Hospice

The slow and unpredictable progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias often makes it tricky for families and even doctors to determine when to bring in hospice. Use these guidelines to decide if a loved one is a candidate for end-of-life care.

The Medicare hospice benefit provides comfort care for patients who are terminally ill and facing the end of life. Original Medicare does cover hospice services.

Calling in hospice for the care of an elderly parent or other a loved one means you need to come to terms, on all levels, with the idea that this person is dying.

The goal of hospice is to provide comfort and dignity at the end of life. Some hospice providers are better than others, so be sure to know what criteria to look for when requesting hospice care for a terminally ill loved one.

End-of-life care decisions are often challenging and time-sensitive. Learning about how one can qualify for hospice and the specific services a hospice organization can provide will help minimize anxiety and confusion surrounding these important choices.

Learning the signs that death is near will help you prepare for this inevitability and ensure that your loved one gets the care they need to manage end-of-life symptoms and remain comfortable.

Hospice, palliative care, home-based care, hospital-based care and long-term care facilities are all viable end of life care options. Compare end of life care types, where they are provided, the benefits offered and how these services are paid for.

Family members are often relieved and hopeful when a dying loved one suddenly becomes more aware of their surroundings or begins talking or eating again. But, are they truly getting better or just consciously preparing for their final journey?

For more than ten years, Oscar the Cat has been teaching the staff at a Rhode Island nursing home lessons about end-of-life care and what's truly important to those who are dying.

How far should a caregiver go in supporting the wants and needs of a beloved spouse or parent – or even their child – when the requested support may hasten death?

With heart disease it can be difficult to understand when to call hospice. Explore the guidelines for determining when to bring in hospice in the end stages of heart disease.

When death is near, patients and family members are often overwhelmed by fear of the unknown. Learn how caregivers can help alleviate common anxieties and support their aging loved ones at the end of life.

Veterans with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia may be eligible for certain benefits and services from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Some current and surviving spouses of veterans may qualify for limited VA support as well.

The most noticeable symptom of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is memory loss, but this progressive condition ultimately weakens the immune system and prevents the body from functioning properly. Complications like infections are often the cause of death.

Continuous hospice care at home provides short-term assistance during a health crisis for up to 24 hours daily.

Hospice care at home provides relief for terminally ill patients while also supporting their family caregivers with respite and bereavement services.

Ways to pay for hospice care at home include Medicare, Medicaid, veterans benefits, and private health insurance.

Hospice care at home is covered by most health insurance plans, so patients and their families don’t usually have to pay anything out of pocket.

Continuous home hospice care is covered by most insurance plans and offers temporary, round-the-clock comfort care for people with life-limiting conditions.

I have been a hospice volunteer for many years and was with my father when he passed away while receiving end-of-life care. This is what I've learned about death from my experiences with hospice providers.