If you or a loved one is facing a life-limiting illness, you’re not alone. You may have heard that hospice care can support you and your family members during this challenging time. Hospice care is a compassionate alternative to medical care that gives dignity and peace to patients and their caregivers at the end of life.

“Hospice care offers personalized, comprehensive care for people with a life expectancy of six months or less,” says Colleen Casta, senior director of hospice operations for Alliance Health Services at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. “Through a team-based approach, hospice provides a network of services, expertise and 24/7 access to support.”

However, there are many misconceptions about what hospice care is and what entering hospice means for patients. We address a few of those misconceptions below.

Misconception 1: Palliative Care and Hospice Care Are the Same.

Hospice care and palliative care are related, but they aren’t the same. Palliative care is almost always a part of hospice care. However, hospice care is not always a part of palliative care.

Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life for people with serious illnesses and their loved ones. Services provided through palliative care increase comfort and help manage symptoms and stress. People receiving only palliative care can continue to receive medical care to control or cure serious illnesses. They may also expect to live for several more years.

Hospice care provides specialized care and comfort at the end of life. People of any age — including children — who are expected to have six months or less to live are eligible for hospice. During hospice care, all curative treatment is stopped.

Misconception 2: Hospice Care Must Be Provided in a Hospital.

Hospice care can be provided in a hospital, but that isn't the only option. You can also receive it at:

• A hospice residence
• An assisted-living facility
• Skilled nursing facilities or nursing homes
• The patient’s home

Many people prefer to receive end-of-life care at home because it allows them to be in a comfortable, familiar environment without restrictions on visits from family or friends. No matter where you receive services, your hospice team will work with you to develop a care plan tailored to your unique concerns, needs and priorities.

Misconception 3: Hospice Care Is Only for People With Cancer.

Any person with a life-limiting condition who is expected to live for six months or less can receive hospice care. This includes people with cancer and those with other life-limiting conditions, such as advanced dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and end-stage renal disease.

Misconception 4: Hospice Care Is Only for the Patient.

While only the patient receives care through hospice, both the patient and their family can receive social, spiritual and emotional support.

“Hospice care doesn’t address only physical needs,” Casta says. “It’s a holistic-care model that offers physical, emotional, social and spiritual support to people at the end of life and their family members.”

While addressing the patient’s mental, physical and spiritual health, hospice care gives family members the opportunity to participate in:

• Bereavement consultations
• Chaplin services
• Counseling
• Support groups

Children and teens ages 6 to 16 who have lost a close family member or friend can receive additional support through Methodist Hospice’s Camp BraveHearts.

Hospice teams can also assist with advance directives, which allow patients to outline their wishes for end of life care when they can no longer make their own decisions. Typically, a hospice team member is available by phone 24 hours a day to address concerns or issues as they arise.

In many cases, homemaker services are also available, decreasing the burden of daily responsibilities on families. Volunteers may also help by providing companionship or running errands.

Misconception 5: You Can’t Receive Any Medical Treatments While Receiving Hospice Care.

While all treatments to cure or control a terminal condition are stopped during hospice care, you can still receive medical care. For example, you can continue to take medication to control pain or manage other chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure.

Additionally, people receiving hospice care can also receive occupational therapy, physical therapy or speech therapy to help:

• Adapt to change
• Encourage social engagement
• Increase comfort
• Learn how to use adaptive tools and medical equipment
• Lower pain level
• Maintain participation in daily living tasks and leisure activities
• Manage stress
• Preserve communication
• Prevent injury
  
  

Misconception 6: Hospice Care Is Expensive.

Hospice coverage depends on whether you have private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. The overall cost is also affected by where you decide to receive hospice services.

Private insurance coverage for hospice care varies. If you have private insurance, check with your provider to learn more about hospice benefits.

If you have Original Medicare, the Medicare Part A hospice benefit covers several aspects of hospice care when you choose a Medicare-approved hospice provider, such as Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, including:

• Dietary services
• Doctor and nurse practitioner services related to hospice care
• Grief and loss counseling
• Hospice-related social services, such as those provided by a social worker
• Medical equipment and supplies
• Nursing care related to hospice
• Occupational, physical and speech therapy services

Under Original Medicare, medication to manage pain and symptoms of a terminal illness and respite care are covered under Medicare Part A. However, you may be charged a coinsurance payment for them.

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan or another type of Medicare health coverage, a representative of your Medicare plan must help you find and enroll in a hospice program. Once you enroll, hospice services will be covered under Part A. You can stay with your Medicare Advantage Plan or switch to Original Medicare when you choose hospice care.

Medicaid provides similar coverage to Medicare Part A. However, hospice coverage is not automatically a part of Medicaid benefits. Instead, Medicaid hospice benefits are optional. To receive these benefits, you must elect them. Speak with a Medicaid benefit specialist for more information on choosing this benefit.

At Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, no one is denied hospice care due to an inability to pay.

Misconception 7: Choosing Hospice Care Means Giving Up.

People receiving hospice care often report better pain and symptom management. Additionally, they’re less likely to receive unwanted medical tests or treatments. Their family members also tend to report greater satisfaction with their loved one’s end-of-life care.

“Choosing hospice is not giving up on yourself or your family,” Casta says. “Instead, it allows you to shift your focus from ongoing medical treatments to prioritizing comfort and quality of life for you and your family. It allows you to spend more time with loved ones at home instead of time receiving unnecessary or unwanted treatments in a clinic or hospital.”

If you choose hospice, you're also free to change your mind and restart curative treatment. In this case, you could continue to receive palliative services, but you would no longer be eligible for services specific to hospice care.

Misconception 8: Hospice Care Ends When the Patient Passes.

After death, the hospice team can assist with contacting and coordinating arrangements with funeral directors or other funeral-home staff. They can also provide family members and friends who were caregivers with bereavement counseling through a licensed counselor or a social worker. Additionally, the hospice team can refer loved ones to other medical or professional care providers when needed. These family services generally continue for about a year after the patient’s passing.

At Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, children ages 6 to 16 can attend Camp BraveHearts if they’ve experienced the death of a close family member or friend within the past two years.

“Living with a life-limiting illness is challenging,” Casta says. “Choosing hospice gives you the peace of mind that both you and your loved ones will be well-cared for at all points in the journey.”

Get the Hospice Care You and Your Loved Ones Need

If you’re interested in finding out more about hospice care options near you, call 901-818-2100.