SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — When a loved one is recovering from an illness or living with a serious one, families have a lot of decisions to make. Often those decisions are shaped by things they’ve heard about home health and hospice that aren’t true. In honor of National Home Care and Hospice Month this November, HSHS Home Care is sharing the facts so patients and families can find the support they need, when they need it.

“So many families tell us they wish they had reached out sooner,” said Trisha Ratliff, HSHS Home Care Patient Experience Coordinator. “Our goal is to help people feel more comfortable, more supported and more like themselves, right where they live.”

HOME HEALTH: MYTH VS. FACT

  1. Myth: To get therapy, you have to leave home.

Fact: With a doctor’s order, patients who find it difficult to leave home can receive skilled nursing and therapy right where they live. Care focuses on building strength, improving balance and helping patients regain independence. Being “homebound” doesn’t mean being stuck at home, either. Patients can still go to medical appointments, religious services, adult day programs and other short or occasional outings.

  1. Myth: Home health is only for older adults.

Fact: Home health can help eligible patients of all ages, from newborns to centenarians. That includes people recovering from an illness, injury or surgery and anyone with an ongoing need for skilled care. Coverage depends on the patient’s insurance and care needs.

  1. Myth: If I live in assisted living, I can’t receive home health care.

Fact: Assisted living is your home. Eligible residents can receive home health services in their own apartment or room when coverage and care requirements are met.


HOSPICE: MYTH VS. FACT

  1. Myth: Hospice is only for the final days of life.

Fact: Hospice is available to people with a serious illness whose doctor expects they may have six months or less if the illness follows its usual course. Some patients receive hospice care well beyond six months. Reaching out early gives patients and families more time to benefit from comfort care, emotional support and help planning for what matters most.

  1. Myth: Choosing hospice means giving up.

Fact: Choosing hospice means choosing comfort. Hospice does not shorten life. Its focus is easing pain and symptoms so patients can spend their time as fully and meaningfully as possible, surrounded by the people and things they love.

  1. Myth: Hospice is only for the patient.

Fact: Hospice embraces the whole family. HSHS Home Care social workers, chaplains and bereavement counselors offer emotional and spiritual support, help caregivers feel confident and prepared, and continue walking alongside families for up to a year after their loved one’s passing.

  1. Myth: Hospice is too expensive.

Fact: Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans cover hospice care, and most families pay little or nothing out of pocket for care related to their loved one’s illness. Hospice staff can review coverage options.

  1. Myth: Once you choose hospice, you can’t change your mind.

Fact: Patients are always in control of their care. They can choose to stop hospice at any time. If their health improves or stabilizes, they may “graduate” from hospice. If they need hospice again later, they can return.

“The best time to learn about these services is before you need them,” Ratliff added. “We’re always here to answer questions, and a conversation never commits you to anything.”

To learn more about home health or hospice services, or to find out if they may be right for you or a loved one, visit www.hshshomecare.org or call 800-551-6566

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About Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS)
Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) is a nonprofit Catholic healthcare ministry founded in 1875. Dedicated to our Mission to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through high-quality Franciscan healthcare, HSHS clinicians provide exceptional care centered on the whole person. Based in Springfield, Illinois, HSHS colleagues provide care in 13 acute-care, children’s and critical access hospitals and home health and hospice programs in Central and Southern Illinois and Eastern Wisconsin. HSHS is aligned with primary and specialty physicians and advanced practitioners through its owned affiliates HSHS Medical Group and Prairie Cardiovascular, its partnership with Prevea Health, and with many other providers serving on medical staffs. For more information about HSHS, visit hshs.org.