Does a Stroke Make You Eligible for Hospice Care?
Because strokes vary in type and severity, many wonder whether their loved one qualifies for hospice after stroke. It depends. Understanding more about stroke, or a cerebrovascular accident, helps guide stroke hospice criteria.
Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the United States. It occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. Starved of oxygen, the brain cells begin to die. This causes the individual to lose the abilities controlled by that part of the brain. This can include memory and muscle control.
What happens next depends on what area of the brain was affected, how soon care was rendered, and how much the brain was damaged.
What is the stroke hospice criteria?
Many individuals recover from a stroke. Unfortunately, some do not. For these individuals, hospice can support their family in providing comfort and care.
In order to be eligible for hospice care, a patient must meet specific criteria. Stroke hospice criteria includes:
- Mainly bed or chair bound
- Impaired functional status
- Changes in orientation status
- Requires assistance with activities of daily life (ADLs)
- Unable to maintain sufficient fluid and caloric intake
- Progressive weight loss
- A prognosis of six months or less to live if the condition follows the usual course
Browse our list of resources for stroke patients.
What support does hospice care provide after a stroke?
The goal of hospice care after a stroke is to provide comfort by managing the patient’s symptoms and pain.
Patients receive visits from hospice nurses, aides, social workers, chaplains, volunteers, and bereavement counselors to meet the patient’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. This care is 100% covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance for patients who meet the hospice criteria.
Patients receiving hospice care will receive medication to treat symptoms related to their stroke at no cost. Necessary medical equipment like hospital beds or a wheelchair and medical supplies like incontinence pads and bandages will also be provided.
To learn more about hospice eligibility after stroke, please call 1-888-564-3405. Crossroads is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to admit patients and provide care.
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