From Last Moments to Lasting Memories
Time with your loved one is precious. We want you to have all the time you can.
But it's not uncommon that families avoid or delay hospice care—not wanting to
take an unwelcome step toward final outcomes. We offer an alternative viewpoint:
hospice can bring a greater quality of life to your entire family the sooner it
begins. By facilitating conversations, we can relieve some of the burden of
planning, remove lingering hidden questions, and free you up for time together
spent more focused on connection.
There's no need to navigate this alone
If you're considering hospice care for a loved one, we know the number of
considerations can be overwhelming, confusing, and straining. When feeling caught
up in the whirlwind of emotional, financial, health, and family decisions to be
made, hospice exists to guide you through it. Personal consultations,
individualized care plans, and support from trained chaplains and social workers
facilitate the planning discussions that bring you closer together. Honor your
loved one's wishes. Navigate the unknown now with guidance, and give more of your
energy to each other.
“ Everything about the process with Commonheart was simple. They made sure
to take everything off of my plate so my focus could be on being present and
spending time with my mother. I'm not sure I fully appreciated their help and
guidance the way I should have while it was all happening, but I want to say thank
you for all of it now. You were all a blessing to me.”
About Hospice
Hospice is a guide through the end-of-life experience. As advisors and advocates, we help patients and their families navigate the details of an unfamiliar and emotionally challenging process.
Hospice care focuses on the comfort, quality of life, and dignity of people who are terminally ill. Hospice teams include doctors, nurses, social workers, and home health aides, all with specialized training for the following services:
- Physical care
- Emotional and spiritual support
- Social support
- Therapy services
- Advance care planning
Hospice is not a medical care provider. Our role is as an advocate to the patient and their wishes. We educate and support caregivers in providing care accordingly. We consider the holistic portrait of the patient’s wellbeing, their family, and spirituality, to ensure that medical approaches align with goals for treatment.
No, hospice does not typically include custodial care of day-to-day tasks, such as eating, bathing, and cleaning. Instead, hospice care complements the work of caregivers, in-home or at a senior living community. Many providers, however, do have relationships with 24-hour on-call nurses that can respond to pain management needs.
Hospice can provide 24-hour care in some unique situations, such as when a patient is experiencing uncontrollable symptoms (pain, difficulty breathing, or nausea) or acute symptoms that can't be managed by the primary caregiver. The cost is determined on the patient's insurance coverage. While Medicare covers 24-hour hospice care, it may not cover all expenses.
Hospice can be provided in many settings– in a private home, senior living community or hospital. The setting is often determined by how much care the individual needs and if this is provided at a community, by paid caregivers, or by family.
Explore hospice early, as it may result in months of rich quality time, alleviated stress, and meaningful care for loved ones.
Assisted living and nursing homes typically provide personal care services, nursing care, and rehabilitation services. Their staff are the primary caregivers for their residents. A patient not living in a community may have a different caregiver, whether that be a family-member or home care aide. Hospice is a patient advocate and life-planning service that plays an advisory role to whoever the patient’s primary caregiver is.
Hospice care is primarily paid for through Medicare, which covers the majority of costs for eligible patients. Most people with Medicare won't have any out-of-pocket expenses for hospice care. Other options include private insurance plans and Medicaid, depending on individual eligibility and state regulations. Commonheart offers financial assistance for individuals without insurance or with limited means.
We provide a free, non-obligatory, introductory meeting and information session to learn what matters holistically to the patient and their family. Questions include:
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What misconceptions or fears do you have?
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What does your support structure look like?
- Who are people involved in your care that you want included in conversations?
Hospice and You
In addition to managing symptoms of the patient's illness, hospice supports families and loved ones by providing emotional support, bereavement care after death, and a dignified environment in which patient and family can focus on quality time during final days.
Life planning decisions are best navigated in a calm state of mind. Waiting until a patient sees their own need may also mean letting their decline progress in ways that could be prevented with earlier discussion. Encourage your loved one to consider hospice, before physical, mental, or emotional challenges limit their ability to share final wishes and fully engage in life planning discussions.
Be a supportive presence and encourage their agency in decision-making. End-of-life care is something they’ve earned by way of a rich and full life. They will feel more confident and empowered to make it a comfortable and peaceful experience according to their own wishes with your support.
Humans maintain a strong will to live. There may be resistance to acknowledging the inevitable. This is especially true among adults who still have ambitions or unresolved feelings about their past, spirituality, or relationships. This may impact how receptive they are to having end-of-life discussions.
It’s important to acknowledge hesitations. You don’t have to resolve everything before taking the step towards hospice. In fact, hospice exists to help you and your loved ones navigate challenges so you can find clarity together.
