Hospice Care
Hospice is a special way of caring for someone with a limited life expectancy, when the prognosis is discussed in terms of months rather than years. Hospice affirms life and neither hastens nor prolongs the dying process.
St.Vincent Hospice provides compassionate and holistic care for the dying as well as those who love and care for them. We offer a wide range of services to meet the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of the patient and his or her family.
Services
St.Vincent Hospice is staffed by certified hospice and palliative care physicians and offers:
Relief from pain and other symptoms
Spiritual, emotional, social and physical assistance
Bereavement groups
Specially trained teams to serve infants, children, teens, unborn children and their families
For more information about St.Vincent Hospice, please call (317) 338-4040 or toll-free (888) 780-7284.
Hospice services are offered through these St.Vincent Health locations:
St.Vincent Anderson Regional
St.Vincent Indianapolis
Questions You May Have about St.Vincent Hospice
How do I access St.Vincent Hospice?
You may call St.Vincent Hospice 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The phone number is (317) 338-4060 or toll-free (888) 780-7284. The hospice staff can contact your physician and/or your insurance provider to assist you in accessing hospice care.
Where is hospice care provided?
Hospice is a concept of care, not a place of care. Patients can receive care in several settings.
In their own homes -- Home care team members visit on a scheduled basis and are also on-call for urgent needs.
In nursing facilities -- Individuals residing in nursing homes, or extended care facilities, are also eligible for hospice home care. Hospice staff coordinates care with the facility staff, and provides pain and symptom management services as well as emotional and spiritual support.
In-patient at a local hospital or a St.Vincent Health facility –
For intensive symptom management or short-term crisis care
For brief stays when family or caregivers are unable to care for the patient at home due to physical or emotional limitations, or exhaustion. (The patient usually returns home when the symptoms or situation are under control. If the patient is unable to return home, the hospice assists with alternative placement)
Who are the hospice caregivers?
An interdisciplinary team cares for hospice patients. The team members work with the patient and family to develop and implement a plan of care. Team members include:
Attending physician: Usually the patient's own primary doctor who works directly with the hospice team in the day-to-day management of the patient's care
Hospice physician: A medical director and team physicians direct the hospice team's patient care.
Registered nurse: Specially trained to manage pain and other symptoms, and answers questions and educates the patient and family about care, also acts as a case manager and coordinates the team's patient care
Social worker: Assesses the patient and family's emotional, cultural, psychological and social needs, including coping skills, financial counseling and assistance, and support systems; then provides emotional support and makes referrals to other services or community agencies
Chaplain: Assesses the patient and family's spiritual needs and religious preferences, works closely with the patient's own clergy and can provide additional spiritual resources or support , and can assist with funeral planning and bereavement services
Home health aide: Provides direct personal care, including bathing, mouth care, skin care and socialization, and can assist with walking and range-of-motion.
Dietician: Available for consultations about nutrition
Therapists: provide physical, occupational and speech therapy
Volunteer: Specially trained to provide socialization, visitation and active listening for patients and families
What equipment/supplies are provided?
The hospice team assesses the need for medical equipment and provides any necessary equipment such as hospital beds, oxygen, walkers and wheelchairs, shower chairs, and bedside commodes, as needed. Supplies may include incontinence pads and briefs, dressings and bandages, bedpans, urinals, and catheters. The patient/family is responsible for non-medical supplies, including toiletries, linens and gowns.
How are medications administered?
Hospice covers medications related to the hospice diagnosis, including narcotics, as needed for comfort and symptom management. Hospice does not cover medications not related to the patient's diagnosis, and the patient must purchase most non-prescription medications.
St.Vincent Hospice has an on-site pharmacy for in-patients and home care patients. The hospice nurse can usually deliver medications at a scheduled visit if the patient knows when he or she will need refills and notifies the nurse in advance. Patients and families may pick up medication at the hospice pharmacy if required. Hospice can also work with a local pharmacy or delivery pharmacy for urgencies or after-hours crises.
What happens if we need help at night or on the weekends?
St.Vincent Hospice provides assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please call the hospice office. Do not call 911 unless you want life-prolonging, aggressive interventions. A chaplain and social worker are also on-call for spiritual or emotional needs. A home health aide is on-call on Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. A member of the administrative team and a hospice physician are also available.
What if the patient lives alone?
In the early weeks of care, it may not be necessary for someone to be with the patient all of the time. Many patients are physically and mentally capable of living alone and can manage with intermittent visits by the hospice team. As the illness progresses, the patient may require more assistance. The hospice staff assesses the patient's needs on an ongoing basis and makes appropriate recommendations.
Should the patient have an advance directive?
Advance directives are documents that state an individual's preference about medical treatment decisions or designate another person to make decisions on the individual's behalf according to the patient’s wishes. These directives take effect when a patient is no longer able to make his or her own health care decisions.
Although hospice does not require a patient to have an advance directive, families often find it very helpful and comforting to know their loved ones wishes. Hospice social workers are available to discuss and assist in preparing advance directives.
Can a patient cancel hospice services?
A patient can cancel or revoke hospice care at any time for any reason. A patient may elect to resume hospice services at any time if medically eligible. St.Vincent Hospice may not discharge any patient because he or she is unable to pay for hospice services, the illness is too expensive to manage, or the condition requires hospitalization for symptom control.
What if the patient dies at home?
Most hospice patients choose to die at home. The hospice team educates the patient and caregivers and prepares them for what to expect during the dying process. A family may elect to have private time with their loved one during this time or may request the hospice staff to be present. At the patient or family's request, we will arrange a transfer to the inpatient unit when death appears imminent.
What support is provided after death occurs?
We offer bereavement care to the patient's family members or significant others for a period of at least thirteen months from the date of death. The hospice bereavement program can provide encouragement through phone calls, newsletters and grief support groups.
Hospice also offers memorial services and educational programs periodically.
If you have questions regarding insurance coverage, please call (317) 338-4040.