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Most of our patients are able to live out their lives in their own homes. We help them make the most of the time remaining by easing pain and other symptoms and assisting with personal care. We excel in keeping patients comfortable. We also support our patients’ families in every way possible, whether it be physical relief, emotional or spiritual support, or simply helping with chores.
We offer ongoing bereavement care for families and friends for 13 months after their loss, including grief recovery education, support groups, referrals, resources, and memorial services. Grief support groups are ongoing and are open to all community members free of charge. Call us today for current programs. Emotional and spiritual support Hospice of Lansing and Ionia Area Hospice offer bereavement and spiritual support to help our patients and their families cope with the emotional challenges that accompany serious illness. Our volunteers provide invaluable relief for patients and their families. Each patient care volunteer is trained by Hospice of Lansing or Ionia Area Hospice to offer a listening ear or a helping hand—whether it be running an errand or simply being there.
When is the right time to ask about hospice? Now is the best time to learn more about hospice and ask questions about what to expect from hospice services. Although end-of-life care may be difficult to discuss, it is best for family members to share their wishes long before they become a concern. This can greatly reduce stress when the time for hospice is needed. By having these discussions in advance, patients are not forced into uncomfortable situations. Instead, patients can make an educated decision that includes the advice and input of family members and loved ones. How does hospice care begin, and what does it cost? Anyone can make a referral to Hospice of Lansing and Ionia Area Hospice by calling (877)822-4500. Typically, hospice care starts when a formal request or an ‘order’ is given by the patient's doctor. Often a hospice program representative will visit the patient within 24 hours. In urgent situations, hospice services may begin sooner. The patient's doctor and the hospice medical director must concur that the patient is eligible for hospice care. Then the patient or the patient's designated representative sign an agreement that they understand the goals of hospice and choose to become a patient of Hospice of Lansing and Ionia Area Hospice. There are typically no costs for hospice care as it is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans. The only costs to the patient and family are items unrealted to the hospice diagnosis. Hospice care includes physician oversight, nursing, social work, home health aides, volunteers, spiritual care and grief support as part of the hospice benefit. There is a daily cost for room and board at the Stoneleigh Residence. Will I be the only hospice patient that the hospice staff serves? Typically, full-time registered nurses provide care to about a dozen different families when patients are living at home. Social workers usually work with about twice the number of patients/families as nurses. If needed, home health aides, who provide personal care to the patient, will visit most frequently. All visits, however, are based on the patient and family needs as described in the care plan and the condition of the patient during the course of illness. The frequency of volunteers and spiritual care is often dependent upon the family request and the availability of these services. Travel requirements and other factors may cause some variation in how many patients each hospice staff serves. Our Hospice Residence has a full-time staff, and professional care is available 24/7, including holidays. Is hospice available after hours? Nursing and support services are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. How does the hospice work to keep the patient comfortable? Patients may have pain and other serious symptoms as illness progresses. Our Hospice staff has received special training to care for all types of physical and emotional symptoms that cause pain, discomfort and distress. Because keeping the patient comfortable and pain-free is an important part of hospice care, we have developed ways to measure how comfortable the patient is during the course of their stay in hospice. Our Hospice staff works with the patient’s physician to make sure that medication, therapies, and procedures are designed to achieve the goals outlined in the patient’s care plan. The care plan is reviewed frequently to make sure any changes and new goals are in the plan. What role does the hospice volunteer serve? Hospice volunteers are generally available to provide varying types of support to patients and their loved ones including running errands, preparing light meals, staying with a patient to give family members a break, and lending emotional support and companionship to patients and family members. Volunteers also help the Hospice in many other ways by supporting office work and special events.. Can I be cared for by hospice if I reside in a nursing facility or other type of long-term care facility? Hospice services can be provided to a terminally ill person wherever they live. This means a patient living in a nursing home or long-term care facility can receive specialized visits from our hospice nurses, home health aides, social workers, volunteers, etc. in addition to other care and services provided by the nursing facility. What happens if I cannot stay at home due to my increasing care need and require a different place to stay during my final phase of life? Hospice of Lansing has its own hospice facility — a wonderful eight-bed, freestanding hospice residence which caters to patients who cannot stay at home. Do state and federal reviewers inspect and evaluate hospices? Yes. There are state licensure requirements that we must meet in order to deliver care. In addition, we must comply with federal regulations in order to be approved for reimbursement under Medicare and Medicaid. We periodically undergo inspection to be sure we are meeting regulatory standards in order to maintain our license to operate. |
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