Hospice for End of Life Care

Hospice is holistic, specialized care for terminally ill adult and pediatric patients who have a medical condition that treatment cannot cure and had a provider certify a life expectancy of six months or less. Through hospice services, we provide high-quality, expert medical, emotional and spiritual care where the patient feels most comfortable and secure, whether that is at home, in assisted living, at a long-term care facility or in the hospital. 

The focus of hospice care isn't treatment, our accredited program focuses on supporting patients to have the best quality of life possible during this time.

Hospice services are not designed to:

• Treat your terminal illness
• Provide medications outside of your terminal illness
• Provide living solutions

Hospice care is covered by:

• Medicare hospice benefit
• Most private insurance plans
• Managed care (HMOs)
• Medicaid hospice benefit (Wisconsin and Minnesota)
• United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

If you are not covered by any of these plans, we will work with you, your family and your insurance company to provide a level of service.

We focus on providing patients with physical, spiritual and emotional comfort and quality of life through the expertise and collaboration of a team of dedicated professionals. Our hospice care team includes:

• The patient's primary care provider who gives ongoing medical support and care
• A medical director who advises and coordinates care
• Registered nurses (RNs) who provide symptom management, pain relief and caregiver training and support
• A social worker who offers resource coordination, financial information and short-term counseling
• A chaplain who provides spiritual and grief support
• Home health aides who provide personal care, bathing and grooming
• Trained volunteers who run errands, offer support and more
• Massage therapists and therapeutic musicians 

Hospice patients do not need to stop care with their primary care provider or other specialty care providers.

Our hospice team works closely with the patient as well as the primary caregiver. With help from the hospice team, the caregiver can learn how to:

• Control the patient’s symptoms
• Provide day-to-day care
• Administer pain medication
• Provide education around end-of-life care

Providing comfort goes beyond relieving physical pain. A terminal illness can challenge emotions, relationships, finances and spiritual strength. We offer assistance in those areas, too. Hospice can even arrange to provide short-term care (respite services) if family members and friends need a rest and support during their grief journey.

Our hospice program is a voluntary program for adult and pediatric patients who are facing a terminal illness, have a less than six-month life expectancy and would no longer like to pursue treatment.

If a patient is unable to consent to the program, then a family member or power of attorney can represent the decision.

If you meet the criteria for our hospice program and wish to enroll, one of our nurses will come to you to perform an admissions visit.

During this visit, we will:

• Answer any questions you have
• Review your and your family's right regarding hospice care
• Ask you to review and sign privacy, consent for service and insurance benefit forms
• Understand your hospice wishes
• Provide information regarding power of attorney for healthcare documents and living wills
• Assess your physical, mental and emotional condition
• Confirm that you are eligible to receive hospice care
• Review any medications
• Order necessary medical equipment and home supplies covered by hospice
• Collaborate with other medical professionals to assist in the development of your care plan

Hospice services are provided wherever you feel most comfortable and secure, whether that is at home, in assisted living, at a long-term care facility or in the hospital.

The goal of our hospice program is to allow our patients to spend their remaining time living how they want based on their wishes, needs and lifestyle.

We understand that our patients have a choice on which hospice program is right for them. We are proud to offer the only hospice program in the region that is integrated with a healthcare system. This means that the care our patients receive from their providers seamlessly transitions to our program, reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency visits. Additionally, our patients receive truly personalized care, including therapeutic massage and music services that aim to help ease pain and stress for our patients, meeting them wherever they are.

It is often thought that hospice care starts when absolutely necessary. However, care can start as soon as a terminal diagnosis is given and a life expectancy of six months or less is determined. This often leads to increased quality of life and length of life. Additionally, starting hospice sooner helps to ease the emotional stress on family by providing peace of mind knowing that there is a care plan in place.