While hospice provides 24/7 nursing on-call services as part of our Hospice Care at Home services, it does not offer 24/7 in-home care(1). However, when medically appropriate, a hospice patient may qualify for a more intensive level of care called Continuous Hospice Care. If Continuous Hospice Care is deemed appropriate, our hospice team will work in 8-24 hour shifts per day to ensure the patient can remain comfortable while staying home in place of the hospital, a hospice home, or skilled nursing facility. All Medicare licensed hospices are required to offer Continuous Hospice Care.

How does a patient qualify for Continuous Hospice Care?

A patient qualifies for Continuous Hospice Care when they experience acute symptoms that the primary caregiver cannot manage. The goal with this intense level of care is to manage uncontrolled symptoms quickly. Per Medicare, an actively declining patient may not qualify for Continuous Hospice Care if their symptoms are under control. 

Symptoms that may require Continuous Hospice Care include:

• Severe or uncontrolled pain
• Acute respiratory distress, having difficulty breathing at home.
• Constant diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.
• Bleeding often or uncontrollably
• End-stage agitation or restlessness
• Seizures
• Agitation

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