Hospice And Palliative Care

Question 1

Who is eligible for hospice care?

Answer 1

The terminally ill, those with less than 6 months to live, * BUT THEY HAVE STOPPED OTHER TREATMENTS*

Question 2

Who pays for hospice care?

Answer 2

Medicare part A and most insurance companies

Question 3

True or false; hospice care is only offered at a patient’s home

Answer 3

False

Question 4

A DNR must be updated once ever ___ years

Answer 4

3

Question 5

________ is a special kind of care designed to provide sensitivity and support for people in the final phase of a terminal disease.

Answer 5

Hospice

Question 6

Who might be on a hospice team?

Answer 6

● The Patient’s personal physician 
● Hospice physician 
● Nurses 
● Home health aides 
● Clergy/counselors 
● Speech, physical and occupational therapist

Question 7

What are the goals of hospice care?

Answer 7

● Alleviate symptoms.
● Reduce unneeded and unwanted medical
intervention.
● Attend to the psychological needs of the patient and family.
● Maximize comfort, dignity and the quality of life for the dying.

Question 8

What are the levels of hospice care?

Answer 8

● Routine Care
● Continuous Home Care
● Respite Care
● Inpatient Care

Question 9

What is routine care?

Answer 9

Routine Care
● Serves patients in the residential setting
● Nurse/Nurse practitioner makes regular home visits.
—- Implements plan of care for patient.
● Plan of care is directed towards patient’s needs.
—-Provide patient and family education.

Question 10

What is the role of the PT in hospice care?

Answer 10

● “Maximize patients’ comfort and safety
while teaching them through guidelines how they can be active”.
● Provide education about the disease
process.

Question 11

What can PTs do in hospice care?

Answer 11

● PATIENT EDUCATION
● Pain Management
● Prevent pressure sores, prevent contractures
● Gait training, stair climbing, transfers
● Edema management
● Modifications to the environment.
● Maintaining patient strength through
exercise.
● Learning energy management techniques.
● Endurance building.
● Comfort Measures.

Question 12

__________ is the approach that improves the quality of life in patients and their families facing the problem associated with life threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial, and spiritual

Answer 12

Palliative care

Question 13

True or false; palliative care pts cannot receive restorative care

Answer 13

False

Question 14

What is the difference between palliative care and hospice care?

Answer 14

Pts may meet the limited life expectancy criteria of hospice, but may want to pursue continued life prolonging therapeutic options that precludes hospice participation.

So palliative care programs address the needs of the patient that there are still life prolonging therapies available.

Question 15

How are palliative care and hospice care similar?

Answer 15

Interdisciplinary care promoting optimal quality of life
Best pain management possible
Maximal function in accordance with goals
Support to prepare for the end of life

Question 16

Who is appropriate for palliative care?

Answer 16

Patients with:
• Uncontrolled pain: malignant or nonmalignant
• Unrelieved physical symptoms… dsypnea, anorexia, nausea/vomiting, or
fatigue
• Chronic, catastrophic, or life threatening illness
• Unmet Psycho/Social/Cultural/Spiritual Needs
• Functional Deficits Interfering with ADLs

Question 17

What does palliative care physical therapy entail?

Answer 17

Management of pain, fatigue, decreased endurance, weakness.
Education of patient and family for functional mobility as decline occurs to avoid falls.
Prescription of more/ different assistive devices
Help the patient achieve his goals