Facts & FAQs

Do I need a “do not resuscitate” (DNR) order to enroll with Agrace Hospice Care?

No. Agrace patients make their own choice about whether they prefer to die naturally or be resuscitated or if their heart or breathing stops. They are not required to have “do not resuscitate” status. When patients enroll, we talk with them and their family or health care agent to be sure we know about their end-of-life wishes and advance directives.

How is my personal doctor involved while I’m in hospice care?

When you enroll, you name an “attending physician” to your hospice care team. It could be your primary care doctor or a specialist who has been caring for you. Your attending physician works with the Agrace staff, by continuing to order medications and other support that you need.

Is hospice care the same as around-the-clock nursing care?

No. The Agrace team makes scheduled in-home visits according to the patient’s and family’s needs. Importantly, our patients have access to a nurse and a social worker any time of day or night for information, support and problem-solving, either by phone or a home visit.

People who need in-home assistance for extended periods of time, every day or around-the-clock may need to hire private caregivers. Agrace Age at Home—a non-medical personal-care service that operates in Dane County—provides this type of support on a private-pay basis, as do several other companies. Your hospice care team can help you arrange this support, and we will work closely with any caregivers you hire.

Do I go to the Agrace inpatient unit to get hospice care?

Most likely not. About 95 percent of our hospice services are provided wherever the patient lives, which could be their home, a relative’s homes, or in assisted living or nursing homes. However, if you have pain, breathing difficulties or other health problems that cannot be managed at home, your nurse may recommend that you come to Agrace’s inpatient unit (IPU) for care—usually for just a few days—until your symptoms are better managed.

Can a person have advanced treatments or therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, blood transfusions or dialysis while they’re in hospice care?

Sometimes they can, if the patient’s goal in receiving the treatment is to relieve pain or other symptoms of their terminal illness (the goal of hospice care), rather than to cure their illness. These treatments or therapies may be called “concurrent” services, if you have them while you are in hospice care. Agrace considers requests for these treatments individually, so please ask us about your specific case.

Is hospice care limited? Will I be discharged after six months?

There is no limit to the length of time you can have hospice care, if you continue to have a life expectancy of six months or less, and the primary goal of your care remains comfort, not a cure for your illness. While you are receiving hospice care, you will have regular reviews of your health status, including face-to-face visits with an Agrace doctor or nurse practitioner.