Choosing a hospice is a personal decision. Whether you are looking for hospice care for yourself or a loved one, it is important to find out about what services each hospice in your area offers. You may want to request services from a particular hospice and can communicate that wish to your physician.

• How do I decide if hospice is the appropriate care choice for me?
• How do I choose among different hospice programs?
• Are all hospices the same?

• Physicians, nurse, and other healthcare professionals;
• Social workers, clergy, and other counselors;
• Friends or neighbors who have had direct experience with hospice care;
• Local or state Office on Aging or senior centers;
• Various medical and health-related Internet sites;
• Your local yellow pages or directory information; and,
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s HelpLine 800/568.8898 can help you find a hospice in your community or visit the website http://www.caringinfo.org/ .

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Hospice Program

• What services are provided?
• What kind of support is available to the family/caregiver?
• What roles do the attending physician and hospice play?
• What does the hospice volunteer do?
• How does hospice work to keep the patient comfortable?
• How are services provided after hours?
• How and where does hospice provide short-term inpatient care?
• Can hospice be brought into a nursing home or long-term care facility?

How do I ensure that quality hospice care is provided?

Many hospices use tools to evaluate how well they are doing in relation to quality hospice standards. In addition, most programs conduct family satisfaction surveys to get feedback on the performance of their programs. To assist hospice programs in these efforts, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization has developed recommended standards entitled 'Standards of Practice for Hospice Programs as one means of self- and field-evaluation.

Information from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, website: Caring Connections which can be found at http://www.caringinfo.org/.

Rainbow Hospice is non-profit, community-based and offers the following benefits to Patients and Families:

• On-staff pharmacist
• Enhanced interventions to address the needs of the actively dying patient and family by increased use of social workers and specially trained volunteers
• Comprehensive Bereavement services offered at no cost to patient’s loved ones
• Two music therapists
• Accredited with commendation by Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP)

Rainbow Hospice Serves the Community

• Rainbow Hospice offers outstanding bereavement support workshops and group sessions for adults as well as the Good Mourning program for children, teens and families.
• Assists educators who are dealing with children impacted by the loss, through death, of significant people in their lives within families, their peer groups, the schools or the community at large through the Grief in School program
• Support and consultation for employers and employees dealing with grief in the workplace
• LIFE Institute that offers a variety of life-affirming programs
• For general audiences, Rainbow Hospice reaches out through its Community Speakers Bureau that offers a variety of educational and information programs on such topics as creating a living will, telling your life’s story and healing through humor.

Contact Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care Admissions

• Whether you are facing a terminal illness, are looking for more information, or would like to find out more about setting up an admissions visit, our Admissions Department is always ready to help.

To find out more about Rainbow Hospice services
Call us at (847) 685-9900 and ask for Admissions
or
E-Mail our Admissions Department: Admissions@RainbowHospice.org