Levels of Care

There are four levels of specialized hospice care including

• Home Care
• Continuous Care
• General Inpatient Care
• Respite CareHospice services are made available to an individual when it has been determined by their physician that curative care is no longer serving the needs of the patient.

Care is provided to a patient who has a prognosis of six to twelve months to live. This care can be provided at home, a nursing home, an assisted living facility, or a hospital.

Hospice Care Within the Home
Hospice services are provided to an individual no matter where they reside. Our qualified Team of nurses and doctors will assess the needs of the patient and begin a customized plan of care for the patient. The goal is to provide each patient with the best quality and comfort of life. Hospice care is spiritual and emotional support for the patient and their family members to include pain management, symptom management, assistance with daily tasks, and any other needs that may be required to allow everyone involved the highest level of comfort and peace. Each care plan is tailored to the patients’ needs and may be modified as often as necessary.

Continuous Hospice Care
This care is provided to the patient upon experiencing an increased need for additional clinical support. Continuous care is provided on a short-term basis (usually one to two days) to maintain the patient in their home or long-term care facility during an acute symptomatic crisis. Nursing care is primarily provided from 8 to 24 hours in a day to achieve palliation or management of the acute medical symptoms. The family or caregivers can take comfort in knowing that their loved one is getting the best possible care during this stressful time. The continuous care nurse provides a wealth of knowledge and can answer any questions you may have. At A*Med, we have a dedicated team of trained, continuous care nursing staff at all times, unlike many other hospices who utilize staffing agencies.

General Inpatient Hospice Care
This type of care is short-term and is available for pain control and symptom management. Inpatient care is provided in the hospital, and generally lasts about one to three days. Once the symptoms are resolved and the plan of care is unchanged for twenty-four hours, a routine level of care is resumed.

Respite Hospice Care
Respite care is offered for five days of care in a nursing facility or assisted living community. This type of care offers relief for an at-home caregiver and can be utilized periodically and in accordance with Medicare guidelines, which is once per benefit period. Families are then able to plan a mini-vacation, go to special events, or simply get much-needed rest.