Hospice Care Archives

If your family member is under the care of Florida Hospice, they have probably told you that you need to look into Funeral Arrangements or Cremation Services in Florida. There are multiple steps once this process begins and we wanted to help families understand the processes.

What is Hospice?

Hospice is end-of-life care that focuses on the quality of life for people and their caregivers who are experiencing an advanced, life-limiting illness. Hospice care provides compassionate care for people in the last phases of incurable disease so that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible. Hospice can care for your loved one in your home if necessary or in a Hospice Care Facility. Sometimes hospice also has facilities within hospitals to help families. Once your loved one is near the end of their life, Hospice will need for the family to make the decision of final arrangement. Once a family has chosen their final cremation arrangements, the family needs to give the cremation facility’s name and phone number to Hospice.

When deciding on cremation vs burial for your loved one understand some key facts and suggestions:

Florida burial services are usually between 10,000-15,0000 for complete burial. The price of Florida cremation can run between 1500 -5000 depending on if you are having a viewing.
It is bestto look ahead into what Florida Crematories or Funeral Homes are in your immediate area.
Look for affordable direct cremations in your local area and make contact with a crematory near you. Speak to someoneto make some arrangements for your loved one so that Hospice can call them anytime day or night.
Try to find someone within 50miles or less of your area for the best service when it comes to taking your loved one from the Hospice Home.
You can have all of your paperwork filled out ahead of time.
The forms that are needed are a Vital Statistics form, a cremation authorization form which is used for permission to cremate, and then make sure you keep these forms in a safe convenient place and send them to the facility you have chosen. Here are the forms to fill out: https://goinghomecremations.com/forms/
You can pay at the time of need for cremation services but it is better to have your forms filled out ahead of time.

After you have decided on what facility you are using, notify Hospice of your choice and make sure they have the 24-hour number for the direct cremation or burial company you are using. If Hospice is taking care of our loved one at your home make sure you call Hospice when death occurs if they are not present at the time. Hospice must initiate the call to any funeral home or crematory that you are using. Before the direct cremation facility picks up your loved one, they will pronounce the time of death and prepare your loved one for transport into the care of a Florida direct cremation facility of your choice.

It usually takes approximately 1-3 hours for someone to arrive depending on time of day and traffic. The transport company will take your loved one into their care and deliver them to the facility you have chosen. If your loved one is a Veteran, Going Home Cremation will drape an American flag over your loved while in transport. Please make sure you notify the Hospice nurse that your loved one is a Veteran.

IF DEATH OCCURS unexpectedly IN YOUR HOME:

If your loved one is at home and is NOT under the care of hospice, make sure you call 911,Ambulance services and Law enforcement will be called out to your home. Depending on the circumstances the police will decide if your loved one will go to the coroner or direct to a cremation or funeral facility.

At Going Home Cremations, we answer our phones 24/7 so that Hospice can reach us anytime day or night. We cover Pinellas County south to Lee County.

Hope Hospice in Fort Meyers

Going Home Cremations is there for you after Hospice. We work closing with families under the care of Hospice in your area. We work with Hope Hospice and Tidewell Hospice to be there for you at your time of need. We will respond within approximately 2 hours to take your family member into our care after passing. We will work with Hope Hospice and Tidewell Hospice to acquire the Death Certificate from their Doctors in a timely manner. Hospice and Going Home Cremations work together to help families deal with cremation services of their loved ones.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE END OF LIFE

Hospice offers bereavement support and we encourage families to donate their unwanted items to the Hospice thrift store in their area. Hospice is an earthly resource of angels!

CARING, WHEN IT MATTERS MOST

It is important for families to know that they can spend the last moments of their loved one’s life with them knowing that they are being properly cared for when it matters most. Just as a Hospice nurse or social worker provides care and advice, our Cremation Specialists at Going Home Cremation are specially trained and committed to meeting every need when a death occurs or when planning in advance.

For more information, contact Going Home Cremation at 941.320.1179.

See Our FAQ Below About Hospice

What Is Hospice?

Hospice is specialized type of care for those facing a life-limiting illness, their families and their caregivers.

Hospice care addresses the patient’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs.
Hospice care also helps the patient’s family caregivers.
Hospice care takes place in the patient’s home or in a home-like setting.
Hospice care concentrates on managing a patient’s pain and other symptoms so that the patient may live as comfortable as possible and make the most of the time that remains.
Hospice care believes the quality of life to be as important as length of life

To learn more about the basics of hospice, please watch our video, Understanding Hospice Care, on this page:

Choosing to elect hospice care is an important decision that can greatly benefit the quality of life for a patient with a life-limiting illness in addition to proving support to a patient’s family during a difficult time.

To help you better understand how hospice care can benefit you or a loved one, we recommend that you review our list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) listed below:

Is Hospice For Those With Cancer Only?

No. Hospice patients are living with a wide range of diagnoses including heart disease, cancer, dementias, lung disease and others. However, regardless of a patient’s condition—or age—hospices open their doors and their hearts to all persons diagnosed with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

Hospice is NOT a place.

Hospice services can be provided to a person with limited life expectancy and his/her family, wherever they live. This means a patient living in a nursing facility or long-term care facility and his/her family can receive specialized visits/contacts from physicians, nurses, aides, chaplains, social workers, and volunteers, in addition to other care and services provided by the nursing facility. The hospice and the nursing home will have a written agreement in place in order for the hospice to serve residents of the facility.

How Does Hospice Care Begin?

Typically, hospice care starts as soon as a formal request or a ‘referral’ is made. A hospice representative will visit the patient within 48 hours of referral, pending the physician’s approval, providing the visit meets the needs and schedule of the patient and family/primary caregiver. Hospice care begins within a day or two of referral. However, in urgent situations, hospice services may begin sooner.

The patient or a family member may “self-refer” and request an evaluation for eligibility for receiving hospice services.

What Specific Assistance Does Hospice Provice?

Hospice patients and their families are cared for by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, counselors, aides, spiritual caregivers, therapists, and volunteers— working together in a team to address the patient’s and family’s identified needs. In addition, hospices help provide medications, supplies, equipment, hospital services, and additional helpers in the home, as appropriate.

How Does Hospice Manage Pain?

Hospice nurses and physicians are experts in the latest medications and devices for pain and symptom relief. In addition, physical and occupational therapists assist patients to be as mobile and self-sufficient as possible, and they are often joined by specialists schooled in music therapy, art therapy, diet counseling, and other therapies.

Are There Any Special Equipment or Changes I Have To Make In My Home Before Care Begins?

Your hospice provider will assess your needs, recommend any necessary equipment, and help make arrangements to obtain it. Often the need for equipment is minimal at first and increases as the patient’s needs change.

In general, hospice will assist in any way it can to make home care as convenient and safe as possible.

Is hospice care covered by insurance?

Hospice coverage is widely available. It is provided by Medicare nationwide, by Medicaid in most states, and by most private health insurance policies. To be sure of coverage, families should, of course, check with their employer or health insurance provider.

If the patient is not covered by Medicare or any other health insurance, will hospice still provide care?

The first thing hospice will do is assist families in finding out whether the patient is eligible for any coverage they may not be aware of. Barring this, most hospices will provide care for those who cannot pay, using money raised from the community or from memorial or foundation gifts.

If the patient is eligible for Medicare, will there be any additional expenses to be paid?

Medicare covers all services and supplies related to the life-limiting illness for the hospice patient. In some hospices, the

patient may be required to pay a 5% or $5 “co-payment” on medication and a 5% co-payment for respite care. You should find out about any co-payment when choosing a hospice.

When should a decision about entering a hospice program be made—and who should make it?

At any time during a life-limiting illness, it is appropriate to discuss all of a patient’s care options, including hospice. By law the decision belongs to the patient. Because hospice care includes family members and other caregivers, they are also considered an important part of the decision-making process.

Sometimes, people have concerns about changing the focus of care from disease-modifying to focus on comfort care and quality

of life. Hospice staff members are highly sensitive to these concerns and are always available to discuss them with the patient, family and physician.

What is Palliative Care?

If you are not familiar with the term “palliative” care, it is a medical specialty focused on managing the physical and emotional impact of serious illness.

Sometimes people think palliative and hospice care are synonymous. They are not. Some organizations provide both hospice and palliative care.

Hospice is a specific branch of palliative care for those with a terminal diagnosis. It is important to know you DO NOT have to forgo curative treatment or have a terminal diagnosis to receive palliative care. For more information, please visit, What is Palliative Care?

Choosing a hospice

One of the best ways to choose a hospice is to ask questions. A local hospice provider should be more than willing to help you understand their services and how they might be appropriate for your specific situation. For help locating a hospice provider in your area, please visit our Find My Hospice web page.

Different patients have different needs, and knowing what questions to ask a potential hospice provider can make all the difference. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization has developed some key questions to help identify what factors may be important to you and your family when selecting a hospice.

To learn more, visit our resources on Choosing a Hospice.

Hospice Compare: a public reporting website from Medicare offering quality information on Medicare-certified hospice providers.

Hear from a Hospice Patient

It can be difficult for people to understand the positive impacts hospice

care has on patient’s lives during end-of-life. Watch the video below to hear the testimony of a real hospice patient – just one of millions who thank hospice for an improved quality of life!

Going Home Cremations is there for you when Hospice cant be. We work closing with families under the care of Hospice in your area. We work with Hope Hospice and Tidewell Hospice to be there for you at your time of need. We will respond with 2 hours to take your family member into our care after passing. We will work with Hope Hospice and Tidewell Hospice to acquire the Death Certificate from their Doctors in a timely manner. Hospice and Going Home Cremations works together to help families deal with death of their loved ones. Hospice offers bereavement support and we encourage families to donate their unwanted items to the Hospice thrift store in their area Hospice is an earthly resource of angels!

Video provided by: Providence Health & Services – Oregon Region

Is Hospice Care Covered By Insurance?

If the patient is not covered by Medicare or any other health insurance, will hospice still provide care?

If The Patient Is Not Covered By Medicare Or Any Other Health Insurance, Will Hospice Still Provide Care?

If The Patient Is Eligible For Medicare, Will There Be Any Additional Expenses To Be Paid?

Medicare covers all services and supplies related to the life-limiting illness for the hospice patient. In some hospices, the patient may be required to pay a 5% or $5 “co-payment” on medication and a 5% co-payment for respite care. You should find out about any co-payment when choosing a hospice.

When Should A Decision About Entering A Hospice Program Be Made – And Who Should Make It?

Sometimes, people have concerns about changing the focus of care from disease-modifying to focus on comfort care and quality of life. Hospice staff members are highly sensitive to these concerns and are always available to discuss them with the patient, family and physician.

What Is Pallative Care?