Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is hospice? Hospice is a coordinated program of palliative and supportive care with the focus on comfort care rather than curative care for those individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness.
  2. What is palliative? Palliative is relief of pain: the treatment and relief of mental and physical pain without curing the causes, especially in patients suffering from a terminal illness.
  3. What does “terminally ill” mean? A medical prognosis of approximately six (6) months or less if the disease runs its natural course. Common examples of terminal illnesses are:
    • End Stage Heart Disease
    • End Stage Lung Disease
    • End Stage Liver Disease
    • ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
    • Stroke/CVA
    • End Stage Renal Disease
    • Cancer (all types)
    • End Stage Dementia
    • End Stage HIV/AIDS
    • End Stage Alzheimer’s Disease
  4. How much does hospice cost? Hospice services are covered 100% by:
    • Medicare part A
    • Medicaid
    • Most commercial and private insurance companies
    • We view each situation as unique and will review the benefit plan with you individually in order to maximize your hospice benefit and insurance coverage.
  5. What is covered under the hospice program?
    • Staff services including nurse, social work, physician, chaplain, Hospice Aide, volunteer, etc.
    • Medications related to the hospice diagnosis as well as comfort medications
    • Durable Medical Equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers and oxygen, as it pertains to terminal illness
    • Medical Supplies such as catheters and bandages, as it pertains to terminal illness
    • Many Additional Services including bereavement and counseling services
  6. Will I have to change doctors? We believe that a continued relationship with your primary care physician is important; therefore, the patient or family member may choose to continue their physician relationship or have one of our specialized hospice physicians oversee your care.
  7. How long can I remain on hospice? The hospice benefit will continue to cover palliative and comfort care for an individual with a terminal illness for an initial 90-day period, a subsequent 90-day period, and indefinite subsequent 60-day periods as determined by the hospice medical director, and as long as you continue to meet the requirements of the hospice benefit.
  8. Will I have to stop all of my medications? Our Hospice views each case individually.
  9. How will hospice manage my pain? Our Hospice works with your physician to provide you with the most effective pain management with the least amount of sedation possible.
  10. Do I have to stay home all the time? You do not have to be homebound to receive hospice services. We encourage our patients to enjoy life as much as possible.
  11. Does Hospice provide sitters? Unfortunately, hospice services do not include sitters but can provide volunteers to stay with you for short periods of time. However, our hospice can provide you with a list of sitter agencies who may provide these services to you. The sitters are not employees of the hospice agency and therefore they are not the responsibility of the hospice agency.
  12. If I live in a nursing home, can I receive hospice care? Yes, our hospice provides hospice care where ever you live. This includes home, independent living facilities, assisted living facilities and nursing homes. If you are in need of a nursing home placement, our agency works with many local nursing facilities that can provide the care you will need.
  13. Is it necessary that I have a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) Order to receive hospice? It is not necessary to have a DNR; however, our hospice will work with the patient and family to obtain a living will, power of attorney and/or DNR, as necessary.
  14. When is it time to get hospice? It is time for hospice when all measures to cure the patient of the terminal illness have been exhausted and when the physician declares the patient has a prognosis of six (6) months or less, if the disease runs it’s natural course.
  15. How do I get hospice? Your doctor may make the referral or you can request that someone from our hospice meet with you to give you information about the hospice benefit. Once an initial meeting is established, our hospice representative may contact your physician regarding your needs and request an approval for hospice services.
Welcome to Life Source Services Of Baton Rouge

“Our family would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for not only taking excellent care of our mother, but taking care of us as well.  You gave us peace of mind that we had done all that we could do in taking care of our mother.”