How to Navigate Hospice Services and Access Care

Many of us realize that hospices are there to serve us.

But sometimes, it’s difficult to break the ice. How do you reach out – with a call or a click? And how do you express the need? With whom do you ask to speak? And what exactly do you say?

In a perfect world, there are protocols in place to accommodate all the above and more. And you should be able to reach out anytime – day or night, weekday or weekends, even on a holiday.

“At Emmanuel Hospice, we understand that life doesn’t stop when you have a need for hospice,” says Elizabeth Mangiapane, a patient access specialist there. “That’s why any time you call our main line, it’s going to be answered on a 24/7 basis. Easter Sunday? Middle of the night? It doesn’t matter. You will connect with someone who can help.”

Mangiapane emphasizes that a referral to Emmanuel can originate in more than one way. Often, a physician will make the connection. But sometimes, family members serving as caregivers become involved at the outset, and naturally they have questions about eligibility, timing and more.

While a physician’s order is required to perform a formal assessment, a representative from Emmanuel will welcome the opportunity to meet with a patient and/or their loved ones if they simply have questions.

In either case, “we do all the legwork,” Mangiapane says. If it’s determined someone qualifies, the hospice care provider will integrate the patient’s physician and medical history into the equation as needed.

“We’ll set up meetings. We’ll work with the doctors. We are glad to serve in any capacity that lessens the burden on that patient, on that family.”

Mangiapane notes that there’s never a “wrong time” to inquire about hospice. Too often, people will act on the misconception that hospice is only “for the last few days a patient has.”

On the contrary, “We’re trying more than ever to educate the community on how it can be for a much longer time period, so that we might focus earlier not on the quantity of life someone has left, but the quality of life that remains.”

For someone who lives in a nursing home or assisted living facility, that institution may have a working relationship with a preferred provider. But Mangiapane explains that a patient and their family have the right to choose any hospice, and shouldn’t feel pressured.

Mangiapane says it’s important you come away with a full understanding of the services a hospice provides. At Emmanuel, for example, a full slate of complementary services is available – pet visitors, massage therapy, music therapy, virtual reality and more.

Location of care is important to ask about, too. A common misconception is that hospice is a place you go to, but for most providers, hospice care can be provided anywhere. With Emmanuel, it can be in the hospital, a care facility or wherever a person calls home.

Cost is another consideration. Medicare and most commercial insurances will cover 100% of virtually everything provided by hospice – medications and visits, personal care, counseling and other services – but there are some limitations. A phone call can help you discover where you stand.

“Make your choices based on the needs of the patient and family,” says Mangiapane. “You want what’s right for you, and that can look different from person to person.”

For more information, visit EmmanuelHospice.org or call 616.719.0919.

Emmanuel Hospice Invites Community to Send Letters, Volunteer to Support Veterans in Hospice Care

Grand Rapids, Michigan, Nov. 7, 2022 – As the nation prepares to honor American heroes for their military service, Emmanuel Hospice invites community members to send messages of gratitude or join its veteran-to-veteran volunteer program to bolster support for veterans facing a life-limiting illness.

Anyone in the community who would like to send a message to a veteran who is on hospice, can either email EHinfo@EmmanuelHospice.org or mail a letter to 401 Hall St. SE, Suite 263, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 by Nov. 9. The nonprofit will hand-deliver the notes to its patients on Veterans Day, which is on Friday, Nov. 11.

“So much of what we do is really honoring the life our patients have lived and helping achieve their goals for how they want to live in the time they have left,” said Jenny Kellogg, Emmanuel’s support programs manager. “This is an important time of year to bring attention to the experiences and sacrifices of veterans and to express our gratitude for their service in meaningful ways.

“We invite the community to get involved in showing support for the individuals who have put their lives on the line for a grateful nation and now find themselves in hospice care.”

Emmanuel Hospice is also seeking veterans and active-duty service members in West Michigan to participate in its veteran-to-veteran volunteer program. Veteran-to-veteran volunteering offers an opportunity to provide companionship, swap stories, participate in military honor ceremonies and support one another by sharing the common thread of military service.

“Our veteran-to-veteran volunteer program helps create a supportive environment for veterans to feel comfortable sharing their memories,” Kellogg said. “When one veteran talks with another, they have a common language and bond that allows for a level of sharing that is truly healing.

“As an Emmanuel Hospice volunteer, you can help provide comfort and dignity to veterans who are in our care during their last chapter.”

Those who are interested may visit EmmanuelHospice.org/volunteer to learn more and register.

The volunteer program is part of Emmanuel Hospice’s year-round efforts as a We Honor Veterans partner to extend recognition to veterans and provide specialized, veteran-centric care. The nonprofit also offers recognition and pinning ceremonies, assistance navigating veteran benefits and an Honor Flight virtual reality experience, among other patient services.

Additionally, the organization provides ongoing education for both staff and community members on how to recognize and respond to the needs of veterans and their loved ones. This has included training on the identification of veteran-specific needs of patients at admission, symptoms of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, clinical interventions specific to veteran needs and understanding veterans’ benefits.

“Veterans Day is an important time to honor veterans, but we also know how important it is to show our support year-round,” Kellogg said. “Nov. 11 reminds us to seek out opportunities every day to better serve those who have served in our country’s military.”

To learn more about Emmanuel Hospice, visit EmmanuelHospice.org. More information about the We Honor Veterans program is available at WeHonorVeterans.org