YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE HOSPICE AND YOUR HOSPICE PROVIDER
July is the seventh month of the year, second month of summer and the month we won our independence. This month we take time to celebrate freedom and independence. Freedom is a powerful, emotional and incredibly inspiring word. To many ‘freedom’ means the ability to make choices. When it comes to choice – the ability to choose for one’s self – healthcare choices are an important right most individuals overlook. These rights and choices can become especially important at end of life, when healthcare decisions should reflect what matters most to us.
But many people don’t know that Medicare beneficiaries with a life-limiting illness have the right to determine how they receive end-of-life care. Roze Room believes it’s important for patients and their families to understand their rights and their freedom of choice when it comes to decisions about end of life care and particularly hospice care.
Hospice care focuses on improving the quality of life when curative care may no longer be effective. Hospice is often considered when a patient, their family and their physician decide that the focus should turn from aggressive treatment to quality of life. Hospice is a choice.
Electing hospice care is a decision anyone with life-limiting illnesses can make when they wish to forego further curative treatment in favor of care designed to ease pain and other distressing symptoms. When choosing hospice care, it’s important to consider your rights.
YOUR RIGHTS WHEN CONSIDERING HOSPICE
IT’S YOUR DECISION: The decision who to choose as your hospice provider is completely up to you. It’s not up to your doctor, what hospital or nursing home you may be in or your insurance plan. It is 100% your choice.
ASK BY NAME: It’s important that you ask for your hospice provider of choice by their name. Be very specific. If you are in the hospital, they may give you a list to choose from, but it remains your choice.
YOU CAN ASK FOR HOSPICE CARE: You can ask for hospice care. You don’t have to wait for your doctor to suggest hospice. Your physician will need to sign an order for care, but you can request hospice care. You can reach out to Roze Room and we can contact your physician to help determine if hospice is the right choice.
YOU CAN REFER A LOVED ONE: If you believe a loved one needs hospice care you can contact Roze Room directly and we can contact your physician to help determine if hospice care is the right choice.
CARE WHERE YOU ARE: You have the right to choose Roze Room even if your loved one is in a nursing home. Our team provides an extra layer of support and supplement the care your loved one is already receiving.
Roze Room respects every individual and their choices concerning end of life care. We know these decisions can seem overwhelming to both the patient and the family.
When a loved one has a serious illness, it’s difficult to know your rights, where to turn or even when to seek support. You get so caught up in the day to day care of your loved one; it’s difficult to realize care is available sooner than you think – care for serious illnesses like COPD, heart disease, cancer, dementia, and liver disease. The burden and stress of illness can be overwhelming. But real support is available.
Roze Room offers specialized care focused on managing symptoms, easing pain, improving comfort and quality of life for those living with a serious illness. If you are living with a serious illness or caring for someone who is, we’re here for you, wherever you are, whenever you need us.
