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Hospice Care FAQ's

TRANSFORMING THE CULTURE OF CARE

We Believe in Quality Palliative and Hospice Care

We understand that navigating a serious or terminal illness can be challenging for both our residents and their loved ones. That’s why we provide compassionate palliative and hospice care tailored to their unique needs.

We believe that every person deserves to live with dignity, purpose, and love—no matter where they are in life’s journey. Our palliative and hospice care services reflect our deep commitment to compassionate, person-centered care.

What is Hospice Care?

Hospice care is a holistic approach that prioritizes the patient’s well-being, not just their illness. It provides comprehensive medical, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual support for individuals facing a serious illness that cannot be cured.

Designed for those with a terminal diagnosis and a life expectancy of six months or less, as determined by a licensed physician, hospice focuses on enhancing quality of life. Rather than seeking curative treatment, hospice offers compassionate comfort care—managing pain and symptoms to ensure dignity, peace, and support for both the patient and their loved ones.

What Services are Offered Through Hospice and Palliative Care?

Azura Palliative Care and Hospice is dedicated to providing comprehensive care and support for patients and their families as they navigate their hospice journey. Our services are designed to ensure comfort, dignity, and quality of life by addressing medical needs, symptom management, emotional well-being, and spiritual support.

Personalized Visits – Scheduled and as-needed visits from our interdisciplinary hospice team, including RNs, LPNs, home health aides, medical social workers, chaplains/spiritual care advisors, volunteers, and specialized therapies, including alternative therapies when available.
24/7 On-Call Support – Access to nurses, social workers, and chaplains both telephonically and in-person to assist with pain and symptom management, ensuring peace of mind at any time.
Medication, Supplies & Equipment – Providing all necessary resources related to the patient’s life-limiting illness to enhance comfort and symptom control.
Patient & Family Education – Helping patients and loved ones understand the disease process and make informed decisions about their individualized plan of care.
Comprehensive Support – Addressing medical, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs through compassionate, person-centered care.
24/7 Availability – Our team is always here to respond to questions, concerns, and emergencies, ensuring ongoing support every step of the way.

What Does the Admissions Process Look Like?

We strive to make the transition into hospice care as seamless and supportive as possible. Our admission process is designed to ensure that patients and their families receive the compassionate care they need with clarity and ease.

Referral:

Patients and families can contact hospice directly to inquire about services.
A physician can also refer a patient for hospice care.

Assessment:

Our hospice team will evaluate the patient’s medical condition and care needs.
We will assess the patient’s and family’s goals of care to develop a personalized plan.
A comprehensive evaluation of the patient’s medical, physical, psychosocial, and spiritual status will be conducted to determine eligibility for hospice services.

Consent:

If the patient meets hospice admission criteria, the patient and their representative will review and sign consent forms to begin hospice services.

Hospice Admission:

A registered nurse (RN) will conduct an initial visit on the day of admission.
The RN will assess the patient’s needs, including medical equipment, personal supplies, and medications.
Eligibility criteria will be verified to ensure the patient receives the appropriate level of hospice care.

What are the Different Levels of Hospice Care?

We provide different levels of hospice care to ensure patients receive the right support at the right time, based on their individual needs and circumstances.

Routine Level of Care

The most common level of hospice care, Routine Care is provided in the patient’s home—wherever they call home. The focus is on enhancing quality of life and comfort through symptom management, emotional support, and spiritual care. Services are provided intermittently based on the patient’s needs and goals of care.

Continuous Level of Care

For patients experiencing a medical crisis with severe, uncontrolled symptoms, Continuous Care provides short-term, around-the-clock nursing support in the home. This intensive care helps manage symptoms and prevent hospital admission while ensuring comfort in a familiar environment.

In-Patient Level of Care

Also known as General In-Patient Care, this level of hospice care is for patients who require short-term, 24/7 skilled nursing care due to severe pain or symptoms that cannot be managed at home. Care is provided in a licensed Medicare-contracted skilled nursing facility or hospital, with the goal of stabilizing the patient so they can return home under Routine Care.

Respite Level of Care

Caring for a loved one can be physically and emotionally demanding. Respite Care offers a short-term stay—up to five days—in a licensed Medicare-contracted facility, giving primary caregivers a temporary break while ensuring the patient continues to receive compassionate care in a supportive setting.

Who is Responsible for Paying for Hospice Care?

Azura Palliative Care and Hospice is a licensed Medicare and Medicaid hospice provider, ensuring access to quality hospice care for those in need.

In most cases, hospice services are covered under Medicare Part A, Medicaid, or private insurance. We are committed to working with all eligible patients to ensure they receive the care and support they deserve.

For patients covered by a non-contracted insurance provider, Azura Palliative Care and Hospice WI, LLC is happy to assist in coordinating a referral to another contracted hospice provider upon the patient’s and family’s request.

Our priority is providing compassionate, person-centered care while ensuring patients and families have the resources and support they need throughout their hospice journey.