Hospice Care
Where is Hospice Care provided?
Hospice care can be provided in various settings, including your home, assisted living facility, or a hospice inpatient unit. At Big Bend Hospice, we understand the importance of honoring your choice to receive care in a familiar and comfortable setting. We believe precious moments with loved ones are best cherished in familiar surroundings, not sterile hospital rooms. You and your loved ones take control, empowered by our team of experts who address your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs every step of the way.
What does Hospice Care offer?
Hospice is available to anyone with a prognosis of six months or less, as determined by two physicians. It’s covered by Medicare and most private insurance plans.
Holistic care: Hospice addresses not only physical needs like pain management, but also emotional, spiritual, and social support. This means a team of professionals, including doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, music therapists, and volunteers, work together to ensure comprehensive care for the patient and their family.
Comfort-focused: The priority is to manage pain and other symptoms to ensure the patient is as comfortable as possible. This can involve medication, adjustments to the living environment, and other non-medical interventions.
Patient-centered: You and your loved ones are in control. Hospice professionals work with you to create a personalized care plan that reflects your wishes and values.
Family support: Hospice recognizes the impact of illness on families and offers support groups, counseling, and respite care for caregivers.
What are the key benefits of Hospice Care?
- Reduced pain and suffering
- Improved quality of life
- Increased emotional and spiritual well-being
- Support for families and caregivers
- Peace of mind knowing your wishes are respected
General Inpatient Care
What situations require inpatient hospice care?
Patients must require a higher level of care, directed toward pain or symptom control that cannot be feasibly provided in any other setting other than general inpatient care. Big Bend Hospice’s physicians follow Medicare guidelines to determine whether inpatient care is appropriate. GIP care is also appropriate when patients require frequent medication adjustments, observation, or other stabilizing treatment that cannot be done in the home setting.
How does inpatient care differ from hospital care?
While both hospice inpatient units and hospitals aim to provide comfort and medical support, Big Bend Hospice’s inpatient teams focus solely on managing pain and symptoms related to terminal illness — with a strong emphasis on comfort and quality of life. In contrast, hospitals prioritize treating or curing medical conditions.
Inpatient care is focused on creating a warm and familiar homelike atmosphere to allow families to focus on what matters most – time together. Our patient rooms allow family members to stay with their loved ones. We encourage our patients to bring items that make them feel at home.
Margaret Z. Dozier Hospice House
Is Dozier House different from being in a hospital?
Yes. Our staff of highly trained medical experts, act with compassionate purpose. The Dozier Hospice House atmosphere is calm and family-like. We focus on making patients comfortable by relieving pain and suffering. Once we have done that, we provide a human touch when desired – visiting with families, listening to patients, and sharing experiences.
Sometimes, symptom management such as pain and shortness of breath is needs requires more care than can be provided in a patient’s home. That is why we deliver our full range of high-quality clinical care and specialized hospice support at Margaret Z. Dozier House.
How do I pay for hospice care?
Services and care provided at Margaret Z. Dozier Hospice House are covered in full by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurances. We work with families to determine any costs associated with an inpatient stay, including respite. Medicare benefits will cover up to five days of respite care if your hospice interdisciplinary team approves.
Usually, there are no additional charges or co-payments billed to the patient. If charges do occur, such as room and board at the hospice house, thanks to the Big Bend Hospice Foundation and the generous support from our community – no patient is ever refused care based on the ability to pay.
Who provides hospice care?
We provide high-quality outcomes through a licensed, accredited team of compassionate professionals with different kinds of expertise to serve various needs. This helps patients and families make important decisions and receive outstanding care 24 hours daily. Teams and programs include:
- Hospice and palliative-trained physicians (experts in pain relief), nurse practitioners, APRNs, and certified nursing assistants
- Spiritual counselors (including a reflection room for prayer and meditation)
- Social workers and family support counselors
- Music therapists
- Trained volunteers
- Animal therapy volunteers