Are you caring for an elderly loved one? If you’re concerned about their declining health, looking into the options for hospice care in Fremont, California, is a smart move – that way, you can choose a local in-home health care agency and make preliminary plans before there’s any urgency.
As you conduct your research, you may come across some terminology that’s unfamiliar or a little vague. Diagnosis and prognosis are two terms that are closely related, but often confused, and both play an integral role in hospice care decisions.
Preparing for the end of your loved one’s life is never going to be easy, but learning more can help you and your family make informed choices when new challenges arise. Below, the professional team at Suncrest, a trusted Fremont in-home health care agency, offers a brief explanation of how diagnosis and prognosis differ and what the terms mean with regard to hospice services.
What Is a Diagnosis?
In the world of hospice care, the term diagnosis can refer to a process – the act of identifying the cause of a health problem by evaluating signs, symptoms and test results. More often, however, it’s used as a classification, meaning that a diagnosis is the specific illness, disease or disorder afflicting a patient.
Any terminal diagnosis is acceptable for admission to hospice. Services are available for Fremont residents with:
- Cancer
- Congestive heart failure
- Emphysema
- Kidney disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neurologic disease
Those are just a few examples. Patients with other diagnoses may be eligible for hospice care, but only if they’re approaching the end of life. That brings us to the next term, prognosis.
What Is a Prognosis?
A prognosis is a prediction, made by a medical professional, regarding the likelihood of a patient’s survival. Generally speaking, a prognosis is based on the individual’s health, the normal course of the diagnosed condition and the treatments available. Comorbidities, or the presence of more than one health condition, can also have an impact on prognosis.
To qualify for hospice care, a patient must have both a terminal diagnosis and a prognosis of six months or less. Before that point, a Fremont in-home health care agency may be able to help a patient, but the services they provide won’t be covered by Medicare.
Also, some patients get better after entering hospice– and in that event, there may be one of two outcomes:
- If the patient continues to have a limited life expectancy, hospice services may continue past the six-month point. Medicare covers hospice care in benefit periods, and at the end of each period, a physician evaluates the patient. If their prognosis hasn’t changed, they remain eligible.
- If a physician comes to believe that someone in hospice no longer has a terminal diagnosis, services may be discontinued. Later on, if the patient’s health begins to decline and their life expectancy is once again determined to be six months or less, they can return to hospice care.
When Hospice Care Is an Option
As we’ve outlined above, anyone who has a terminal diagnosis and a prognosis of six months or less may be eligible for hospice care. However, coverage through the Medicare hospice benefit, there’s one more requirement – no further attempts at curative treatment. In other words, the patient must agree to stop looking for life-prolonging measures.
With that in mind, making the decision to enter hospice isn’t easy. People are often reluctant to forgo medical services aimed at finding a cure, and sometimes even bring up the topic of hospice care can be exceedingly difficult. In most cases, Fremont residents who are initially hesitant eventually agree to enter hospice, but many end up losing out on months of care.
Issues of Concern in Hospice Care
Research studies have demonstrated that hospice services help improve a patient’s quality of life. Despite this – and regardless of having a six-month prognosis — the average person on hospice lives for only 2 ½ months. This suggests that entering hospice hastens death, while the reality is quite different.
Most people aren’t taking advantage of hospice services as soon as they qualify for Medicare coverage. The vast majority are eligible for several months being referred, and are therefore missing the opportunity for the numerous benefits a Fremont in-home health care agency can provide. However, anyone can make a referral. A physician must certify that a patient has a terminal diagnosis and limited life expectancy, but a family member can refer an individual for a hospice care evaluation.
Contact Suncrest Hospice for a Free Consultation
Do you have questions about hospice care? The friendly and knowledgeable team at Suncrest, a leading Medicare-approved in-home health care agency, would be happy to provide you with the information you need. Whether you’re making preliminary end-of-life plans for a loved one or you’d like to learn more about the process of entering hospice, you can count on us for support.
To meet with a member of the Suncrest hospice care team in Fremont, California, contact us today.
