Extra Nursing Support at Home When Symptoms Become Severe
Sometimes a loved one’s symptoms suddenly become hard to control. Continuous hospice care brings extended nursing care into the home during these short periods of crisis, so your loved one can stay comfortable where they are, without a trip to the hospital.
What Is Continuous Hospice Care?
Continuous care is one of the four levels of hospice care covered by Medicare. It provides mostly nursing care, for extended hours, during a brief period of medical crisis. The goal is to bring symptoms under control while your loved one stays at home or in the facility where they live.
Once symptoms are managed again, care returns to routine hospice visits. Throughout, our on-call nurses remain available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
When Continuous Care May Be Needed
Our team may recommend continuous care when a patient experiences:
How Continuous Care Supports Your Family
Extended Nursing Hours
A nurse, with support from hospice aides, stays with your loved one for extended hours during the crisis.
Symptom Management
Close monitoring and adjustments to medications and comfort measures until symptoms are controlled.
Avoiding the Hospital
Care comes to your loved one, helping them stay home and avoid an emergency room visit.
Family Reassurance
Your family is not alone in a frightening moment. Our team explains what’s happening and what to expect.
Coordination With the Doctor
Our nurses work with the hospice physician and your loved one’s doctor on every change.
A Plan for What Comes Next
Once symptoms settle, we return to routine visits, or move to inpatient care if needed.
Where Continuous Care Is Provided
Continuous care happens where your loved one lives, including:
- Private homes
- Assisted living communities
- Board-and-care homes
- Other places of residence
Paying for Continuous Care
Continuous care is part of the Medicare Hospice Benefit and is also covered by Medi-Cal and many private insurance plans for eligible patients.
Under the Medicare and Medi-Cal hospice benefit, there is typically no out-of-pocket cost for hospice services.
Our team decides together with you and the physician when continuous care is appropriate.
What Happens During a Crisis
Call our nurse line
Call 323-545-2565 any time, day or night, when symptoms change.
Nurse assessment
Our nurse assesses your loved one and works with the hospice physician on next steps.
Extended care at home
If appropriate, continuous care begins until symptoms are under control.
Other Levels of Hospice Care
Questions About Continuous Care
Is continuous care the same as a 24-hour caregiver?
No. Continuous care is short-term, mostly nursing care during a medical crisis. It is not ongoing custodial or companion care. Once symptoms are controlled, care returns to routine visits.
How long does continuous care last?
Only as long as the crisis lasts. It is meant for brief periods until symptoms are back under control.
Who decides if continuous care is needed?
Our hospice nurse and physician assess your loved one and decide together with the family whether continuous care is appropriate.
What if symptoms can’t be managed at home?
If symptoms can’t be controlled at home, short-term inpatient care may be arranged until your loved one is comfortable again.
We’re Here When It Matters Most
If your loved one’s symptoms are changing, call our nurses any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
323-545-2565