Best elder care for your loved ones

Hospice is for people who have a limited life expectancy. Hospice is for patients whose condition is such that a doctor would not be surprised if the patient died within the next six months. This doesn’t mean the patient is going to die in the next six months–it simply means that he or she has a condition that makes dying a realistic possibility

Most services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurances. We also accept private pay for companion care services.

It’s important to realize that home health services are very different from home care services. Home care involves the day-to-day non-medical tasks needed by individuals who can no longer provide it themselves.

Not at all! This is one of the most common questions about hospice but it is actually a misconception. Although your loved one’s condition may have reached a point that a cure is not likely—or not worth the side effects of treatment—that does not mean there is nothing left to do. In fact, an emphasis on quality of life and easing pain and distress often allows the patient to spend his or her last months focusing on the things that are ultimately the most important and meaningful.

Hospice services are provided in many settings including nursing facilities or long-term care facilities. The patient will receive visits from hospice nurses, home health aides, chaplains, social workers, and volunteers in addition to other care and services provided by the nursing facility.

You can, but oddly enough, doctors often wait too long or for families to bring it up. This is part of the reason that people often receive hospice care so late in the process. If you think your loved one and family might benefit from the support of weekly home visits from staff who specialize in pain control and the easing of distress, ask your doctor if hospice might be something to consider now, or in the near future.