Types of Hospice Care

Hospice care is not the end of medical treatment and support, rather an addition to such services. Hospice care is provided to patients with limiting illnesses who are suspected to survive no more than six months. The purpose of Hospice care is to both treat the failing patient medically and provide support for the patient and loved ones anticipating the patient's passing. Medicare defines the levels or types of Hospice care necessary throughout the course of a patient's life-threatening illness or disease.

Routine Home Care

• With routine home care, a patient is able to spend her remaining days in her own home. Routine Home Care is a service available to Hospice patients in stable condition. Routine Home Care cannot be provided to all patients because some may need more advanced medical supervision. When in stable condition, Routine Home Care may be provided to patients in assisted living communities and nursing homes in addition to private residences.

Crisis Care

• Brief periods of Crisis Care may be provided during psychosocial and medical emergencies. Crisis Care can be provided 24 hours a day and on any day of the week. Crisis Care may be provided if a current Hospice patient suffers a heart attack, becomes belligerent or if his life expectancy immediately drops and his passing seems imminent.

Inpatient Respite Care

• Inpatient Respite Care is a service provided in addition to Routine Home Care. Because Routine Home Care still requires family members or loved ones to act as caregivers to the Hospice patient, the caregivers may need breaks from their service to the loved one. Inpatient Respite Care allows a break from home care for up to five days, to allow personal caregivers to better cope with the situation. Inpatient Respite Care is provided by transporting the patient to a Hospice Center in which she will reside in a personal suite for no more than five days.

General Inpatient Care

• General Inpatient Care is a type of Hospice Care provided when the patient's illness or disease cannot be controlled in the setting of the patient's familiar residence. When provided with General Inpatient Care, the patient will be transported to a Hospice Center or Hospital; the patient will continue to reside at the center or hospital until the time of his passing when he will then be transported to a funeral parlor. General Inpatient Care may sometimes be provided in the residence of patients living close to a hospital or Hospice Center or in nursing homes where constant medical supervision can be provided.

Additional Services

• Additional services may be provided in conjunction with the various types of Hospice Care. The additional services are provided to make the patient and the patient's family feel more comfortable and more tolerant of the inescapable event of the patient's death. Speech therapies, grief counseling and personal needs assistance are examples of additional services provided by many Hospice Centers.