Hospice Care

Compassionate supplemental care with a focus on comfort and quality of life.

Purpose

O’Neill Healthcare Hospice provides extra care and comfort to our facilities’ residents and people in surrounding areas during the end stages of life. The hospice staff works closely with the facility staff to become one team that delivers care and enhances the quality of life of the resident.

Our Mission

O’Neill Healthcare Hospice’s mission is to help residents achieve the highest level of comfort and quality of life possible while remaining in the security of their own environment.

What is Hospice Care?

Hospice care is a specialized service focusing on alleviating physical, emotional, and spiritual symptoms of discomfort due to a life-limiting illness. Comfort care addresses the symptoms of an illness rather than employ aggressive treatments for curative measures. A team of specialists provides guidance and support to both the patient and the family. The hospice staff works with the resident and family to discuss goals, make a plan of care, and facilitate meeting those goals and providing comfort.

Features of O’Neill Healthcare Hospice Care

Our specially trained hospice team includes:

Our specially trained hospice team includes social workers, hospice physicians, chaplains, nursing case managers, nurse practitioners, licensed practical nurses, state-tested nursing assistants, and volunteers.
An on-call staff member is available 24 hours a day to support the resident, family, and facility staff as needed.
The family of a resident receives anticipatory grief support and bereavement follow-up.
Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP) certified
Member of the Midwest Care Alliance

When to choose Hospice Care

After many different interventions and medications, there may be little to no change noted. When a resident has reached the point where aggressive, curative treatments are no longer effective, it may be time for comfort care with hospice. Signs that hospice care may be needed include:

Decreased appetite with significant weight loss
Sleeping excessively
Loss of mobility
Inability to independently eat or perform personal care
Increased discomfort/pain
Little or no interaction/verbal communication

Who can receive Hospice Care?

Many illnesses progress to the point where hospice care is beneficial. General criteria to qualify for hospice care are:

A physician has issued a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness
Resident is no longer a candidate for, or no longer wishes to receive, curative treatment

What is the cost of Hospice Care?

Medicare Part A covers hospice services 100%. The Medicare Hospice benefits include personal care from the hospice staff, medical equipment, wound care, medications, counseling, and supplies for the terminal illness and related conditions.
Many private insurances include hospice coverage, which varies for each policy.
Out-of-pocket costs, if any, are minimal.