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Are You Caring For Someone?

We understand that being a caregiver is difficult, trying and time consuming. In fact, many caregivers look into hospice care because they need help and support. All too often we hear families tell us, "I wish we would have called you sooner!" The earlier a patient and family get hospice care the greater the benefits they receive.

Many caregivers are hesitant to call hospice thinking that it means they have given up on their loved one. However, calling hospice doesn't mean you have given up, it simply means that you have taken a step towards taking control of the disease. It means that you want to treat the pain and symptoms so that your loved one can enjoy their life. Hospice care helps ill family members maintain a good quality of life without sacrificing the medical care that they receive.

Sometimes we hear caregivers say that if they accept hospice care, they think their loved one will die right away. Let us calm your fears with these recent statistics:

A Duke University study found that hospice patients with the following disease diagnosis experienced an average life span extension of approximately 21 days, if not more.

  • CHF - 81 days
  • Lung Cancer - 39 days
  • Colon Cancer - 33 days
  • Pancreatic Cancer - 21 days

Discussing hospice is a difficult topic and it can be hard to determine if your loved one is ready for hospice care.  At Hospice of Helping Hands we care for patients of all ages and various life-limiting illnesses. It is our goal to bring them comfort in their final stages of life. The type of illness the patient has does not matter. We serve patients living with:

  • Cancer
  • COPD and other Lung Diseases
  • Heart Disease
  • Alzheimer’s or Dementia
  • Renal (Kidney) Disease
  • AIDS
  • Or any other life-limiting illness

In fact, it is common that a patient may have a combination of complicated health issues that validate hospice care is needed. With that in mind, if you think your loved one and family could benefit from hospice care, call us. 

We want to remind our caregivers that you can only take the best care of your loved one, if you are taking care of yourself.

Caregiver Resources:

Caring for the Caregiver

Acknowledging You Need Assistance

Quiz: Are You Heading for Caregiver Burnout?

For more information on hospice services, call us at 800-992-6592 or 989-345-4700.

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Informal Hospice Eligibility Questionnaire

You may be eligible for hospice care if you check four or more statements. However, your primary physician and our Medical Director will make the final decision regarding eligibility. Please check the following statements as they apply to you or your loved one to see if hospice care may be appropriate.

I have started feeling more tired and weak.
I experience shortness of breath, even when resting.
I spend most of the day in bed or in a chair.
I have noticed an increased weight loss in the past six months.
I make frequent phone calls to my physician.
I take medications to lessen physical pain.
I have fallen several times in the past six months.
I have made frequent trips to the emergency room in the past six months.
I need help from others with important daily activities. (bathing, dressing, eating, cooking, walking, getting out of bed)

I have had to take an antibiotic for infection 3 or more times in the past six months.

My physician has told me my life expectancy is limited or terminal (call now)
  Name:
 

Address:

  City: State: Zip:
  Email:

  Phone:
  Comments:
 
 

If you have checked four or more items on the questionnaire and submitted, we will be calling you promptly. However, if you have checked four or more items on the questionnaire and not submitted, please call our office at 800-992-6592 to speak to a nurse regarding hospice eligibility and how we can help you.