What is Hospice Care in Agoura Hills, CA?
As a compassionate service, hospice care in Agoura Hills, CA prioritizes comfort and quality of life for people experiencing a life-limiting illness in order to improve their quality of life. We have adopted a holistic approach, which means that this therapy takes into account the patient’s physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs as well as those of their family members. It is important for hospice care to place great emphasis on managing pain and symptoms, while also adding emotional support, spiritual support, and assistance with day-to-day activities as well. This type of medical care can be provided in any setting, most commonly at the patient’s home, but can also be implemented in hospitals, nursing homes, or hospice care facilities in Agoura Hills, CA. Hospice care is intended to provide a person with the opportunity to live with dignity at home and to do so in as comfortable and supportive an environment as possible, while keeping them surrounded by their loved ones as much as possible.
Who Qualifies for Hospice Care
As a form of sympathetic and supportive care, hospice care in Agoura Hills, CA is provided to people who are dealing with life-limiting illnesses. This type of care tries to provide comfort to the patients, manage their symptoms, improve their quality of life not only for themselves but also for their families as well. Who are the people that this service is intended for? In order to gain a better understanding of end-of-life care, let’s take a closer look at the eligibility criteria.
The Six-Month Prognosis:
Often, it is assumed that hospice refers to the type of facility where patients go only when they are near the end of their lives. There is no doubt that hospice care involves some aspect of end-of-life care, however being in hospice care does not mean a person is just there for a few days or weeks at the end of his or her life. An individual who is considered to be eligible for hospice care, as determined by a doctor, is typically considered to have less than six months to live. This doesn’t mean that the person has to die within six months to receive care from a hospice program. It means that, if the illness continues as it normally would, then the doctor thinks the patient has a life expectancy of six months or less. The thing to keep in mind is that some patients are able to live longer than six months on hospice, and that is perfectly acceptable.
Terminal Illness:
Hospice care in Agoura Hills, CA is available to anyone who is suffering from a terminal illness. Depending on what the condition is, it can include anything from advanced cancer, heart failure, lung disease, dementia, or any of the other serious illnesses that exist. As there is no cure for this illness, the emphasis has shifted from curative treatments to comfort care.
Focus on Comfort Care:
It is usually a matter of personal choice to choose hospice care for a loved one, with discussions between the family, the patient, and other health care professionals involved in the decision process. It means that the focus of treatment has shifted from aggressive treatment of disease to “pain management and comfort” in order to achieve the best possible quality of life for the patient. It is important to note that this does not mean that all medical interventions are stopped, but rather, they are adapted according to the needs and preferences of the patients.
Other Factors:
Although it is important to take into consideration the six-month prognosis and terminal illness as the primary criteria, hospice providers in Agoura Hills, CA may also consider other factors such as the following:
- Functional Decline: A significant decline in the patient’s ability to perform daily activities.
- Frequent Hospitalizations: Multiple instances of hospital admissions or visits to the ER within the last several months.
- Progressive Weight Loss: Unintentional and significant weight loss.
- Other Disease-Specific Criteria: Other diagnoses have more disease-specific criteria for hospice eligibility.
Hospice Services
Core Hospice Services:
- Pain and Symptom Management: Hospice teams in Agoura Hills, CA are experts at dealing with symptoms, such as pain, and other distressing symptoms related to nausea, shortness of breath, and anxiety. They do this using medication, therapy, and complementary methods such as massage or music therapy.
- Emotional and Spiritual Support: Patients and families may experience emotional turmoil when trying to come to terms with a life-limiting disease. Hospice provides counseling, support groups, and spiritual guidance to enable patients and families to go through their feelings in order to attain peace and acceptance.
- Personal Care and Assistance: Hospice aides help patients with such ADLs as bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, and getting out of bed.
- Medication Management: The hospice nurse is responsible for administering medications so that symptoms and pain are managed as intended.
- Medical Equipment and Supplies: Hospice will furnish all appropriate medical equipment and supplies, such as beds, wheelchairs, or oxygen equipment, to add comfort in the home and ensure safety.
- Bereavement Support: Hospice care in Agoura Hills, CA does not end with the death of the patient; it goes further to help counsel the bereaved families in their periods of grief.
How much does Hospice Care cost
When a loved one is diagnosed with a life-limiting disease or illness, it becomes important to focus on comfort, quality of life, and make the best of the time that remains. Hospice care is such an imperative benefit that it offers a full range of services for the journey. Whatever the case may be, insurance coverage may be difficult to grasp. The next section will clarify different available insurances for easy and confident hospice care decision-making.
Medicare:
One of the main sources of hospice coverage for people 65 years old and older is Medicare, which fully covers hospice under Medicare Part A in cases when:
- The patient is eligible for Medicare Part A.
- A doctor certifies that the patient is terminally ill and has a remaining life expectancy of six months or less.
- The patient decides that they would rather enter hospice care than continue curative treatments.
The hospice benefit under Medicare includes the following services: physician services, nursing care, medical appliances and supplies, drugs for symptom management and pain relief, social worker services, dietetic counseling, spiritual and grief counseling, short-term inpatient arrangements, and respite care.
Medicaid:
Medicaid, a joint federal and state program, provides health coverage to low-income individuals and families. If you qualify for Medicaid, hospice care is usually covered under the program. However, coverage details and eligibility requirements can vary from state to state, so it is important to check with your local Medicaid office for specific information.
Private Insurance:
Many private insurance plans also offer coverage for hospice care. The extent of coverage can vary depending on your specific plan. Some plans may have limitations on the duration of coverage, or the specific services covered. Therefore, reviewing your policy carefully or contacting your insurance provider is crucial to understand your hospice benefits.
Contact Us
In the midst of a life-limiting illness, Hospice Valley of Agoura Hills is a beacon of compassion that provides support and comfort for individuals and families affected by this illness. With a commitment to holistic well-being, its professionals consider all dimensions of illness, including the patient’s emotional, spiritual, and social well-being. As part of their services, patients and their families have access to pain management and symptom management as well as bereavement support in this difficult time. In order for Hospice Valley to achieve that goal, they developed a philosophy that incorporates a flexible approach to care that goes beyond settings, including homes and facilities, in order to allow individuals to customize the environment according to their needs and preferences. Hospice Valley is devoted to improving the quality of life of those it serves and this commitment truly makes them a resource of necessity in the community through expert medical care, compassionate counseling, and practical assistance with daily activities in Agoura Hills, CA.
