Compassionate Support When Advanced Kidney Disease Changes Daily Life
Advanced kidney disease can affect a person’s energy, appetite, comfort, mobility, and ability to manage everyday activities. For some individuals, ongoing kidney disease may eventually lead to difficult decisions about treatment and the goals of care.
When the focus of care shifts toward comfort and quality of life, hospice may be an appropriate option for some patients with advanced kidney disease.
Angel Palliative Care & Hospice, Inc. provides individualized hospice support for patients and families navigating advanced illness.
Individualized support for patients and families navigating advanced illness.
When Kidney Disease Becomes More Difficult to Manage
Kidney disease can progress differently from one person to another. Some people remain stable for long periods, while others experience increasing weakness, changes in appetite, fluid-related concerns, or other complications.
Hospice may be considered when kidney disease has advanced and a person’s overall condition suggests that they may be approaching the end of life.
Kidney disease alone does not automatically establish hospice eligibility. An evaluation considers the person’s overall condition, disease progression, functional ability, nutritional status, other health conditions, prognosis, goals of care, and applicable hospice requirements.
If your loved one’s health has changed significantly, talking with their physician or a hospice team can help you understand whether an evaluation may be appropriate.
Changes Families May Notice as Health Declines
Families and caregivers may notice changes in a person with advanced kidney disease that are important to discuss with their healthcare provider.
These may include:
Increasing weakness or fatigue
Spending more time resting or sleeping
Greater difficulty walking or completing daily activities
Increasing dependence on family members or caregivers
Reduced appetite or food intake
Noticeable weight loss or overall physical decline
Changes in alertness or ability to participate in normal activities
Increasing difficulty managing personal care
Changes in fluid balance or swelling
Increasing nausea or other symptoms
Increasing difficulty managing medications or treatment routines
Repeated hospital or emergency room visits
Increasing complications related to advanced illness
A noticeable decline in overall strength or function
These changes do not automatically mean that a person qualifies for hospice. They may be reasons to talk with the patient’s physician and ask whether a hospice evaluation could provide useful information and support.
When Treatment Decisions Become More Difficult
Families living with advanced kidney disease may eventually face difficult conversations about treatment, comfort, quality of life, and what the patient wants for the future.
Hospice does not replace the patient’s voice or make decisions for the family. Instead, when a patient is eligible and chooses hospice care, the hospice team works with the patient and those involved in their care to support the goals outlined in the individualized plan of care.
If your family is facing difficult decisions, a conversation with a hospice team can help you understand what hospice care involves.
Support for the Patient—and for Everyone Caring for Them
Advanced kidney disease can affect the entire household. Hospice provides a team approach designed to support both the patient and the people involved in their care.
Depending on the patient’s needs and plan of care, hospice support may include:
Nursing Care and Ongoing Coordination
RN case management provides ongoing clinical support, monitors changes in the patient’s condition, and coordinates the hospice plan of care with the interdisciplinary team.
Physician and Medical Director Oversight
Hospice physician and medical director oversight helps guide the patient’s hospice plan of care in collaboration with the care team.
Personal Care Assistance
Hospice aides may provide support with activities of daily living and personal care according to the patient’s individual needs and plan of care.
Help With Family and Practical Concerns
Medical social workers can help patients and families navigate emotional, social, and practical concerns associated with advanced illness.
Spiritual Care That Respects Individual Beliefs
Spiritual care can provide support according to the patient’s and family’s beliefs, values, traditions, and preferences.
Support Through Grief
Bereavement support can help family members and caregivers navigate grief following a patient’s death, according to the hospice’s bereavement program.
You Can Reach the Hospice Team Around the Clock
Questions and concerns can arise at any time, especially when a person’s condition is changing.
Angel Palliative Care & Hospice, Inc. provides 24/7 on-call hospice support for patients and caregivers, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
The on-call team can help address questions, changes in condition, and concerns that arise between scheduled visits.
Talk With Our Hospice TeamHospice Can Be Provided Where the Patient Calls Home
Hospice does not necessarily require a patient to move to a hospice facility.
When appropriate, hospice services may be provided in:
Our team works with patients, families, caregivers, and facility staff as appropriate to coordinate care.
Receiving care in a familiar setting can allow patients and families to remain focused on comfort, connection, and the patient’s individual wishes.
Medications, Equipment, and Supplies That Support Care
Depending on the patient’s needs and individualized plan of care, hospice may include coordination of medications, medical equipment, and supplies.
Understanding Medicare Hospice Coverage for Kidney Disease
For people who qualify for the Medicare hospice benefit, Medicare Part A generally covers hospice care related to the terminal illness and related conditions when applicable Medicare hospice requirements are met and the patient elects hospice care.
Covered hospice services may include:
A diagnosis of kidney disease does not automatically qualify someone for Medicare hospice coverage. Eligibility depends on the patient’s overall condition and applicable hospice requirements.
For patients receiving dialysis or considering changes to kidney replacement treatment, hospice eligibility and coverage can involve individual circumstances. Families should discuss their specific situation with their physician, hospice team, and Medicare or their health plan as appropriate.
Our team can help explain the hospice evaluation and referral process.
You Can Start With a Conversation
Families do not always know when the right time is to ask about hospice. If your loved one’s kidney disease has become increasingly difficult to manage, you can contact our team to learn more about hospice and the evaluation process. A family member, caregiver, physician, or other appropriate referral source can contact Angel Palliative Care & Hospice, Inc.
For Physicians and Care Professionals
Physicians and healthcare professionals can contact Angel Palliative Care & Hospice, Inc. when they believe a patient with advanced kidney disease may benefit from a hospice evaluation. Our team can discuss the patient’s current condition, care needs, referral process, and appropriate next steps.
When Advanced Kidney Disease Changes Daily Life, Support Is Here
Living with advanced kidney disease can be challenging for patients and the people who care for them. If you are unsure whether hospice may be appropriate, you do not have to determine that on your own. Our team can answer your questions, explain the evaluation process, and help you understand what hospice support may look like.
Angel Palliative Care & Hospice, Inc. provides hospice support throughout San Mateo County, San Francisco, Santa Clara County, Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and Marin County.
