Myth: Hospice is a place.
Fact: Hospice care usually takes place in the comfort of your home, but can be provided in any environment in which you live, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, residential care facilities and to inpatients at Moab Regional Hospital.
Myth: Families have to pay for hospice care.
Fact: Grand County Hospice is a program of Moab Regional Hospital, a non-profit organization, and is covered by Medicare/Medicaid, most major insurance companies, HMO’s and PPO’s. Through its charity care policies, Grand County Hospice is committed to caring for all patients, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay.
Myth: Patients have to give up their own doctor.
Fact: Patients may keep their own physician, who will work closely with the Grand County Hospice team to plan and carry out care.
Myth: Hospice is only for cancer patients.
Fact: Hospice patients have many different conditions, including congestive heart failure, chronic lung disease, and other life-limiting conditions.
Myth: Patients can only receive hospice care for a limited amount of time.
Fact: The Medicare benefit, and most private insurance, pays for hospice care as long as the patient continues to meets the criteria necessary. Patients may come on and off hospice care, and re-enroll in hospice care, as needed.
Myth: Hospice provides 24-hour care.
Fact: The hospice team (which includes nurses, social workers, home health aides, chaplains, bereavement counselors and volunteers) visits patients intermittently, and are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week for support and care.
Myth: All hospice programs are the same.
Fact: All licensed hospice programs must provide certain services, but the range of support services and programs may differ. Some programs, like Grand County Hospice, are not-for-profit and their revenue is used to provide patient care and community services, versus for-profit hospices, which are accountable to shareholders.
Myth: Hospice is just for the patient.
Fact: Grand County Hospice focuses on comfort, dignity, and emotional support. The quality of life for the patient, but also for family members and caregivers, is the highest priority. Grand County Hospice offers bereavement and counseling services to families before and after the death of their loved one and sponsors a grief support group every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month held at the Grand County Library at 6pm.