Hospice Care
Is it time for hospice?
Hospice Care Settings
Hospice Care Team
Paying for Care
Hospice Care Guide
When someone you love is suffering with a serious illness and you aren’t sure where to turn for help, we are here for you. At HopeWest, we focus on supporting you and your loved one with exceptional care, so you can focus on what matters most during this profound time – each other.
Hospice Care
When someone you love is suffering with a serious illness and you aren’t sure where to turn for help, we are here for you. At HopeWest, we focus on supporting you and your loved one with exceptional care, so you can focus on what matters most during this profound time – each other.
Is it time for hospice? →
Hospice Care Settings →
Hospice Care Team →
Paying for Care →
HopeWest Care Guide →
“During what is surely one of the more difficult, stressful, and heart wrenching trials a family can experience, HopeWest and the compassionate, caring staff bring grace, beauty, wisdom, serenity, and dignity to life’s final transition.”
– Sue M.
Is it time for hospice?
You may know someone who is very sick and needs help, but you just aren’t sure where to turn. It may be time to think about hospice. First, call us. We promise to help in any way we can. With a patient’s permission, HopeWest will work directly with the patient’s physician to determine which type of care is most appropriate.
Someone experiencing the following may be eligible for hospice care:
• Increased visits to doctor, hospital, or emergency room
• Difficulties dressing or bathing
• Treatment side effects with little or no health improvement
• Decreased appetite
• Weight loss
• Depression or withdrawal from loved ones
Why hospice care?
1. It's Never Too Soon
When is it appropriate to call HopeWest? Many have no idea. They may know someone who had hospice care for just a few days, or a week, and they think that is about the right time. Patients can be in hospice for weeks, months – and sometimes years.
The course of many illnesses is impossible to predict. The longer a patient receives hospice care, the better quality of life they will have. The Hospice Benefit requires a prognosis of six months, but only if the illness runs its “usual course.” Every patient is different and often, prognosis has more to do with support and pain relief than anything else.
HopeWest also offers care for those coping with a serious illness, who are not yet ready for hospice care.
Caregivers fare better when HopeWest is involved earlier. We’d be happy to check with the doctor for you. Just call us. Patients live longer with hospice care.
2. Help for the Whole Family
When you or someone you love learns there are no longer any treatments to cure a serious illness, fear of the unknown sets in.
It can be challenging to discuss this with each other as families frequently try to shield their loved ones from sadness or fear.
Because of this, you and your loved ones play a crucial role in the care that HopeWest offers. Our social workers and counselors have specialized training in facilitation of assistance and communication.
3. HopeWest Goes to You
Hospice is a service that goes wherever you or your loved one calls home – whether it be a nursing home, assisted living facility, hospital, camper, motel, or a homeless shelter.
Many things needed to stay comfortable at home will be made available to you or your loved one by the HopeWest team – from arranging for a hospital bed, wheelchair, walker, to medical supplies and delivery of medications.
Additionally, trained volunteers offer companionship, light housecleaning, errand running, meal preparation, transportation to doctors’ appointments, and respite for your loved and the family caregiver.
4. Coordinated Care
Medical care can be complicated by having to juggle different doctors, medications, and appointments. The HopeWest team approach to care will help you eliminate that complication.
The team, made up of experts in hospice care, coordinates their efforts and consults with you or your loved ones to develop an ongoing plan of care to meet your needs.
HopeWest Care Team Includes:
• Patient’s primary Physician, Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant
• HopeWest Physician and Nurse Practitioner
• Nurses
• Certified Nursing Assistant
• Therapists
• Social Workers and Counselors
• Pastoral Care Staff
• Trained Volunteers
5. Reduced Financial Strain
If you or a loved one qualify for the Medicare Hospice Benefit, you won’t have to worry about juggling multiple medical bills. You can relax, knowing visits by the HopeWest team are completely covered. Likewise, necessary medical equipment, medications, oxygen and inpatient hospice care are covered without a co-pay.
Numerous private insurance plans also provide comparable all-inclusive hospice coverage. Instead of having this financial worry, you and your loved ones can focus on spending quality time together.
The HopeWest Way
We have carefully designed a system called The HopeWest Way to provide you with care that you can count on. Our meticulous approach ensures that all our patients’ needs – physical, emotional, and spiritual – are met with exceptional quality, and that families feel supported at every stage.
We would be honored to provide remarkable, life-changing care for you and your loved ones.
Where can I receive hospice care?
Hospice care is available in a variety of care settings. Each patient has their own wishes and circumstances. HopeWest does our best to accommodate each and every patient and family.
Home
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We know most people prefer to be at home. HopeWest stands ready to help patients be comfortable and well-cared for at home.
Some of the ways we can help include:
• Designing a plan of care with the patient and family to best meet their needs.
• Ensuring the patient has the medical equipment & supplies they need on a regular basis.
• Coordinating with a pharmacy to make sure routine medications are made available.
• Coordinating care with your primary doctor.
• Medical providers are available to make house calls.
• Making routine, scheduled visits by a registered nurse assigned to coordinate the patient’s care.
• An RN available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week who will respond in person when needed to ensure the patient is comfortable.
• Certified nursing assistants who can assist with bathing and personal care of the patient.
• Helping you handle medical bills and working with you to ensure your financial resources are being fully utilized.
• Providing volunteers for social support, transportation, and other needs.
• Offering a non-denominational chaplain to visit at home.
Assisted Living
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Our hospice care in an assisted living homes provides additional care and resources beyond what is often available.
Hospice care at an assisted living residence is much the same as at home. A custom plan of care is developed for each patient in collaboration with the assisted living facility and HopeWest staff. We work closely with the facility staff, including nurses, therapists, CNAs, and social workers for high quality care.
Nursing Home
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Our role is not to take the place of the professional staff at the nursing home. We create a collaborative plan of care, and coordinate care between doctors, the nursing home staff, the patient, family and others.
Our nurses and physicians see that every measure of comfort is provided to the patient and they communicate regularly with the primary physician. Social workers and chaplains support the patient and the family. Hospice certified nursing assistants provide regular, additional personal care to the patient.
We believe that one of the most important team members in the nursing home setting is the hospice volunteer. They are specially trained to work with our patients to provide support and quality of life.
Hospital
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Our hospice care within a hospital can be the most appropriate setting when high levels of tests, interventions and nursing care are needed to keep a patient comfortable. The HopeWest hospice team visits with a patient daily in the hospital, and assures continuity of care from the hospital to home, assisted living residence, or nursing home, all while supporting their family.
Ferris Care Center
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Patients receive individualized and specialized short-term care in the Care Center when they have symptoms that are difficult to manage at home. The Care Center is designed to meet the needs of hospice patients and their families during times when a more intensive level of care is needed – a level that is difficult to provide in the home.
Built in 2008, the Mike and Kay Ferris Hospice Care Center is simply extraordinary. Its warm design brings comfort to all who enter. Our building and the grounds are designed for exceptional comfort and caring. The Care Center’s popular bistro, Spoons, is available for not only patients but families and the community.
“You are each truly remarkable. The professionalism, compassion, competence, and high level of attention to detail eased our difficult journey as we saw our loved one transition from the world. You are amazing. We thank you.”
– Grateful Family
Your Hospice Care Team
Exceptional hospice care requires a team approach. We provide doctors, nurses, counselors, social workers, chaplains, nursing assistants, dietitians and therapists who work with you to design a plan of care that meets your unique needs.
Physicians & Nurse Practitioners
We have hospice and palliative care certified physicians and nurse practitioners. Our practitioners specialize in managing pain and other symptoms experienced by patients at the end of life. We may be available to serve as the patient’s primary physician.
Nurses
Most of our nursing staff have earned advanced certification, which assures expertise in symptom management and hospice care. A registered nurse is assigned as the patient and family’s primary nurse to coordinate care. Regular visits are provided to assess the patient’s condition, to provide teaching to the family and other caregivers, and to work collaboratively with facility staff if the patient lives in a nursing home or assisted living facility.
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)
Our CNAs are specially trained and certified to provide comfort and personal care to our patients. If the patient lives in a nursing home or assisted living facility, we work side by side with facility staff to ensure patients receive all the personal and comfort care they need.
Social Workers
Our social workers are trained in both counseling and identifying practical and financial resources for patients and families. We will answer questions, facilitate family communication and provide support to families in person and by phone.
Chaplains
At HopeWest, our spiritual care team is an integral part of a patient’s wellbeing. Our specially trained chaplains provide emotional and spiritual care support no matter a patient’s beliefs. The spiritual care team can help bring patients and families hope and peace during the time of serious illness and at the end of life.
Patient Support Volunteers
Our trained volunteers are individually assigned to patients as requested by the family or care team. Our volunteers provide companionship by listening, reading to a patient or just visiting. Volunteers can be of great support to those spending many hours alone.
“Our hospice team, the entire team, was the most caring and thoughtful group of people I have ever known. Love every one of them as if they were part of our family.”
-Becky W.
Paying for Hospice Care
Many of our hospice services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies. When that is not possible – we’re here for you. Our services are available to anyone in our community regardless of ability to pay because of the generosity of our community.
How does insurance cover hospice?
Services not typically covered by the Hospice Benefit under Medicare or Medicaid: curative therapies like radiation or chemotherapy with some exceptions, dialysis, major surgeries, room and board in a hospice facility. These benefits may vary under other insurance providers.
Can I go back to regular Medicare or Medicaid after I elect hospice?
Yes, you can decide to leave hospice care and return to other benefits in an instant. There are also times where HopeWest may discharge a patient because they no longer meet the prognosis criteria for Medicare or Medicaid, want to pursue curative therapies, or pose a safety threat to themselves or staff.
When patients are discharged from hospice or decide to leave (revoke) they are offered a palliative care program to continue to meet their needs.
What is the Medicare Summary Notice I received?
Patients will sign a Hospice Election Form when they are admitted to Hospice and sign a Revocation Form when they decide to leave hospice. Patients will periodically receive a Medicare Summary Notice (see example below) following hospice services.
People find the Medicare Summary Notice form extremely misleading. The notice from Medicare appears to reflect the charges and services rendered to the patient and what Medicare paid HopeWest. However, the notice from Medicare only reflects the visits of some of the staff and medications covered by hospice but no other services. It appears as though HopeWest was paid thousands of dollars in a month for a few staff visits and a few medications when often there are many other costs HopeWest covered as part of that period of time, and those costs are not reflected on the Medicare notice.
Please call (866) 310-8900 if you have questions or need further clarification.
Example of Medicare Summary Notice
Hospice Care Guide
We have one goal – to improve your experience in every way possible through the expertise of our professional team and specially trained volunteers. This guide will help you learn what to expect as you navigate serious illness and grief.