The most common level of hospice care is provided in your preferred home setting (Assisted Living, Nursing Home, Board & Care, Other Facilities, or Home). This level of care offers a team approach to ensure comfort at the end of life. The hospice team is comprised of a Physician, Nurse, Social Worker, Spiritual Counselor, and Home Health Aide. The visits are arranged based on the patient’s needs. The program also offers bereavement counseling, volunteer services, medication management, equipment, and all supplies related to your loved one’s hospice diagnosis.

This level of hospice care requires additional support for symptoms not managed under the routine level of care. The RN Case Manager assesses the symptoms and if the physician deems it appropriate, Continuous Care is activated.  The team will provide additional care and support during a 24-hour period and will re-assess daily. Depending on the situation, a nurse will be monitoring symptoms at bedside, ordering equipment, medications, treatments, and more. Once symptoms are under control, the patient returns to Routine level of care.

This level of care is for patients in a nursing home or hospital. If the patient experiences crisis or symptoms out of control, the RN Case Manager will go out to assess symptoms. If the physician deems it appropriate, GIP is activated. General In-Patient Care consists of additional support and daily nursing visits. The nursing home or hospital continues providing direct care, while the hospice team provides symptom management. The priority is to ensure the patient returns to comfort. Once the symptoms or crisis have been managed, the patient can return to routine level of care and may move to a preferred home setting.

Respite Care benefits the family, caregiver, and patient. Caring for a critically or terminally ill loved one can be difficult for all involved. Under this level of care, the patient is admitted to a nursing home for a short time. The patient may need care that cannot be provided in the home, or when the family or caregiver needs a break. Respite care is based on the patient’s needs and can receive a 5-day maximum stay paid by the hospice, under Medicare guidelines. Once respite care has been completed, the patient returns to the routine level of care in their preferred home setting. If the patient or family requests additional time, they can set up arrangements directly with the facility.