For Patients:
What is Hospice?
Hospice of Knox County provides supportive services to individuals and families dealing with the challenges and discomforts of a life-limiting illness. Hospice is a medically directed, team-oriented program for end-of-life care. The goal of hospice care is to treat the physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient and to provide support for the patient’s loved ones. Using state-of-the-art expertise, an experienced and caring Hospice Team works to provide the helpful support a patient and their loved ones need.
- Physical Assessment Visits to the patient are provided as needed by the registered nurse. The patient, physician, and caregivers are kept informed of the patient’s current status.
- Personal Care Certified Hospice Aides provide assistance with bathing, skin and hair care, and other comfort measures.
- Emotional and Spiritual Support Hospice is sensitive to the difficult issues involved when facing a life-limiting illness. When requested, a Hospice chaplain can provide support for patient and family.
- Social Services A social worker is available to educate and support families, linking them with financial, legal, and social resources.
- Companionship & Respite Care Volunteers are available for support to patients, particularly when caregivers need to run errands, work, and relax away from home.
- Medications Hospice patients will receive all medications used to manage symptoms of the terminal illness at no cost to the patient or family.
- Medical Equipment Electric beds, wheelchairs, bedside commodes, and oxygen are provided to help maintain independent activity.
- Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy These therapies help the patient develop more effective ways of accomplishing challenging tasks as well as addressing symptom management.
- Nutritional/Dietary Therapy A registered, licensed dietitian is available to provide dietary and nutritional guidance.
- Music and Pet Therapy These innovative therapies bring joy and comfort to our patients.
- Bereavement Services Support is available for loved ones as they deal with changes , grief and loss by one-on-one counseling or support groups.
When to Contact Hospice?
Experts agree that the time to learn about hospice is before a life-threatening illness occurs. This greatly reduces stress, should the time come when hospice services may be needed. Moreover, the earlier hospice is involved, the more it can make the patient’s final days, weeks, and months as comfortable and satisfying as possible.
Ideally, everyone would make their views about end-of-life care known to their families long before any illness strikes. They should also take a few simple steps to ensure their wishes are followed if and when a crisis does occur. This involves drawing up a Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney.
Important End-of-Life Document Downloads
Ohio Hospice & Palliative Care Organization
Download Advance Directives packet here. Also available from OHPCO, "Conversations That Light the Way", a document to guide conversation regarding advance care planning so as to make your wishes know.
Ohio State Bar Association Download LawFacts pamphlets such as:
- Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order
- Living Wills & Health Care Power-of-Attorneys
- Wills
Who Pays for Hospice?
Hospice of Knox County cares for patients regardless of age, diagnosis, or ability to pay. Medicare and Medicaid reimburse Hospice of Knox County for some of the services, as do some private insurance companies. Donations and fundraisers from our community help offset additional costs. Our patients WILL NOT receive a bill for services provided by Hospice of Knox County.
How is Hospice Care Provided?
Hospice care is provided by a specially-trained team that works with your personal physician and the Hospice Medical Director to develop a plan of care that best meets your needs and your loved ones’ needs.
Where is Hospice Care Provided?
Hospice of Knox County provides care in private homes, nursing facilities, and assisted-living residences.
How Does Hospice Care Begin?
Anyone can make a referral for hospice care – a physician, friend, family member, or neighbor. Once a referral is made, a Hospice of Knox County representative will schedule a visit with the patient and/or their loved ones, to assess the best type of care options available. Usually, care can begin within a day or two of a referral and a diagnosis confirmed by the patient's primary care doctor. Call Hospice of Knox County at 740-397-5188.
Privacy Practices and Policies
Purpose of This Notice: Hospice of Knox County respects the privacy of personal and medical information and understands the importance of keeping this information confidential and secure. This notice describes how we protect the confidentiality of the personal information we receive. Our practices apply to current and former clients.
Types of Personal and Medical Information We Collect Hospice collects a variety of personal and medical information to administer service to a client. Some of this information is provided by clients or caregivers in admission papers, referral forms, and other medical providers. Items such as medical diagnosis, treatments, lab and x-ray reports, medications, surgical history, physician name(s) as well as address, social security number, family members and any other pertinent information regarding care. Hospice retains this information after a client is discharged from the program. Hospice limits the collection of personal information to that which is necessary to administer our business, provide quality service and meet regulatory requirements.
How Hospice Protects Personal Information We treat personal and medical information securely and confidentially. We limit access to personal and medical information to only those persons who need to know that information to provide services to clients. All Hospice employees and volunteers are trained on the importance of safeguarding this information and must comply with our procedures and applicable policies. We meet strict physical, electronic and procedural security standards to protect personal information and maintain internal procedures to promote the integrity and accuracy of that information.
Disclosure of Personal and Medical Information Hospice may share any of the personal and medical information we collect with our affiliates as permitted by law. We may also disclose this information to non-affiliated entities or individuals, including: attorneys, accountants, auditors, a client's authorized representative or caregiver, health care providers, law enforcement and/or regulatory authorities. We may also disclose information to marketing services on our behalf. We DO NOT disclose any information to any third parties without a client's request or authorization.
Individual Rights to Access Personal and/or Medical Information Hospice has procedures for clients to access personal and/or medical information relating to services provided. This information is available to the client and/or caregiver upon written request.
Further Information In accordance with applicable law, we will send our current clients a notice describing our privacy policy and practices at least once a year. It will also be available upon request. If you have any questions regarding this notice, please call us at (740) 397-5188.
AARP
Information for seniors, support groups, and publications.
Growth House, Inc.
Info about life-threatening and terminal illnesses, hospice and home care, pain managements, palliative care, death, and bereavement.
National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization
On Our Own Terms
Based on the PBS series, information about decision making and end-of-life care
