Family members might worry that they will have to relocate if a senior loved one residing in an assisted living facility has been identified with a terminal disease. An elderly person values the company, comfort, and security of their assisted living unit. They have ties with staff personnel they know and trust and their friends reside there.

If a senior chooses hospice care, it's understandable why they wouldn't want to move during this stage of their lives. Thankfully, families are not compelled to decide between hospice care and an assisted living facility. Regardless of where a patient calls home, hospice may offer assistance.

A senior is not forced to move into a nursing home or inpatient hospice facility or to live in a private dwelling. Almost one-third of elderly citizens living in senior living communities receive hospice care in their private apartments or suites, according to Argentum, an organization of senior housing providers.

Describe hospice care

People with a terminal disease may get hospice care. "Hospice is defined as a model of care that emphasizes compassion and values quality of life for those facing life-limiting illness or injury," claims NHPCO. To deliver high-quality medical care, effective pain management, and individualized emotional and spiritual support to each patient, hospice is unusual in that it adopts a team-oriented approach.

In contrast to curative healthcare, hospice care aims to assist patients in managing their pain and symptoms so they may spend their final days pain-free and with dignity. For instance, hospice can assist in controlling the symptoms of prolonged nausea and trouble breathing.

Hospice also helps families by offering assistance to relatives. This is accomplished through a range of initiatives, such as bereavement services and support groups.

Who covers hospice costs?

Medicare and the majority of private insurance plans will pay for hospice care for seniors who meet the criteria. The senior's disease and the stage of the condition they are currently in determine their eligibility. The primary care doctor for the elderly patient will be able to assist in making that choice.

The hospice benefit can last for at least six months for senior citizens who are Medicare beneficiaries. Many commercial insurance providers adhere to Medicare-like standards.

Heritage Care Home senior living offers hospice care

If you've ever been to a Heritage Care Home Senior Living complex, there's a good chance that you ran across staff from a nearby hospice. They frequently visit their patients in local neighborhoods and offer personal care, assistance with symptom management, or music therapy. Even a pet therapy dog may be seen walking around.

To find out more about our neighborhood hospice partners, speak with the executive director or resident services director at the community where your senior loved one lives.