Hospice Advice

[somarco]

A long time client called to ask if I could recommend a hospice provider. I was shocked to hear his "news" and also floored because this is the first time someone has asked this question.

Client is single and does not have any children or relatives who live nearby and few close friends. He is really a nice guy, and always complimented me on my newsletter and other things I do to keep clients in the loop. But he does not socialize much, hence the lack of friends.

All I have come up with is searching for home health and hospice providers that participate in Medicare. Home health does not show star ratings but hospice providers do. He also asked for someone who can handle end of life planning advice and help. I found some resources including elder care attorneys.

This was a very awkward conversation, at least on my end.

This AM I emailed one more suggestion . . . ask his oncologist for a recommendation. He wants in home hospice, not in a residential facility.

Are there any other suggestions or resources I have missed?

 

[rmhaire]

A long time client called to ask if I could recommend a hospice provider. I was shocked to hear his "news" and also floored because this is the first time someone has asked this question.

Client is single and does not have any children or relatives who live nearby and few close friends. He is really a nice guy, and always complimented me on my newsletter and other things I do to keep clients in the loop. But he does not socialize much, hence the lack of friends.

All I have come up with is searching for home health and hospice providers that participate in Medicare. Home health does not show star ratings but hospice providers do. He also asked for someone who can handle end of life planning advice and help. I found some resources including elder care attorneys.

This was a very awkward conversation, at least on my end.

This AM I emailed one more suggestion . . . ask his oncologist for a recommendation. He wants in home hospice, not in a residential facility.

Are there any other suggestions or resources I have missed?

First of all, I'm sorry to hear about your client.

Hospice by definition is designed for someone with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of six months or less. In my wife's case she didn't get the memo. She was on hospice for a little more than eleven years.

A few things to point out to your client:

Part A pays for hospice and it pays at 100%. Including his medications. But what Medicare pays is strictly based on what his hospice company bills for. Not all bill the same. Especially with medications.

I recommend that he interviews with at least three hospice companies in his area. If he's near Atlanta, Pruitt will be one of the biggest and one of the best.

Tell him that he will have to give up all of his doctors, pharmacies, etc. He'll be treated by the doctor on staff with his hospice company. He'll see a nurse and never actually see the doctor.

He'll sign a contract that states that if he decides to go to a hospital it will automatically void the contract he signed with hospice. Hospice is only about palliative care.

He also needs to consider personal caregivers. I recommend private and not the agencies. It's going to be expensive enough. Hospice alone will not be enough. The hospice social worker will help him with this.

I've got plenty more but this is a start. Let me know if I can help.

 

[somarco]

@rmhaire , thank you for the information. I will pass this along to my client.

I didn't ask a lot of questions . . . figured details were none of my business but he prompted enough information to get the gist.

He has cancer. Don't know where, the stage, what kind of treatment he has had (but I suspect chemo based on comments). He did say the side effects are worse than the treatment or the disease. He is tired of fighting and his doc has authorized hospice.

He will not go to a facility unless that is the last resort, that's why he wants to be cared for at home.

He is well educated and smart. His research has taken him to this point so he turned to me since advice I have offered in the past has been helpful.

He said he doesn't remember how he found me (neither do I) but he is so glad we connected. He had a brother with a cancer diagnosis and he had an MA plan. My client thanked me several times for explaining how OM + Medigap works vs MA. He felt like his brother did not get the care he needed because of managed care.

I will pass your comments along to him and won't hesitate to come back for more as needed.

I could contact you direct, but the information you have shared may be helpful for others facing this kind of decision professionally or on a personal level.

 

[rmhaire]

He is tired of fighting and his doc has authorized hospice.

This tells us that he's nearing the end of his fight.

His biggest problem is that he's by himself. Family always helps.

Hospice will help a lot but it's not enough. He's going to need caregivers as his cancer gets worse.

To avoid a facility, he'll need to get serious about caregivers. I actually got pretty good at this part. I fired one years ago for eating a box of vanilla wafers. (I told her they were for the grand kids)

Feel free to reach out anytime. You know how to find me.

 

[Northeast Agent]

somarco said:

A long time client called to ask if I could recommend a hospice provider. I was shocked to hear his "news" and also floored because this is the first time someone has asked this question.

Sorry to hear about this. A friend recently dealt with this with her mother, and posted about it in some FB community groups. She got several good recommendations, chose one and was very pleased with the home hospice workers.

 

[LostDollar]

In my city there is an available program called Nextdoor.
(Program, app, whatever the right term is.)

Neighbors discussing all kinds of stuff.

Homeless people camping out, thefts all the way from porchpirating to vehicle and trailer theft, hunting for tradespeople and doctors, and so on.

Hospice care recommendations would fit right in and I suspect he could get some suggestions.

Atlanta, GA | News, Crime, Lost Pets, Free Stuff

Atlanta, GA is a bustling city known for its rich history, diverse culture, and vibrant music scene. Nextdoor Neighbors appreciate its walkability and the sense of community. It's also recognized for its family-friendly atmosphere and abundance of dog-friendly parks.

nextdoor.com

You could sign up yourself and see that process and see the types of info that come along. It can generate a lot of email, if creating email addresses is an easy process for you (it's not for me) you might consider creating an address special for that so you can dump the project later if you wish to do so.

 

[somarco]

@Northeast Agent, thanks for the input. I have not heard from him in 2 days. He has not opened any of the emails, phone goes to voicemail.

He normally is very good about returning calls or email.