What is Hospice?

When terminally ill patients are diagnosed, they suffer physical pain and emotional anguish and their families struggle with the emotional issues that surround the death of a loved one. Hospice is a holistic medial program that focuses on the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being of individuals with terminal illness and a life expectancy of six months or less. Hospice focuses on pain and symptom management not only for the patient but for family members as well.

Hospice care is covered 100 percent under Medicare and Medicaid (for those who are eligible) under the Medicare Hospice Benefit Act of 1982. Additionally, most private health insurance companies have a hospice benefit.

Hospice care consists of medical, nursing, social, spiritual, volunteer, and bereavement services, all of which are provided to the patient and to the patient's family under a written care plan established and periodically reviewed by the patient's attending physician, medical director, and the hospice team. This is accomplished through the following services.

• Continuity of care (care focusing on pain relief and symptom management)
• Patient and family care (emotional and spiritual support)
• Home medical equipment and related medications
• Personal Care Aides to assist with bathing, dressing, and mobility
• 24-hour availability (on-call availability of hospice nurse and social worker)
• Bereavement care (support program for families for one year following the death of a loved one)

Renew Hospice's vision is that all patients and their loved ones receive the highest standard of care. We believe that intensive palliative care, focusing on pain relief, comfort, and counseling for the whole family, is central to the treatment of the terminally ill. Renew Hospice will work with patients, families, partners, specially trained volunteers, caregivers from the community, representatives from the medical field, social workers, and clergy in the care-giving team. This interdisciplinary approach to care focuses on the patient's physical symptoms and the emotional and spiritual concerns of the patient and family.