Home Care and Hospice

HOME HEALTH CARE

Home Health care services can be paid for under insurance. Coverage is based on medical need and care specific in order for insurance to pay.  If necessary, Home Health care services must be prescribed by your physician. For a person who is hospitalized this will be done in collaboration with the Care Coordination Department in the hospital. Outpatients would access this service by coordination with your nurse or social worker under insurance guidelines. 

If a homebound person covered by Medicare is medically requiring intermittent skilled nursing care, physical therapy, and/or speech therapy and has a physician order for care, home health care services can be provided.  Many agencies exist to provide this service. Presbyterian Home Health Cares’ number is (505) 559-1000 for more information.
          
Private Home care can be private duty care for such services as a nurse, nurse’s aide, homemaker, or companion care. Please check the telephone book under Nursing agencies for choices of organizations. Sometimes people do have Long Term Care Insurance, which may pay the cost for coverage. Often a third party may not cover this service. Often this is an expense that people pay privately.

HOSPICE CARE

"Hospice is not about dying; hospice is living every moment fully."
- American Hospice Foundation
Hospices are designed to provide sensitive support for people in the final phase of a terminal illness. The goal of hospice is to care for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient and their family. When possible, hospice care is offered at the patient’s home.
Hospice care is provided by a team of professionals that includes a doctor, nurse, home health aid, bereavement counselor, spiritual counselor and social worker.
For more information, please ask you physician or visit Presbyterian Home Health and Hospice Website.