What are advantages of Solaris Hospice?

• Solaris treats the person instead of the disease.
• Solaris focuses on the family as well as the individual.
• Solaris emphasizes the quality of life instead of its duration.
• Solaris allows the patient and family to control how and where he or she experiences the remainder of life.
• Solaris coordinates your care with your physician.
• Solaris provides grief and family support services throughout the course of life limiting illness and for a year after your loved one has passed away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When should a decision about entering a hospice program be made and who should make it?

A: Health care decisions belong to the patient. At any time during a life-limiting illness, it is appropriate to discuss all of a patient's care options, including hospice. Facing illness is difficult. Solaris staff members are highly sensitive to all of your concerns and always available to discuss options with the patient, family, and physician.

Q: Should I wait for our physician to mention the possibility of hospice, or should I mention it first?

A: The time to plan for end of life issues is now. Your physician needs to know how you wish to proceed. Patients and family should feel free to discuss hospice care at any time with their physician and other health care professionals, clergy, or friends.

Q: Does hospice do anything to make death come sooner?

A: Hospice neither hastens nor postpones death. Solaris Hospice upholds the sanctity of life. The goal is to maximize the quality of life for patients, even when the duration of life is in question.

Q: Who pays for hospice care?

A: There is no cost to patients covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and many other managed care plans. In addition, military personnel and their dependents can receive hospice under TRICARE.