If your loved one has end-stage COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), you know how stressful can be, for them and for you. At VNS Health, we help people with advanced COPD stay comfortable and avoid trips to the hospital. We also support caregivers so they feel less stressed.
Our hospice care services are available in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island.
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice care focuses on keeping a person comfortable, rather than curing their illness. It gives people nearing the end of life:
- Medical care
- Emotional support
- Spiritual care
It also helps caregivers know what to expect and what to do.
How Hospice Care Helps People with End-Stage COPD
COPD makes it hard to breathe. This can cause stress and tiredness. These problems often lead to hospital and emergency room visits.
Hospice care from VNS Health helps by:
- Making it easer to breathe
- Reducing pain, tiredness, and other symptoms
- Helping caregivers feel prepared
You also receive:
- A comfort pack to reduce symptoms such as shortness of breath and anxiety
- Oxygen tanks and other supplies
- Medicines in the care plan
When to Start Hospice Care
COPD is a chronic illness, meaning people can live with it for many years. That’s why it can be hard to know when hospice care is needed.
It may be time for hospice care if your loved one:
- Goes to the ER or doctor more often
- Stays in the hospital longer or more often
- Has trouble breathing, even when resting
- Feels very week or tired
- Gets sick with bronchitis or pneumonia often
- Feels more anxious or sad
- Has more changes to treatment or medication, with less benefit
- Needs more help with daily tasks like dressing, bathing, and eating
Starting hospice care early means more comfort and support.
What to Expect from Hospice Care at VNS Health
Our hospice teams give people at the end of life the care they need. We also help families and caregivers feel ready to care for their loved one at home.
People with end-stage COPD receive:
- Medical care related to COPD
- Help with daily care
- Emotional support and spiritual care
- Help with practical issues like advance care planning
- Oxygen, equipment, and medicine sent to their home
- A comfort pack for common symptoms
- Other services if needed
For their caregivers, we provide:
- Training on how to care for your loved one and what to do in an emergency
- Help with care decisions
- 24/7 access to a hospice nurse
- Emotional support and spiritual care
- Support with family concerns
- Respite care, so you can rest or attend a family event
- Grief support for 13 months after your loved one passes
Insurance Coverage for COPD Hospice Care
Hospice care is covered by:
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- The Department of Veterans Affairs
- Most private insurance plans
Related Services
Emotional Support & Spiritual Care
Emotional support and spiritual care for hospice patients and their families and caregivers.