An Educational Conversation

I had an interesting conversation. I am doing some research on hospices and palliative care (for someone else, not me). I met with a social worker who used to work for a hospice. She was very helpful.

I had no idea how hospice care worked, especially at home. Basically hospice care includes palliative care. If you have hospice care at home everything comes to you. Doctors, nurses, social workers, and more. It lasts for up to six months. If, at the end of the six  months you are still alive, you can be recertified for more hospice time (I think) unless you are too healthy and stable and then its back to reality.

Hospice care is also paid by medicare or medicaid unless you have long term care insurance. So think of it as free care when you are sickest and it all shows up at your house. If you are interested in hospice, its best to start research as soon as possible.

I found it very interesting how the process works. And learned that basically if you have been given less than six months to live, sign right up.

So from what I learned, when I get to that point in life (face it we are all going to get to that point in our lives), I will sign up for hospice.