Why Choose Hospice?

Deciding why and when is the right time to consider hospice care...

Hospice care services are available to people of all ages with a limited life expectancy, generally six months or less. It is not necessary to be acutely ill to receive hospice care. Unlike Medicare home health services, you or your loved one does not need to be homebound to receive care and do not need a live-in caregiver.

The following are general guidelines that may help you decide when to consider hospice care for you or a loved one:

• When active treatment is not progressing
• When family caregivers need support
• When there is a 20 lb weight loss
• When there is no longer a desire to eat
• When a loved one becomes more dependent in the activities of daily living; such as dressing, feeding and bathing and/or experiences continual weight loss
• When pain, breathlessness, nausea or other symptoms are present

Early involvement by all members of the Hospice Partners of Kansas team is highly beneficial to your entire family, providing much-needed support and help managing physical symptoms. As the disease or illness progresses, so will the intensity of care and involvement of our team.

Under the Medicare Hospice Benefit any medications and medical equipment—such as a hospital bed—are covered, reducing the financial burden on families and loved ones. Hospice care is available to individuals with any life-limiting illness, including:

• Heart and lung diseases
• Neurological diseases
• Cancer
• AIDS
• Liver disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Alzheimer's disease
• Dementia

Many people assume hospice care is solely for cancer patients, but in reality fewer than 50% of Hospice Partners of Kansas's patients have a cancer diagnosis. If you would like more information on when to consider hospice care, the Medicare Hospice Benefit or any other question relating to hospice care, please don't hesitate to call us at any time.