Hospice Care Arlington, TX Palliative Care Arlington, TX Palliative Care Arlington, TX | Serving Dallas Fort Worth Hospice Care & Palliative Care Arlington, TX Hospice Care & Palliative Care Arlington, TX

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"We want to send a heartfelt thank you to the team at Freedom Hospice.You are all so special and we cannot thank you enough for becoming a major part of our family. You made our days much brighter and gave us extra quality time with Mom." - Peggy Y

  

 

 


"The Freedom staff is great with communication, which is excellent in the quality of care we like to offer our residents. Thanks for all the dedication." - Sara D
(nursing home administrator)

 

 

 


"Your kindness may seem simple to you, but meant everything to me." 
- Eugene D

 

 

 

 

"The nurses aide made such a difference in my mother's last two months. She looked so forward to those visits - no one could do her hair or bath better than you,  and she let everyone know it. Your friend," 

-Carolyn

 

 

 

 

"I am so thankful I could keep my husband here at home. Freedom made it possible for me to do that. I thank all of you for your loving kindness to us." - Delores B

 

 

 

 

"A special thanks to your nurse who took special care of our mom."
- Sharon A

 

 

 

 

"Dear Freedom Hospice,  I think you are the best thing since pizza! I can't begin to tell you how wonderful each staff member that came in contact with my mother was." - Margaret H

 

 

 

 

"Thank all of you for the care you gave our sister,  she depended on Freedom and thought the world of you." - Carol A

 

 

 

 

"I wish to thank you for your help and care. For the first time in months I am pain free. No doctor would help me, but your nurse did. I want to thank everyone involved in my care" - Gloria (Patient)

 

 

 

 

"The Freedom Hospice team "gave from the heart" ... our family will always remember, appreciate and be grateful to everyone who helped. You are all such a blessing and God's gift." - Debbie C

 

 

 

 

"I am so glad our family had someone to lean on during this difficult time. The funeral service you did was heartfelt, beautiful and well done. You spoke from each of our hearts about my husband. No words can express how much your warmth and caring meant to our family during this time." - Rita S

 

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Common Myths and Questions

If you've been reading our site, by now you likely know more about what palliative and hospice care is supposed to be than the overwhelming majority of Americans. Unfortunately, palliative and hospice care are among the most widely misunderstood services available in modern healthcare. That's primarily because the mission of hospice has never been well communicated in any medium and, despite the many good hospices across the country, there are hospices that do not represent our profession well.  We hope you find the following myths phrased as questions and common questions and answers helpful.  Or if you'd prefer to talk with us, just call (817) 265-0151, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.  If you'd prefer to write us an email, just click on the "Contact" button above or the bold "Click here" line at the bottom of this page.  We're here to help.

Q:  Can we switch hospice providers?

A:  Yes you can, at any time, with or without cause.  While one hospice cannot solicit patients from another hospice, you do have the freedom to make a change at will.  All you need to do is contact the new hospice and discuss the simple process to switch to their service. The new hospice will manage most of the paperwork and the transition process.  There is no cost or penalty of any kind associated with changing hospice providers. 

Q:  Doesn't my physician decide if I should receive hospice care and which provider I will use?

A:  Absolutely not.  Among the many Federal and State regulations, there is clear-cut language that provides the patient or a patient's legal guardian the right to elect hospice services and the freedom to choose a provider. While a physician-issued prognosis of six months or less due to life-limiting circumstances is a requirement for Medicare or Medicaid eligibility, the decision to elect hospice or the choice of a provider are not your physician's role.

Q:  Doesn't hospice cost the family money out of pocket?  What's covered?

A:  Greater than 80% of all hospice patients have 100% of the cost of their hospice care paid by Medicare or Medicaid.  All medications and supplies or equipment related to the hospice diagnosis are 100% covered under the program. The only patients who pay anything are patients or families who choose to pay for hospice services privately or privately insured patients that may have a co-pay.

Q:  Hospice prepares people for death, doesn't it?  What if they get better?  What if they change their mind?

A:  Hospice neither prolongs or shortens a patient's life, but rather, intends to improve the quality of life yet to be lived.  As stated above, it is not at all uncommon for patients to feel much better while on hospice care and some experience health improvements so sufficient that they can be discharged from hospice service entirely. Patients discharged from hospice care may return to regular medical treatment or to their daily life.  While patients may be discharged by the hospice for their improved condition, any patient at any time may revoke their hospice election to pursue aggressive treatment or for any reason whatsoever. Regardless of the reason a patient discontinues hospice care, the benefit remains available to any patient who may wish to re-enroll, and qualifies, at a later date.

Q:  Hospice is a place, right? 

A:  There are hospice facilities in the United States, however, less than 5% of non-pediatric hospice patients receive their routine treatment in a dedicated facility. Most hospice care is provided in the comfort of a patient’s residence, whether that be a private home or a healthcare facility.  So, rather than a place, hospice provided the Freedom way is comfort care plus specialized psychological, spiritual and personal care tailored to the individual needs and wants of patients and families facing life-limiting circumstances.  Most care is provided during daytime hours, however, Freedom Hospice Care is a 24/7 service and therefore on-call services are provided whenever they are necessary.  

Q:  Aren't hospice services limited to a maximum of six months?

A:  The only significance of a six month prognosis is that it is a requirement for Medicare and Medicaid eligibility. Once a Medicare or Medicaid patient is on hospice service, a patient may remain on service for years - as long as the patient continues to have a hospice-eligible diagnosis.  Private-pay or privately insured patients may not be bound by all Medicare or Medicaid restrictions.  

Q:  Does hospice provide constant, 24-hour care?

A:  Most care is provided during daytime hours according to the patient's individual plan of care.  Nursing visits are typically at least twice every ten days, but often more frequently. Social Worker and Chaplain visits vary widely in frequency, again depending on need and the patient's wishes. Certified Nursing Aide visits are also need and preference driven and often, there are multiple visits a week. In addition, we have Freedom Hospice Volunteers who are carefully screened individuals that are available to help with occasional chores such as running a vacuum cleaner, running an errand, painting fingernails or just sitting and visiting. When medically necessary, Freedom Hospice Care will provide 24/7 on-call services at no additional charge. Continuous Care or Inpatient Care are provided in higher acuity circumstances and may be continuous 24-hour crisis care as necessary.

Q:  Hospice services are only offered to the patient, aren't they?

A:  Some hospices offer little beyond the baseline care required by regulators.  If you've been reading our site, you know that Quality-of-Life Care includes the patient, family and caregivers as each copes with the challenges presented by life-limiting circumstances.  Our Social Workers and Chaplains work closely with families and caregivers while the patient lives the life there is yet to live and beyond.  Our chaplains often perform funeral or memorial services and our Social Workers often help with arrangements.  As they wish, family and caregivers may benefit from bereavement support for up to 13 months after a loved-one's passing, at no expense whatsoever.

Q:  What happens to treatments for other problems I may have, other than my hospice diagnosis?

A:  Treatments for diagnoses other than a patient's primary hospice diagnosis are entirely unaffected by the choice to benefit from hospice service. Other therapies and treatments may continue or be discontinued at the patients' will or the will of their legal guardian. 

Q:  Are all hospice programs the same?

A:  While Federal and State regulators set baseline standards for all licensed hospices, there are very different management-mandated standards and philosophies.  Therefore, there are very significant differences in hospice care.  If you've been reading our site, you know by now that we set the highest standards for ourselves so that we may end every day with No Regrets.  Our mission statement states our intentions: "Our mission is to provide those facing life-limiting circumstances, whether patient, family, beloved friend or caregiver, the helpful expert assistance we've been trained to provide, respectfully applied, so that the service and love we all can give enriches their lives to the fullest extent every day, for as long as they can live, with the utmost in comfort and dignity we can provide. We will always maintain our Quality-of-Life Focus and strive to end every day with No Regrets." We believe our testimonials and the perfect score we were awarded after our most recent Federal and State surveys (a feat rarely achieved) evidence our commitment to our mission.

 Q:  A person must be at the very end of life before they are eligible for hospice services, right?

A:  Hospice is available to Medicare and Medicaid patients whom, according to Medicare and Medicaid guidelines for eligibility, have a life-limiting circumstance and a prognosis of six months or less and are no longer seeking curative treatments. Patients that intend to pay for hospice directly and patients with palliative and hospice care insurance coverage should contact us to discuss the many Quality-of Life Care options that may be available. Generally however, the earlier a patient with a life-limiting circumstance begins hospice care, the greater the opportunity to provide a higher quality of life for as long as life can be lived.  It is not at all uncommon for patients to feel much better while on hospice care and some experience health improvements so sufficient that they can be discharged from hospice service entirely. 

 Q:  Will my loved one be unable to talk or know what is happening because of the medications being administered?

A:  Our goal is quite the opposite, whenever circumstances allow. The goal of our hospice programs is to ensure our patients can enjoy the highest quality of life for as long as life can be lived.  We want our patients to be as comfortable and alert as possible and we consult with them, their family or their caregivers so that they understand the treatments we may provide to alleviate pain.  When we must make a difficult choice between pain and restfulness, we will always respect the wishes of the patient, family and caregivers.  However, when a patient is in significant distress, it is our job to ensure that all parties involved benefit from our experience.  In such instances and in coordination with our physician Medical Director and the patient's attending physician (if applicable) we will make very strong recommendations to ensure a patient does not suffer needlessly.

Q:  Isn't hospice awfully sad?

A:  We are all born and someday, we will all die.  The key is to make the most of the life we have yet to live, no matter how long that lifetime may be. So, when the time comes, after we have exhausted other measures, and we are facing life-limiting circumstances, we have choices: we can deny our circumstances; we can be angry about our circumstances; or we can make the most of our circumstances and consider that right now is very likely the most important time in life to focus energy on making the most of the love you have to give and the quality of life there is yet to live.  The only gift more rewarding than making the most of your own life, is the gift of helping someone else make the most of their life.  So no, hospice care is not always sad.   

If you have any unanswered questions or to learn more about Freedom Hospice call (817) 265-0151 Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.  Or, if you wish, click on the "Contact" tab at the top of this page or the bold "Click here" below and send us an email.  We're here to help.

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