Frequently Asked Questions About Hospice and Palliative Care

You Are Our Priority

Our promise to you is to always provide excellent care, to guide you and your family on this journey and to respect your choices.

Your comfort, needs, and wishes come first.

You can count on us…where you need us and when you need us.

Thank you for choosing and trusting Tillery Compassionate Care.

How Do You Know When It’s Time for Hospice?
So many times, we’ve heard families say they wish they had started hospice care sooner. Hospice care is not just for the last few weeks or days of life. In fact, patients and their families benefit more when services are started earlier. It also provides a greater opportunity to live your life your way so you can create special memories during this phase of life’s journey.

We recognize that the decision to choose hospice care is a very difficult and personal one. This is why it is so important to have end-of-life discussions.

Not sure if it’s time for hospice? Here are some signs that it may be time to explore the option:

Does it seem that treatment is no longer working?

Are you making frequent visits to the ER or hospital?

Are symptoms, such as increased shortness of breath, fatigue, pain or nausea, worsening?

Does your loved one seem more withdrawn? Is s/he sleeping more?

Does s/he struggle with activities of daily living such as walking, eating, dressing, or going to the bathroom?

Is the family or primary caregiver feeling overwhelmed?

Are caregivers becoming isolated due to patient care?

Do family members need emotional support to help cope with the patient’s declining status?

Are you feeling physically and emotionally exhausted?

Would it help to have someone to talk to?

If hospice seems like an option, Tillery Compassionate Care will be glad to schedule an evaluation to help determine if it is time for hospice care. Call us at 704-983-4216 to ask questions or schedule a visit.
Who Qualifies for Hospice Care?
To qualify you must meet the following criteria for hospice care:

A physician to certify that you have a life expectancy of 6 months or less (if the illness runs its normal course).

Desire to forgo any curative treatments and want comfort care only.

You must have a referral. This process begins by calling 704-983-4216.

Fortunately, it’s easy to make a referral to our hospice. Referrals can be made by a doctor, family member, or even you, the patient.

The Tillery Compassionate Care team will ensure that the patient’s physician agrees that hospice care is appropriate and will obtain orders for hands-on patient care. Our admissions team is available to speak to patients, family members or health care providers and will help you determine if hospice care is appropriate.
Does Hospice Mean Giving Up Hope?
Can You Be Discharged From Hospice?

It’s possible. Sometimes patients do well enough to be discharged from the hospice program. However, for most patients, hospice offers comfort, enabling them to spend more quality time with their families. This environment ensures that the patient is treated with dignity and respect. In addition, our trustworthy and dedicated team enables the family to experience caring and compassion when they need it most.
Who Pays for Hospice Care?

Hospice care is covered by most insurances. However, because Tillery Compassionate Care is a nonprofit hospice, we will not turn anyone away based on their ability to pay.

Arrangements are made for patients without insurance and Tillery Compassionate Care will help families apply for Medicaid and other community resources.
Is Hospice Covered By Medicare?

Yes, your Medicare hospice benefit covers care for your terminal illness and related conditions. Once you start getting hospice care, traditional Medicare will cover everything you need related to your terminal illness, even if you remain in a Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare health plan.

After your hospice benefit starts, you can still get covered services for conditions not related to your terminal illness. Traditional Medicare will pay for covered services for any health problems that aren’t part of your terminal illness and related conditions. However, you must pay the deductible, and coinsurance amounts for all Medicare-covered services you get to treat health problems that aren’t part of your hospice terminal illness and related conditions.

Important: If you were in a Medicare Advantage Plan before starting hospice care, and decide to stay in that plan, you can get covered services for any health problems that aren’t part of your terminal illness and related conditions.
However, because Medicare changes, we encourage you to visit the government’s official Medicare site or speak to a representative to ensure nothing is overlooked.
How Does Hospice Care Begin?

During this difficult time, we’ve made the admission process simple and straightforward. It all begins with one phone call. Our admissions team is available to speak to patients, family members or healthcare providers to help you determine if hospice care is appropriate. Evaluations of hospice eligibility are free of charge. Simply call our office at 704-983-4216.
Is Hospice Just For Cancer Patients?
No – cancer patients represent less than half of those we serve. Hospice care is for any life-limiting illness that meets hospice eligibility criteria such as:

Alzheimer’s disease

ALS

End-stage liver or kidney disease

Lung disease

Stroke

Heart disease

In each case, patients can remain in their home, or wherever they call home. They can live comfortably, be pain-free, and benefit from the care of loved ones as they are in charge of their plan of care.
Must Patients Be Homebound In Order to Receive Hospice Care?

No. The way we see it, it’s all about living. Tillery Compassionate Care encourages patients to remain as active as they wish. After all, when you focus on living, you’re able to enjoy your life your way. This could mean visiting loved ones, going on short day trips, sharing a laugh with those who are dearest to you or simply enjoying the view of the great outdoors from the back porch.
Can I Still See My Doctor or Go to the Hospital?

Yes. Your physician remains involved throughout the course of hospice care. Our team provides physicians with written updates on your condition every two weeks. We encourage you to continue to make office visits if you are physically able and have a desire to do so.
Is Tillery Compassionate Care affiliated with any religious organization?

No. We are not a religious organization, nor are we affiliated with any religious organizations. We serve a broad community, and we do not promote any set of beliefs. Because spirituality is important to some patients, we offer basic spiritual care along with counseling. We facilitate involvement from other clergy or religious leaders at your request.
Are All Hospice Programs the Same?

While most hospices do provide skilled nursing care, home health aide and counseling, not all hospice programs are the same. Tillery Compassionate Care takes our supportive caring a step further so that each family has the best end-of-life experience possible. Hospice care is not just about giving medications. It is knowing when the time is right to medicate based on symptoms and goals of care. We recognize that dying is a normal process that only happens once. We want it to be the most peaceful experience for the patient and family.

Unlike most other hospices, we have a very extensive bereavement program. We follow families for a full 13 months after the death of a loved one. We are a strong nonprofit agency that has served Stanly, Montgomery and surrounding counties since 1981.Through our trustworthiness, we have earned the reputation as the preferred hospice provider in our service area.
What Are the Qualifications of the Tillery Compassionate Care Staff?

For our staff, hospice and palliative care is not merely a job. It’s a mission of caring. We are hospice and palliative care experts. We do that by ensuring all our team members meet appropriate degree and/or licensure standards of the state of North Carolina.
In addition, our team promotes and upholds a culture of caring, positivity, integrity, and innovation. Collectively, team members have years of experience working with and caring for patients and their loved ones.
How Long Is Hospice Care Usually Needed?

This is a difficult question. The answer depends upon many factors. Primarily, the answer hinges upon when patients are admitted to the program. Some are admitted when their disease has progressed to the point that they are only in hospice for a matter of days. This is why there is the myth of “hospice means death” and you hear “oh, they called in hospice.”

Hospice care is for people with a life expectancy of 6 months or less (if the illness runs its normal course). If you live longer than 6 months, you can still get hospice care if the hospice medical director or other hospice doctor recertifies that you’re terminally ill.
On occasion, patients do stabilize after admission and are doing well enough medically to be discharged from hospice services to our palliative care program.

We encourage patients and families to start hospice care at an earlier point in the illness. Why? Because it enables us to care for the entire family. By keeping patients as pain-free as possible, we open the door of opportunity to create new, cherished memories.
When Is It Time for Palliative Care?

Palliative care can begin at any age before the progressive illness is life-threatening. It may be time for palliative care when you or your loved one has challenges related to symptom management. In addition, if they have complex healthcare needs related to the illness, palliative care may be appropriate.

Palliative Care

Can be implemented at any age of a chronic or progressive illness-with no life expectancy requirements.

You are still able to seek curative treatments.

We work with your primary care physicians or specialists to coordinate care.

Palliative care helps manage symptoms and helps with advance care planning.

Hospice Care

Must have a chronic or progressive illness with a life expectancy of six months or less.

You can NOT seek curative treatments; the focus is on comfort care.

Care is primarily provided by a hospice physician and our hospice care team.

Hospice care helps manage symptoms and helps the patient/family transition over to end-of-life care.

Families also tell us that they wish they had considered palliative care sooner. Through palliative care, we can help manage pain and other symptoms associated with serious or chronic illnesses. When symptoms are managed, it enables the patient to spend more quality time with family.

We will work in partnership with your provider to ensure you receive the highest level of compassionate, personalized care.
Who Qualifies for Palliative Care?

Palliative care is the part of hospice care that focuses on helping people who are terminally ill, and their families maintain their quality of life. If you’re terminally ill, palliative care can address your physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Palliative care supports your independence, access to information, and ability to make choices about your health care.

When you’re in pain, it’s difficult to be present for your life and family. Let us ease that burden.
Who Can Make a Referral to Palliative Care?

Anyone can refer a patient for palliative care services, including a healthcare provider, a family member, friend, or the patient. The Tillery Compassionate Care team will work hand in hand with your provider – you do not need a referral.

The referral process begins with a phone call to our office at 704-983-4216. We will be happy to schedule an evaluation or to answer your questions.
Who Pays for Palliative Care?

Palliative Care is paid for by insurance companies similar in fashion to your primary physician doctor visits. Likewise, there may be co pays your insurance mandates that we must collect.

Because we are a nonprofit organization, we serve patients regardless of their ability to pay. We believe in serving our community and will never turn anyone away.

Common Myths About Palliative Care

If me or my loved one go on palliative care it means we are “giving up” and are one step from becoming a hospice patient.
Some medications used in palliative care like Morphine may shorten my or my loved one’s life.
The goal of my care will no longer be to get better and aggressive treatments will be stopped.
I must be homebound and no longer driving to be eligible for palliative care.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hospice and Palliative Care

You Are Our Priority

Common Myths About Palliative Care

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