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How Hospice Can Help: Long-Term Care Services
Hospice offers a special program for residents of long-term care facilities (nursing homes) who are facing a life-limiting illness. Working in partnership with the facility staff, the Hospice Team develops a joint plan of care tailored to the specific needs of the resident and family.
Hospice professionals provide assistance with pain and symptom management as well as spiritual and emotional support for patients and their loved ones. As with any Hospice care, focus rests on creating an understanding among patients, families and caregivers and enhancing the patient's quality of life in every possible way.
Hospice Long-Term Care services include:
- Scheduled visits by experienced Registered Nurses to assist with pain control and symptom management.
- Coordination of medical equipment for comfort and symptom management in addition to the equipment routinely provided by the long-term care facility.
- Supplemental personal care for residents provided by Certified Nurse Aides.
- Psychosocial support for residents, families and the long-term care staff.
- Spiritual support, which may include clergy as requested, for residents and families.
- Companionship and emotional support provided by trained volunteers.
- Consultation and emergency care available from Hospice professionals 24 hours a day, everyday of the year.
- Bereavement counseling and support for family members throughout the resident's illness and up to a year or more, as needed, after death.
Eligibility for Hospice Long-Term Care Services
Residents of long-term care facilities are eligible for Hospice care when they are facing a terminal illness for which the identified goal of treatment is symptom management and comfort. When the long-term care facility has a contractual agreement with New Jersey Hospice, residents are eligible for Hospice care if these conditions are met:
- The resident's physician has established a prognosis of limited life expectancy.
- Physician and family agree on a palliative (versus curative) course of care.
- Residents of the long-term care facilities are enrolled in Medicare Part A and elect the Hospice Medicare Benefit or are enrolled in the State Medicaid Program
- The Medicare and Medicaid benefit covers all Hospice services related to the terminal condition including medications, supplies and equipment.
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