Hospice

Hospice is a special way of caring for a family member with a terminal illness. Beaumont Hospice provides physical, psychological and spiritual care as well as comfort to those with life limiting illnesses. Patients and their family members can receive these services regardless of ability to pay. Hospice allows your loved one to live their final days at their home, nursing facility or retirement community.

Beaumont Hospice provides patients and families with care from a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, bereavement counselors, home-health aides, chaplains, therapists, and dedicated volunteers. The goal of Beaumont Hospice is not only to do everything possible to help when end-of-life care is needed, but also to help your family member live with the best quality of life possible. Beaumont Hospice is there to affirm your family member's dignity and integrity to the very last moment.

Hospice Services

Beaumont Hospice offers the following services to patients with life limiting illness:

• Physician services
• Skilled nursing
• Medical and social services
• Chaplain services
• Counseling services
• Volunteer services
• Physical, occupational, speech therapy
• Home health aide
• Complementary therapies
• Ambulance
• Medicine and medical supplies

Levels of Care

Beaumont Hospice brings care to people in the setting that best serves the needs of the patient.

• Routine care - provided at the patient's home or place of residence.
• Continuous care - Hospice can provide nursing care for up to 72 hours in times of medical crisis for pain and symptom control. This benefit can often allow the patient to remain in their homes.
• General inpatient care - Hospice can provide short-term inpatient care for pain control and symptom management in facilities approved by Beaumont Hospice.
• General respite care - Hospice can provide short-term respite care to give patients time in a setting other than home.

Beaumont Hospice assists families in the grieving process and remains in touch with them for a period of thirteen months. This support includes phone contact, supportive listening and counseling, support groups, memorial services and literature.

Insurance

Most insurers, including Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross, HMOs and most private insurance companies, pay for some or all hospice services. In addition, many of these insurance plans may also cover short-term stays in hospitals or nursing homes. However, no patient is denied Beaumont Hospice care due to financial or insurance reasons.

Arranging for Hospice

From a family or friend to a physician or nurse, anyone may make a referral to Beaumont Hospice care. Beaumont Hospice services are available 24 hours and day, 365 days a year. For more information, or to arrange for hospice services, please call 248-743-9400.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the levels of care?

Routine care

• Nursing, social work, chaplain, home health aide and volunteer services provided to patients in the home or nursing home.

Continuous care

Hospice can provide nursing care eight to 24 hours a day in times of medical crisis for pain and symptom control. This can often minimize the need for hospitalization.

Acute inpatient care

• Hospice can provide short-term inpatient care for pain control symptom management in facilities approved by Beaumont Hospice.

Respite care

• Hospice will provide short-term respite care to give patients time in a setting other than the home. Facilities must be approved by Hospice.

Who does hospice care for?

• People with life-limiting illness
• People who choose comfort and pain management rather than curative treatment
• People who choose no extreme means to sustain life
• People with end-stage diseases such as cancer, heart disease, lung disease, Alzheimer's disease, kidney disease, ALS and AIDS
• Family members who are grieving the loss of their loved one
• People with life-limiting illness
• People who choose comfort and pain management rather than curative treatment
• People who choose no extreme means to sustain life
• People with end-stage diseases such as cancer, heart disease, lung disease, Alzheimer's disease, kidney disease, ALS and AIDS
• Family members who are grieving the loss of their loved one

What services does hospices provide?

Our hospice team of physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, home health aides and trained volunteers provide support and care to enhance the quality of life for individuals and their families. Pain control and symptom management as well as emotional, psychological, social and spiritual support are provided for patients and families. Dietary counseling, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy services are also available.

Beaumont Hospice also provides medications, medical equipment, supplies and ambulance services that are included in the hospice plan of care.

Physician services

• Hospice physicians are available to meet general medical needs for symptom and pain control and to oversee management of the illness and related conditions to the extent these needs are not met by the attending physician.

Skilled nursing

• Nurses coordinate all services necessary to the patient's illness, which may include teaching, supervision and direct care.

How is hospice paid for?

Most insurers (including Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross and HMOs) reimburse for hospice care. Most insurers also cover short stays in hospitals or nursing homes for pain and symptom control or for respite care. No patient is denied hospice care due to financial or insurance reasons. Contributions to Beaumont Hospice, a non-profit organizations, allow us to provide services regardless of ability to pay.

Learn more

If you would like to learn more about Beaumont Hospice staff, services and resources available to you or your loved one, please click on the link to read our Patient and Caregiver Handbook.