Hospice is a service that is provided in personal homes, nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, board and care facilities, or wherever a patient calls home.

• Hospice serves anyone whose doctor has determined a disease prognosis of six months or less, provided the disease process runs its expected course.
• Eligibility must be certified by the patient’s Physician and the Hospice Medical Director.
• A patient will be eligible for Hospice indefinitely as long as he/she meets prognosis guidelines.
• There is no age restriction for Hospice Care.
• Many people associate Hospice Care with cancer, but only half of Hospice patients have cancer. Common Hospice Diagnoses include cancer, CVA, end-stage heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, liver disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, ALS/MS and AIDS.

The following may be an indication:

• Have been hospitalized or gone to the emergency room several times in the past six months
• Have been making more frequent phone calls to your physicians
• Started taking medication to lessen physical pain
• Started spending most of the day in a chair or bed
• Fallen several times over the past six months
• Started feeling weaker or more tired
• Experienced weight loss making clothes noticeably looser
• Noticed a shortness of breath, even while resting
• Been told by a doctor that life expectancy is limited
• Started needing help from others with:
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Eating
  • Getting out of bed
  • Walking

Anyone can refer a patient to Hospice, including:

• Nurses
• Physicians
• Patients themselves
• Family members
• Community agencies
• Priests, chaplains, or other religious leaders

Hospice is covered by:

• Medicare
• Medicaid
• Most private insurances

The Hospice Team at Notre Dame Health Care is made up of interdisciplinary professionals, including:

• Medical Director
• Registered Nurse
• Social Workers
• Spiritual Care
• Home Health Aides
• Massage Therapy
• Music Therapy
• Volunteer Coordinator/Trained Volunteers
• Pharmacist
• Bereavement Care Specialist

Yes, our Hospice Care Team will work in collaboration with your primary care and specialty care physicians

When you contact us, the types of questions we’ll ask you are:

• What prompted you to call about Hospice today?
• What have the last 6 months been like in terms of health history?
• When was the last visit to a PCP or clinic/hospital?
• Where do you or your loved one currently reside?
• Can you please provide your insurance information?