Seventeen facts about the hospice choice
By Mark Baker September 26, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

1. Your loved one can stay right where he or she is—in his or her home.

2. Your loved one’s same personal physician will continue to direct his or her care in collaboration with the Hospice San Miguel interdisciplinary team.

3. Hospice visits your loved one wherever he or she resides.

4. Hospice provides an additional level of care at no charge.

5. If the patient resides in a care facility, Hospice continues to care for your loved one in the same manner as always.

6. You are involved in all end-of-life decisions.

7. Hospice provides you with information so that you can weigh the benefits and the burdens of each decision you face.

8. You have complete control and the final say in all decisions.

9. We support and validate all of your decisions.

10. You do not need to have a “Do Not Resuscitate Order.”

11. You can change your mind and revoke your Hospice care at any time.

12. Our free Hospice care provides all visits by our interdisciplinary team members and medical equipment that you may need. You pay only for your own physician’s visits and the drugs you may need for pain relief and symptom control.

13. Our medical director can write Class I prescriptions for pain-relief medications.

14. Should you not be able to pay for these items, Hospice offers a Patient Assistance Fund to help cover these expenses.

15. We provide care-giving services from our Hospice-trained nurse, social worker, volunteers, spiritual program and bereavement program counselors.

16. Our team is available for visits 24/7, but should you need additional in-home care, we have a list of Hospice-trained caregivers who are available to assist your loved one.

17. Hospice offers bereavement support for up to one year after your loved one passes and these groups are available at no charge in English and Spanish to anyone in the community who has experienced a loss. See Atención’s Que Pasa calendar section for meeting places and times.

For further information, visit www.hospicesma.org  or call Hospice San Miguel at 154-4287. 

Mark Baker is the administrative director of Hospice San Miguel.


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