hospice is only for a patient’s last expected days, but it can be provided for up to six months or longer. Remember — it can give any patient with a chronic, life-limiting condition a better quality of life, so it shouldn’t be put off if it’s needed. 

In most cases, you can start the process of finding out if hospice care is best for you or your loved one. Our staff will come out, talk to you about your goals, and help get the process rolling. During our visit, we’ll look for key symptoms to diagnose a condition as “life-limiting,” such as: 

• Observable & documented deterioration of condition in the last 4-6 months
• Declining ability to complete daily tasks
• Weight loss over six months
• Recurrent infections
• Frequent hospitalizations

Our team may also look for some condition-specific signs and symptoms. Some examples include progressing to an advanced stage of cancer (cancer), experiencing chest pain that’s resistant to nitrate therapy (cardiovascular disease), or having limited intelligible speech (dementia). 

Yes! The hospice Medicare benefit covers 100% of hospice costs, as long as the patient meets these eligibility requirements:

• At least 65 years old, or younger than 65 with a disability
• Eligible for Medicare Part A benefits
• A life-limiting condition exists.
• Signed statement electing hospice care instead of other Medicare-covered treatments

If you’re eligible for hospice with Medicare, you won’t pay anything out of pocket. The only exceptions are possible $5 copays for prescription drugs and no coverage for room and board in nursing homes or other specialized care facilities.