JourneyCare Hospice

We have staff available to make visits 24 hours a day, seven days a week all year long. A hospice nurse will respond to your call for help within minutes to discuss your problem and determine the best action to take.

YES – The patient’s primary physician is part of their hospice team and can be as involved as they would like. We will communicate with your primary care physician on a regular basis. You can continue to see your primary care doctor as needed for your medical care.

Hospice neither prolongs life nor hastens death. Studies have shown that one of the primary reasons patients consider physician assisted suicide is their fear of a painful and difficult death. Our hospice team is skilled in identifying and managing symptoms associated with end of life so that the patient and their loved ones can experience a peaceful and comfortable death.

NO – However, by entering hospice the patient is acknowledging that they are giving up on aggressive treatment to prolong life. Our staff will work with the patient and their loved ones to help them understand advanced directives and to make decisions on the type of end of life support they would like.

NO – Making the decision to choose hospice earlier affords the patient and their loved ones adequate time for symptom and pain management and the development of a trusting relationship with their hospice team. Your hospice team has a depth of knowledge and experience with end-of-life matters. They will be there to answer your questions and help you be better prepared for this journey. One of the most common statements people make is, “I wish I had chosen hospice sooner.”

NO – Because no one can precisely predict an end-of-life timeline and patients often improve (and actually live longer) when receiving hospice care, there is no limit on the length of time patients can be on hospice. They must simply continue to meet the Medicare hospice guidelines for appropriateness.

The process is really pretty simple and easy. The patient must have a physician’s order authorizing the hospice evaluation. A member of our hospice team will meet with the patient and family to explain the hospice benefit and services provided. A hospice Registered Nurse will perform a physical evaluation and review the patient’s medical records to ensure they meet hospice guidelines. If the evaluation shows that the patient meets hospice guidelines, their physician will give the hospice permission to begin care. The patient or their designated decision maker must also sign a form electing the hospice benefit. The entire process may only take a few hours.

By law, the patient or their designated decision maker has the authority to elect hospice and select the hospice agency. Your physician, hospital discharge planner or facility social worker may make recommendations, but the final decision of which hospice will best serve you and your family is yours.

Anyone can inquire about hospice services. You can call us (or another hospice that serves your area) and request an evaluation. We will contact your physician to obtain his/her approval to perform a hospice evaluation. You can also call your physician and ask them to contact us directly for a referral. If your loved one lives in an assisted living facility or nursing home, the facility social worker will be able to assist you in requesting a hospice evaluation. If your loved one is hospitalized, you can talk with the hospital discharge planner to request hospice services.