BEFORE MAKING THE COMMITMENT, GET TO KNOW YOUR HOSPICE CARE.
Families sometimes don’t recognize that they can choose among hospices. Why is this so important?
The U.S. hospice industry has changed dramatically in the past two decades because of the growth of for-profit hospices. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization reports 66 percent of hospices held for-profit status in 2013, an increase of 15 percent from the 51 percent reported in 2011.
So with so much choice, why choose Hospice Care of the Lowcountry? Hospice Care of the Lowcountry is a not-for-profit charitable organization subject to 501(c) 3 that has served the Lowcountry since 1982. As a non-profit and Medicare, Medicaid Certified program, we have been providing the gold standard in care to Hilton Head, Bluffton and Beaufort County for 33 years.
When compared to nationally prepared statisticsfor hospice care, Hospice Care of the Lowcountry far exceeds the standard set by other similar organizations. Beyond spending more on nursing care per patient, Hospice Care of the Lowcountry is more likely to send a nurse to a patient’s home in the last days of life, is more likely to provide care patients need during a crisis, and has a lower percentage of patients who drop out of hospice due to its lower expenses and high satisfaction.
The bottom line is Medicare pays a hospice a fixed rate each day per patient for routine care, regardless of whether the company sends any staff out on that day. But Hospice Care of the Lowcountry puts in that extra effort.
While most hospices have staff on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Hospice Care of the Lowountry can provide more care with a dedicated after-hours team who work nights or weekends and holidays.
The hospice team develops a care plan that meets each patient’s individual needs for pain management and symptom control. This team typically consists of the patient’s physician, hospice medical director, certified nurses and aides, social workers, certified bereavement counselors, clergy or other spiritual counselors, and trained volunteers.
What services are provided to patients and families?
Services include:
- Managing the patient’s pain and symptoms
- Assisting the patient with the emotional, psychosocial and spiritual aspects of dying
- Providing needed medications, medical supplies, and equipment
- Educating and empowering the family to care for their loved one
- Offering services such as physical, occupational and speech therapies
- Providing bereavement care and counseling
With continued community support and grants, Hospice Care of the Lowcountry is uniquely positioned to offer programs to families beyond typical services. These include Palliative Care, Kids Path, We Honor Veterans, Hos-Pets Pet Therapy, Pet Peace of Mind, Community Bereavement, and Life Song Music Therapy. Remember, you have a choice. Choose Hospice Care of the Lowcountry.
For more information, visit the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization or contact Hospice Care of the Lowcountry at 843-706-2296, and online at www.hospicecarelc.org.
