levels of hospice care
Hospice care is divided into four levels:
Routine
Patients receive routine care at home, which could be a private dwelling, group home, assisted living or nursing center, or a freestanding hospice facility, such as the new Community Hospice House. Hospice care team members visit patients wherever they live to provide information, hands-on assistance and comfort. They also train and advise primary caregivers about the best ways to help their loved ones.
Respite
Respite care gives primary caregivers a much-needed break from attending to a patient at home. During these times, our patients may spend up to five days in a hospital, assisted living or nursing center, or the Community Hospice House. Both the facility’s staff and our hospice team will ensure that the patient receives the correct attention and medical treatment. Bon Secours Hospice also offers continuous care during a crisis when there is a desire to keep the patient at home.
General Inpatient
Patients enter a hospital or other facility, such as the Community Hospice House, when they cannot be cared for in other settings. In a medical facility, the hospital staff and hospice team are actively engaged in aiding the patient and provide around-the-clock care. Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance providers monitor general inpatient care for hospice patients closely to minimize hospital stays. Because every patient is different, the length of stay and potential discharge is based on the patient’s end-of-life progression.
Continuous Care
Continuous Care is covered by the Medicare Hospice Benefit and is a round-the-clock level of care provided in the home for brief periods of time when the patient is experiencing a crisis. Our highly skilled team will provide the home caregiver the education and training necessary to transition them to safely care for his or her loved one at home.
