A hospice house is a home with one to several rooms dedicated to hospice patients
Table of Contents
Introduction
A hospice house is a peaceful, home-like residence where terminally ill people receive short-term hospice care. It is designed to provide a setting as close to home as possible, allowing for more freedom than a traditional facility. Hospice houses are typically run by not-for-profit organizations and are financed by donations, making them more economical for families who cannot afford skilled nursing facilities. Unlike inpatient hospice units (IPUs), hospice houses work with several hospice providers, allowing families to choose the provider that best suits their needs. They also follow a more flexible visitation policy, allowing families to visit 24×7 without appointments.
A Hospice House
What if you cannot care for your loved one at their or your house? What if you and your loved one do not want to go into any type of sterile facility, such as assisted living or a skilled nursing facility? Is there anything that comes close to a home setting?
Yes! A hospice house is as close to home as you can get and often allows for more freedom than a facility, especially in the current age we live in, with quarantines, lockdowns, and various other restrictions.
A hospice house is typically not considered an inpatient unit (IPU). A good hospice house will work with several hospice providers, allowing the family to choose which provider will work best for them. A hospice house is typically run by a not-for-profit organization that converts a traditional home into one that serves the terminally ill and their families. It is financed by donations and other means, often making it more economical for families who cannot afford skilled nursing facilities.
What’s the difference between an inpatient hospice unit (IPU) and a hospice house? Most IPUs are run by a solitary hospice organization (thereby removing the choice of which hospice provider), are often connected to a hospital or nursing home (therefore a more sterile environment), and are usually staffed by doctors (who as in the nursing home setting may not be in the actual facility 24×7) and nurses as well as personal care technicians (PCT’s) or certified nursing assistants (CNA).
IPUs tend to have the benefits of a more knowledgeable staff as most hospice houses are staffed by medical technicians (PCTs and CNAs with expended training) and rarely have nurses or doctors on staff relying on the individual hospice providers for their nurses, social workers, CNA’s and so on. Yet, IPUs also have the issue of rules and regulations in this age, which may impact how many visitors can be present at any one time. Furthermore, if they obey Medicare guidelines carefully, IPUs can only accept patients whose systems are uncontrolled in any other setting.
Hospice houses typically follow the home setting such that families can visit 24×7 without appointments, and there are no such rules to only accepting patients whose symptoms would be uncontrolled anywhere else. This allows flexibility for families whose loved ones would prefer a home setting and yet cannot live in their home or the home of a friend or relative.
If your loved one is on hospice at home, or maybe you know someone, and you feel the home setting isn’t working out (sometimes it is hard for children to be children and caretakers at the same time or for spouses to be the spouse and caretaker at the same time), ask your social worker if there are any hospice houses in the area.
Now, a word of caution as I close… there are hospice providers who have been known to tell families they have a hospice house (when it is an IPU) and that once they sign up (admit), their loved one can be placed in that hospice house (that is an IPU, not an actual hospice house) …. only to find out after the admission bait-and-switch took place being told that their loved one doesn’t meet the criteria (i.e. symptoms that cannot be controlled in the home setting). They will re-evaluate once the patient gets closer to death. Part of preventing the bait and switch is asking direct questions about whether it is a hospice house or an inpatient unit. Are other hospices allowed in the hospice house? What are the criteria to be relocated to the hospice house?
For those in York County, Pennsylvania, I strongly recommend Pappus House.
Conclusion
When considering hospice care for a loved one, a hospice house can provide a comforting and supportive environment that resembles home. It offers a viable alternative to traditional facilities, allowing for more personalized care and flexibility for patients and their families. However, it’s important to ask direct questions to ensure that the facility meets a hospice house’s criteria. By understanding the differences between hospice houses and inpatient units, families can make informed decisions to provide the best possible care for their loved ones.
