WHAT ELSE CAN WE TELL YOU ABOUT HOSPICE?
FAQ
SIMPLE ANSWERS TO TOUGH QUESTIONS.
Our commitment to life-honoring care begins with helping you learn more about hospice services, eligibility and how to support the work we do. Answer to the most common questions are listed below for your convenience.
About Hospice
Hospice is a visit-based service that focuses on meeting your physical, spiritual, and emotional needs as well as supporting your network of family, friends and professional caregivers. Quite simply, hospice focuses on comfort and quality of life—living life to the fullest when time is limited.
Hospice services include personalized care, medication, equipment and supplies to ensure comfort that lets you live life to the fullest. You will decide which services are right for you. Your plan will be reviewed by the hospice care team and Medical Director, and services will be provided by nurses, social workers, spiritual counselors, home health aides, music therapists, massage therapists and volunteers (including pet therapy). Bereavement services will be available for your friends and family for up to 13 months.
Hospice care can begin when you are diagnosed with an advanced illness with a limited life expectancy of six months or less, as defined by Medicare. You can initiate a conversation with your doctor or call Ecumen Hospice directly at 1-877-300-1672 to schedule a consultation.
We provide care anywhere you call home, from private residences to independent living, assisted living, memory care, long-term care facilities, group homes, cabins, and shelters. Hospice coordinates all services, including delivery of medications, equipment and supplies related to the hospice diagnosis.
Most people use their Medicare benefit, which covers 100% of the cost to receive hospice, including care and support from health care professionals; medications, and supplies and equipment, including oxygen. It is also possible to use Medical Assistance, Veterans benefits, health insurance, and indigent care. Very few people use private funds to pay for hospice.
We have some of the most skilled and experienced team members in the region and they care deeply about doing an excellent job. Our people truly set us apart! They are good communicators, responsive to needs, and treat each person with the utmost respect and dignity. We work with each person and/or their family to fill out our “Life-Honoring Care” form, which helps us get to know each person and tailor our care on a personal level. In addition, you can reach out to our on-call RN 24/7/365.
Eligibility
People may qualify for hospice care when:
- Health care goals turn from cure to comfort
- There is a diagnosis of life-limiting illness
- Your physician supports the decision to choose hospice
We can help you determine if hospice is right for you:
Call us at 877-300-1672
Schedule an in-home consultation
Download our eligibility guidelines
Hospice care is not just for one’s last few days or weeks—you can benefit from individualized comfort and care for as long as you meet hospice eligibility criteria under Medicare standards, which can mean longer than 6 months. The hospice care team, which includes the Medical Director, will continue to assess your eligibility. If your health improves, it is possible that you could graduate from hospice and be readmitted at a later time.
Supporting Hospice Services
Ecumen Hospice is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and relies on donations to support our services and high-quality, end-of-life care. Contributions are fully tax-deductible.
We accept credit card donations at ecumengiving.org/giving.
We also accept cash or checks, employee matching gifts, gifts-in-kind, stock and estate or planned gifts. Cash and checks can be sent to: Ecumen Hospice, 3530 Lexington Ave N, Shoreview, MN 55126.
Ecumen Hospice relies on donations to help support our operations and programs dedicated to care. Your fully tax deductible contributions to Ecumen Hospice go directly to provide quality and compassion to our end-of-life care and services.
Friends and family members often find comfort by making a donation in memory or in honor of a friend or loved one whose life has been touched by hospice. You may invite family and friends to make donations to Ecumen Hospice in memory of your loved one. Many families also choose to name Ecumen Hospice in obituaries or funeral notices as the preferred beneficiary of memorial gifts.
Ecumen Hospice employees cannot accept personal gifts of any amount, including: cash, checks, gift cards, meals, event tickets; or other gifts. However, charitable donations to Ecumen Hospice may be made in honor of an Ecumen employee through our Empowering Heart Program. Click here for an Empowering Heart form and more information.
SPEAK TO OUR HOSPICE EXPERT NEAR YOU
Call for more information or to schedule an in-home consultation.
877-311-4997 | hospiceintake@ecumen.org