There is no single right answer. Just as there is no one answer in how to choose the right home, healthcare provider, or even car insurance. It’s based on a number of factors. Just like making a decision on car insurance, only you can decide the ranking importance of these factors. It’s important to remember when considering hospice for a patient that hospice care does not always equate to end-of-life care. The goal of Monarch hospice care is to improve quality of life for those suffering from a life-limiting illness. It does not mean that hospice care must continue until the disease has run its course. It is your right as a patient, or as the decision maker for the patient, to revoke or stop the hospice care benefit at any time you choose. If you decide that end-of-life care is not right for you or your loved one, it is your right to choose to change your mind. Many times, after individualized attention and care are given, quality of life improves, and you or your loved one’s lifespan may actually continue past the original prognosis. A patient can choose to return to inpatient hospice care anytime after a doctor re-certifies them as eligible.
After assessing the emotional and physical needs of all those involved in caring for you or your loved one, the next factor in deciding if hospice care is right for your situation is eligibility. Your doctor will decide if you are eligible, but sometimes you may need to bring the subject up to your doctor, as doctors do not always initiate this conversation. Eligibility for hospice is based on the prognosis of a terminal illness. Typically, patients with a prognosis of six months or less qualify for hospice care. While cancer is the disease most frequently associated with hospice, patients with advanced heart disease, COPD, ALS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and dementia can also benefit from consistent individualized care provided by hospice. You or your loved one might be eligible and find comfort in hospice care if there have been frequent hospitalizations, continuous unrelieved symptoms (shortness of breath, nausea, pain, any many other symptoms), frequent infections, or progressive to sudden loss of physical function and capabilities. Hospice can also provides respite care at a facility, which allows the family member or caregiver a break of up to five days and nights for travel, rest, spending time with family, and/or matters of well being while their loved one receives around-the-clock attention.
Please remember that oftentimes if a loved one if given quality hospice care, they often find their symptoms improve and they are given a longer prognosis than previously estimated. These patients may choose to be released from care and continue to live their best lives for as long as they feel capable, or they may be discharged from hospice due to having an improved prognosis. Monarch prides themselves in caring for the lives of every person affected by terminal illness. We are here to help patients to live their best life and provide experienced support to families and caregivers, not to bring life to an end. Only a qualified expert in hospice care may be able to provide you and your family with the answers you need regarding continuity of care for life limiting illnesses. A patient submission form (available online) may help you and your loved ones in deciding the care best suited for maintaining or even improving quality of life moving forward. However, if you would like to speak to a hospice professional today, please contact us and have our caring team of experts help answer any questions and concerns you may have regarding care for you or your loved one. We are located in the Lower Burrell / New Kensington Pennsylvania area and provide our services to all of the southwestern region of the state.
