Sharing The Feeling of Others™
For Patients
Hospice is an approach to end-of-life care that addresses the needs of the terminally ill and their family. Hospice considers the whole person — the physical, emotional, spiritual, and social — as it seeks to ease suffering, protect dignity, and respect the choices of the dying.
When to contact us for Hospice Services
Remember, you don’t have to wait until the last minute to call hospice. Hospice eligibility starts with a life expectancy of six months. You may not need a lot of help at the beginning, perhaps just an occasional visit from a nurse. The amount of support will increase as conditions and needs change. The earlier you get in touch, the sooner you can get support for the challenges ahead.
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A phone call to Active Hospice Care, Inc. is all that is needed to get started. We can answer questions, help determine whether hospice care is appropriate, and contact your doctor if you haven’t already begun talking about hospice.
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Active Hospice Care, Inc. can schedule an informational interview for you and your family and friends to explain how hospice can help. This can take place at home, in the hospital, in the hospice office, or in another convenient location. A nurse or social worker will meet with you and your family within a day or two or on the same day if your needs are urgent.
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If you or someone you care about is dealing with serious illness, it’s important to talk with your physician about whether hospice is an appropriate option. A referral from a doctor is necessary to be admitted into hospice care, but anyone—a patient, a family member, a caregiver, or a friend—can make an inquiry about hospice care.
You are eligible for hospice when one or all of the following conditions are met:
Condition 1
Your physician and the hospice medical director agree that within six months the terminal disease would run its natural course.
Condition 2
You decide that continued attempts for cure are either futile or undesirable and choose comfort care over curative treatment with the goal of living the rest of life as fully and comfortably as possible.
Condition 3
Hospice will work with your physician or nurse practitioner to verify appropriateness for hospice. If you don’t have a physician, the hospice medical director may oversee your care. Once confirmation is obtained, a nurse and social worker will make an admission visit to discuss details of hospice.
Whether your doctor has mentioned it or you’ve come to the conclusion on your own that hospice may be needed, please contact us. We will answer your questions and help assess your current situation. If you are ready for hospice, we will contact your physician and begin the admission process. If the time isn’t right, we can provide information on interim options.