A registered nurse is on call 24-hours a day every day to assist with emergencies. Hospice does not provide 24-hour a day private nurses. Hospice patients have a life expectancy of six months or less and are no longer seeking aggressive treatment aimed at cure, but instead desire palliative care for comfort. It is appropriate at any time during a life-limiting illness to evaluate one's care options, including hospice. The staff at Caldwell County Hospice is available any time to discuss hospice services with a patient and his family, whether the patient is appropriate for care now or will be later.
Patients are eligible for hospice care as soon as they are diagnosed with a life-limiting illness.
While it is never too late to come to Hospice, we encourage patients to seek hospice care early so that both they and their family can benefit even more from this specialized care and support. Caldwell County Hospice also offers supportive care for those patients who don't need intensive hospice services, but are not entirely appropriate for discharge, either. All patients are evaluated by the hospice team regularly to make sure they are appropriate for hospice. It should be noted that patients may be discharged if in remission and then re-enter the hospice program at a later time if their condition worsens. Caldwell County Hospice cares for patients with any diagnosis.