Will a written plan for care be drawn up that spells out what the patient wants and how the hospice will help him or her achieve it 5. Is support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Started in the 1970's as a voluntary charitable effort to help those near death and to avoid the endless and costly end of life procedures. The patients are offered comfort care- keeping patients free of pain and discomfort and assistance with spiritual, emotional and practical matters. The patient is in control- the hospice will try to follow the patients wishes.
Hospice enables and encourages family and friends to participate in the end of life care.
Most importantly , from my conversations with beneficiaries, hospice offers counseling before and after the loved one's death and advice and aid to caregivers who may suffer both an emotional and financial toll. In 1983 Medicare began paying for hospice care- which subsequently fostered a bunch of for profit entities that, in some cases, found loopholes to falsify care. The average stay is 55 days and most of the 455,000 Medicare and private patients are cared for in their own home. 166 days- and that is where most of the problems lie as certain agencies have submitted bills for ineligible patients. As such, the budget has ballooned far out of control.