HOSPICE – WHAT TO EXPECT
THE HOSPICE JOURNEY
We understand you may feel uncertain as hospice care begins. It is common to have a lot of questions and your Solaris team is here to help. The time remaining holds many opportunities to share memories and stories, make amends, deepen relationships, express love and hope, and simply be together with friends and family. Solaris will be here with you every step of the way.
What Documents Do I Need?
If you’re participating in an admissions consultation for yourself or for your loved one, be sure to have the following documentation on hand.
You should have the patient’s:
- Current medical coverage cards (including Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) card, private insurance, Medicaid, TRICARE, etc.)
- Copies of any advance directives, including living will, Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare and Do Not Resuscitate Order
- Information about medications and dosages.
- A list of medical equipment the patient is using
- Information on any home health agency staff members who may already work with the patient
- Contact information for any loved ones who should receive updates about the patient
The Admission Visit
Before hospice care can begin, a Solaris admissions specialist will consult with the patient, their family or a legally designated decision-maker, and the patient’s current physician to determine hospice eligibility and needs. Most importantly, this is an opportunity to have your questions answered.
The Hospice Admissions Consultation
Most admissions to hospice begin with a referral from a patient’s physician, case manager or social worker after the patient has received a prognosis of six months or less.
The patient and their family may or may not be aware of the prognosis at this point, so the first conversation about end-of-life care often begins with a Solaris admissions specialist. This individual will provide the patient and family with all the information they need about their care options, what hospice service entails and the responsibilities of the patient’s caregiver.
The Transition to Hospice
Once the patient and their family have agreed that hospice care is the right choice, Solaris will contact the patient’s physician for any additional medical history or paperwork. If the admissions process began with a physician referral, it’s likely we will have these materials already.
Once the appropriate papers are signed and admissions orders received, the patient is officially admitted to hospice care. The hospice team communicates with the patient’s physician and the hospice physician to discuss medical history and current physical symptoms.
Once admission is complete, you can expect the following:
- Delivery of necessary medications and medical equipment
- Scheduling of regular visits by members of the care team, such as the RN Case Manager
- Chaplain and social worker visits to add emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual assessments to the plan of care
- Information to help with symptom management, even as symptoms change
- Instructions for how to contact the hospice team should you have any questions or need to schedule a visit
From start to finish, the patient and their family are at the center of the hospice team. They’re part of the patient’s care throughout the admissions process and over the course of hospice service, helping shape the care plan.
THE FIRST WEEK
The first week of hospice care is often the busiest, with multiple team members visiting to get to know the patient and put things in place for their care. These first visits are very important, allowing us to assess all the patient’s and family’s needs and to get any symptoms stabilized. Together, we will create a plan of care specific to the needs, goals, priorities, and values of each patient and their family. We encourage you to ask any questions you may have at any time.
CAREGIVER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT
Our staff will educate caregivers with compassion and patience. Education may include things such as administering pain medications, understanding side effects, and what to do for symptoms like shortness of breath or anxiety. Caregivers may also be taught how to perform daily care tasks or assist with transferring the patient, and the Solaris team will always be ready to assist with tasks the caregiver may be unable to perform.
DELIVERY OF MEDICATIONS, EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES
To provide the best and most responsive care, Solaris has its own pharmacy and medical equipment company serving only Solaris patients. This means you’ll never have to contact or wait on anyone else to receive the care you need. All medication, equipment, and supplies determined by the Solaris team to be medically necessary for the patient’s care will be delivered to the bedside by a Solaris team member.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
WE’RE HERE TO HELP
