How Do I Arrange Hospice Care After a Hospital Stay?

A hospital stay can quickly mark a turning point in what care looks like for loved ones with a serious diagnosis. For families facing these unexpected decisions, discharge day can feel overwhelming, especially when the next steps are unclear. What happens when your loved one goes home? Who will provide the care they need? What does that care actually look like?

Shiloh Hospice helps families throughout Chicagoland answer these questions and walk through the process of arranging hospice care. From speaking with your loved one’s physician to deciding on the right hospice provider, here are the steps to keep in mind.

How Can I Start the Hospice Conversation During Hospital Discharge Planning?

Discharge planning is actually an ideal time to bring up hospice. Before your loved one leaves the hospital, a social worker or physician will likely meet with your family to discuss next steps. This is your opportunity to ask directly: Is my loved one eligible for hospice care?

Keep in mind that:

• Hospice is appropriate when a physician determines that a patient has a terminal prognosis of six months or less if the illness follows its expected course.
• You do not have to use the hospice provider connected to your hospital—by law, you have the right to choose.

If the hospital’s team does not bring up hospice, you can ask them to connect you with someone who can walk you through your options.

What Are the Steps for Starting Hospice Services After a Hospital Discharge?

Once your family decides to pursue hospice, the process moves through a few stages:

1. Referral

A referral can come from your loved one’s physician or a family member. Hospice providers then coordinate with the patient’s physician to confirm eligibility and obtain the necessary physician’s order.

2. Consultation and Assessment

A hospice representative will meet with the patient and family to answer questions and review the patient’s care needs. From there, a clinical assessment is completed to gather health information, confirm hospice eligibility and build a personalized care plan.

3. Start of Care

Once a provider has been chosen and all documentation is complete, the patient is officially admitted to hospice care. Equipment, supplies and medications for symptom management may be arranged before or shortly after the patient returns home.

What Can My Family Expect After Discharge?

Once hospice care is set up and the patient is discharged, the first hospice visit can happen the same day or within 24 hours of your loved one returning home. Members of the hospice team will arrive to assess the patient’s comfort level, confirm medications are in place and walk the family through what care will look like in the coming days.

From that point forward, ongoing care will usually include:

• Regular nursing visits to monitor the patient’s condition and manage symptoms
• Hospice aide support for personal hygiene, light housekeeping and daily comfort needs
• Social worker visits to support caregivers and assist with paperwork or referrals
• Spiritual support through a chaplain, tailored to the patient’s individual beliefs
• Grief and bereavement counseling for family members
• 24/7 on-call nurse access for any concerns that arise outside of scheduled visits

No question is too small. Our team encourages families to reach out any time they have a question or concern about their loved one’s care.

Let Shiloh Hospice Guide You Through This Transition

Arranging hospice care after a hospital stay is a big step, but it does not have to be complicated. With the right team guiding you, the focus can shift from paperwork and logistics to what matters most: time with your loved one.

Shiloh Hospice is here to support your family at every stage, from the first phone call to your loved one’s final moments and beyond. Contact Shiloh Hospice today to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can help as you consider hospice care.