Hospice care around Greensboro, High Point and Asheboro

What is hospice care?

Hospice is comfort-focused care for a person with a life expectancy of six months or less who has chosen to stop curative treatment for that illness, delivered by a team of nurses, aides, social workers, chaplains and volunteers.

DHSR's hospice listing shows 8 hospice licenses with offices in the three counties: Ancora Compassionate Care (Reidsville), AuthoraCare Collective (Greensboro), Gentiva (Asheboro), Gentiva (Rockingham), Hospice Home at High Point (High Point), Hospice of Randolph (Asheboro), Hospice of the Piedmont, Inc. (High Point), The Randolph Hospice House (Asheboro).

What does Medicare's hospice benefit cover?

The hospice team's visits, medications and equipment related to the terminal illness, short inpatient stays for symptoms that cannot be managed at home, respite stays and bereavement support for the family.

It does not cover room and board in an adult care home or nursing home, and the patient keeps Medicare for unrelated conditions.

Can hospice come into an adult care home or nursing home?

Yes. Hospice serves patients wherever they live, including adult care homes, family care homes and nursing homes, working alongside the home's staff.

Ask the home how it coordinates with hospice and who calls the hospice nurse at night.

When should we call hospice?

When a doctor would not be surprised by death within the year, when hospital trips are frequent, or when treatment has become more burden than benefit; an evaluation commits you to nothing.

Families often wish they had called sooner, because hospice support for caregivers helps most when there is time to use it.

How do we choose a hospice in the Triad?

Ask about after-hours response, visit frequency, access to an inpatient hospice home, and experience in adult care homes or nursing homes; Medicare's Care Compare publishes hospice family survey results.

Our home health and hospice roster lists every licensed hospice with an office in the three counties.

What happens on the first hospice visit?

A hospice nurse and often a social worker meet the patient and family, review medications and symptoms, explain how to reach the team around the clock, and set up equipment and a visit schedule.

Ask which symptoms should prompt a call to hospice rather than 911, and post the hospice number by the phone. If your parent lives in an adult care home or nursing home, ask the hospice to meet the home's staff so everyone knows who does what.

Where is hospice licensed across the three counties?

This is how DHSR's listings spread hospice across Guilford, Randolph and Rockingham counties; agencies have no bed count.