Hospice Care FAQ

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.

You always have the right to call 911; however, in most situations, we ask that you or your caregivers call Agrace first about any urgent medical matter. If you are unsure what to do, please call Agrace; we can help you determine what care is needed and what to do next.

If you do call 911, please also call Agrace to tell us what has happened. We will make every effort to meet you at the emergency department (ER) to talk through treatment decisions.

There are a few times when we advise patients and their families to call 911 first:

1. When a patient who wants to be resuscitated is having a cardiac or respiratory arrest (their heart or breathing has stopped).
2. When a patient on continuous oxygen is having trouble breathing and is running out of oxygen tanks due to an emergency (natural disaster, power outage, etc.).

There is no limit on the length of time you can receive Agrace’s services–if you are still medically appropriate for hospice (meaning a life expectancy of six months or less) and the goal of your care remains comfort and control of symptoms, rather than a cure for your illness.

While you are an Agrace patient, your team regularly reviews your health status. If your hospice services are covered by Medicare, you will have a face-to-face visit with an Agrace doctor or nurse practitioner prior to reaching six months on our service and at least every 60 days after that.

If we notice changes that might affect your eligibility to receive hospice services (such as a steady improvement in your health), we will discuss them with you. If you improve to the point that you are no longer eligible and will be discharged from Agrace, your team will work with you to make the transition.

Yes. If you are discharged from Agrace and your health later declines, you may be eligible to be re-enrolled in hospice care. You or your doctor may contact Agrace at any time to start the process. We will gather the information needed to assess your eligibility, and to verify that your life expectancy is six months or less and that you are not receiving curative treatment. There is no limit to the number of times you can go on and off Agrace’s service.

When you no longer need it, Agrace (or our vendor) will pick up the durable medical equipment we supplied to you, such as walkers, wheelchairs and a hospital bed. If an item is yours to keep, your team will let you know.

• We cannot accept donations of used medical equipment.
• We may accept unopened packages of adult briefs (such as Depends^®); please call your care team to pick them up.
• Agrace thrift stores will take donated lift chairs that are clean and in good condition for resale. See our locations here.

If you have other equipment or supplies to donate, consider contacting one of the agencies listed at Agrace.org/DonateEquipment. Call ahead to ask whether they can accept your donation. Most do not accept opened packages of supplies or larger items like lift chairs and hospital beds. Agrace staff cannot transport items being donated to these organizations.