Hospice is a philosophy of end-of-life care rather than a physical place.
Patients with a life-limiting illness, who are no longer pursuing treatment and want to spend their final days at peace and in comfort, are candidates for hospice care. Our goal is to give patients and their caregivers as much support as possible so they can live their life how they want, where they want – in a patient’s or family member’s home, in a nursing home, even in a hospital.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Adult patients with advanced cancer and other life-limiting illnesses for whom curative treatments are no longer feasible, may be eligible for CalvaryCareSM. To speak with a Calvary nurse, please call 718-518-2000, ext. 2300.
- Referrals to Calvary can come from doctor, social worker, discharge planners, family members or the patients themselves.
Phone calls for information and requests for tours are welcome throughout the week.
Before a patient actually arrives at Calvary, our one-page admissions form can be started by a social worker or case worker. Once the patient arrives at any of our inpatient facilities, our goal is to get them into their room as quickly as possible and to introduce them to their caregiving team.
Upon request, Spanish-speaking staff is available to assist during the information gathering and admissions process.
- For cases in which the patient’s pain and symptom management can be addressed adequately in the home setting, Calvary Hospice can bring our signature care to the person’s home, wherever that might be.
If the patient’s health requires an inpatient level of care, Calvary’s Bronx campus, Brooklyn campus, The Dawn Greene Hospice at Mary Manning Walsh Home, and Ozanam Hall of Queens Nursing Home are possible options.
Across our continuum of care, Calvary works hand-in-hand with families so that they are not making this journey alone.
- How does someone pay for CalvaryCare? What if my insurance company doesn’t want me to get your care?Calvary accepts patients who participate in Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance programs.
Under the NYS End-of-Life law passed in 2000, HMOs and insurance companies may not deny coverage to terminally ill people who choose Calvary as their provider for inpatient end-of-life care, as long as they meet our admissions criteria.
Some insurers do limit coverage. Calvary’s admitting staff can provide information about applying for Medicaid.
- Palliative care means comfort and support for patients with serious illnesses. Specialized medical providers focus on relieving pain and associated symptoms, reducing stress, and generally improving quality of life for patients and their families. Palliative care can be given while other ongoing treatments are being applied. This aspect sets palliative care apart from hospice care. That is, hospice care is aimed at comfort as patients approach the end of life.
- Anyone with a serious illness, chronic, or life-threatening disease, regardless of age or stage of illness. The conditions most commonly treated by palliative care are heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Palliative care crosses all medical disciplines and specialties. Doctors, nurses, and social workers specialized in palliative care collaborate with a patient’s existing medical team to provide palliative care and support.
- Patients can receive palliative care in hospitals, outpatient clinics, or at home.
- Symptom Relief – Palliative care providers specialize in comfort and relief from pain and other symptoms including shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, and difficulty sleeping. These measures help patients continue everyday activities and support them as they receive medical treatment.
Communication and Coordination – Palliative care practitioners also specialize in communication, by listening to patients and their families and making sure their medical questions are answered and that they understand the full breadth of their treatment options. Also, they coordinate and collaborate with the medical team, improving the efficiency of care.
- It’s Beneficial to Patients – A 2010 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, reported that lung cancer patients receiving early palliative care had improved quality of life, less depression, and survived 2.7 months longer.
- Calvary Hospital is the only fully accredited acute care specialty hospital in the U.S. exclusively providing palliative care for adult patients with advanced cancer and other life-limiting illnesses. Our programs include inpatient care, pain management, hospice, home care with bereavement, and support programs for families and friends. Contact us for more information on our hospice and palliative care services.