Fear of the unknown often keeps people from new experiences. Hospice might be one of those experiences. You may hear about hospice from a friend or someone on your medical team and want to find out if this is right for your situation.
When you make a call to Hospice of Northwest Ohio, a pleasant voice greets you on the other end of the line. The receptionist will transfer you to a nurse team member who will walk you through the process. The nurse you talk to will ask some questions to gather information about the patient. It might be good to prepare for these ahead of time, but do not feel stressed if you don't. Questions include patient's name and identifying information, health insurance coverage, primary or referring provider and recent hospitalizations. The nurse will then set up an appointment with you and one of our hospice experts. At this meeting, you can learn about what the hospice benefit has to offer. This is a great time to ask questions you have and clear up any myths you may have heard. It might be helpful to have a list of questions written down.
You will want to include all family caregivers and decision makers in this initial meeting. This is a great time for everyone to get on the same page with information and understanding of care and services. There is always the option of including someone on via phone who is unable to be present in person. These conversations may bring up a few emotions. Telling your story may bring up memories from the past, current realities and prior experiences surrounding death. This is normal and expected. The Hospice nurse is there to help guide you.
At the end of the meeting, you may be ready for hospice, or you may want to wait before you decide. Some people want to talk to their doctor one more time or have a family meeting. We will follow your lead. Whatever you decide, know that we are there to support you. The important thing is to call and get the information so you are prepared to make an informed decision.