Hospice care in a nursing home in Tulsa, OK is possible, and most families are surprised by how little has to change. A resident does not have to move out of the facility they call home. The hospice team comes to them, adds specialized comfort care on top of what the nursing home already provides, and supports the family at every step. This guide explains how the arrangement works, who pays for what, and what to ask before choosing a hospice. At Seasons Hospice, our nurses visit patients wherever they call home, including nursing homes, and every service we provide is at no cost to the family.
Can Someone Get Hospice Care While Living in a Nursing Home?
Yes. According to Medicare, you can usually get Medicare-approved hospice care in your home or in another facility where you live, such as an assisted living facility or a nursing home. Hospice is a type of care, not a place. For a long-term resident, the nursing home is home, so that is where hospice care is delivered.
This matters because many families assume hospice means leaving a familiar room, familiar staff, and familiar routines. It does not. The resident keeps their room and their daily caregivers. The hospice team becomes an additional layer of support focused entirely on comfort, symptom control, and emotional and spiritual well-being for the resident and the family.
How Hospice Care in a Nursing Home Works in Tulsa, OK
Think of it as two teams working from one plan. The nursing home continues to provide the routine daily care that residents already receive. The hospice team adds specialized end-of-life care related to the terminal illness. A written agreement between the hospice and the nursing home keeps the two teams coordinated, and the hospice builds a plan of care with the resident, the family, and the facility staff.
The nursing home usually continues to handle:
- The resident’s room, meals, and housekeeping
- Routine daily care such as bathing, dressing, and repositioning
- Day-to-day monitoring and communication with the hospice about any changes
The hospice team adds:
- Regular visits from a registered nurse who manages pain and other symptoms
- Physician oversight and a hospice doctor who is part of the care team
- Hospice aides, a social worker, a chaplain if the resident and family want one, and trained volunteers
- Medications for pain and symptom control, plus medical equipment and supplies related to the terminal illness
- Support for the family during the illness and after a loss
Seasons Hospice registered nurses visit patients wherever they call home, whether that is a nursing home, a hospital, or a residential home. When a resident is admitted to our program, we deliver the medical equipment they need to wherever they call home. A resident can also keep their regular doctor as the attending physician, and that doctor works alongside the hospice team. Under the Medicare benefit, a hospice nurse and doctor are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as described in the official booklet, so families are never left wondering who to call at 2 a.m.
Who Pays for Hospice Care in a Nursing Home?
This is the question families ask first, and the honest answer has two parts. The hospice care itself is covered. The nursing home’s room and board is a separate cost.
Medicare Part A covers hospice care. Families pay nothing for covered services from a Medicare-approved hospice, with two small exceptions: a copayment of up to $5 per prescription for outpatient drugs used for pain and symptom control, and up to 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care. If the hospice team decides a resident needs short-term inpatient or respite care that they arrange, Medicare covers that stay, and each respite stay can last up to 5 days. What Medicare does not cover is room and board, so a resident who lives in a nursing home may still owe the facility’s room and board charges.
Room and board may be paid through SoonerCare, family resources, or other private payment. Medicaid offers hospice as an optional state plan service, and Oklahoma’s program is SoonerCare. For a deeper look at all the payers involved, our guide to hospice coverage walks through Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance.
| What is being paid for | Medicare hospice benefit | What it means for a nursing home resident |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing, physician, aide, and social work services for the terminal illness | Covered | Provided by the hospice team in addition to the nursing home’s daily care |
| Medications for pain and symptom control | Covered, with a copayment of up to $5 per prescription | Seasons Hospice provides its services at no cost to the family |
| Medical equipment and supplies related to the terminal illness | Covered | Delivered to wherever the patient calls home |
| Short-term inpatient or respite care arranged by the hospice | Covered, with up to 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for respite care | Each respite stay can last up to 5 days |
| Nursing home room and board | Not covered | May be paid through SoonerCare, family resources, or other private payment |
If the resident is covered by SoonerCare, the rules add one more detail, and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority explains its SoonerCare hospice coverage rules for adults online. When Medicaid is the payer, the hospice provider receives a room and board payment equal to 95 percent of the nursing facility’s rate and passes it through to the facility. When Medicare is the primary payer of the hospice benefit, SoonerCare continues to pay room and board to the nursing facility. Because every situation differs, ask both the nursing home and the hospice to explain exactly how room and board will be handled before the resident enrolls.
Who Qualifies for Hospice in a Nursing Home?
The eligibility rules are the same inside a nursing home as they are anywhere else. To use the Medicare hospice benefit, the resident needs Medicare Part A, the hospice doctor and the resident’s regular doctor must certify that the resident is terminally ill with a life expectancy of 6 months or less if the illness runs its normal course, and the resident must accept comfort care instead of care to cure the illness. The resident, or the person who speaks for them, also signs a statement choosing hospice.
Hospice is not limited to cancer. The NIA lists dementia, cancer, heart failure, and chronic obstructive lung disease as examples of serious illnesses where hospice care is common. Hospice care is given in benefit periods: two 90-day periods followed by an unlimited number of 60-day periods, as long as the hospice doctor recertifies that the illness remains terminal. A resident whose health improves can leave hospice at any time and return later if needed.
Many families wait until the final days to call. Starting earlier gives the resident more time with a team that knows their wishes, and gives the family more support. If you are not sure whether your loved one qualifies, a conversation costs nothing. Our team can help you understand where things stand.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Hospice for a Nursing Home Resident
Not every hospice works the same way inside a facility. A few direct questions can help you compare your options:
- Does the hospice have a working agreement with this nursing home?
- How often will the hospice nurse visit, and who covers nights and weekends?
- How will medications and equipment arrive, and how quickly?
- Is the resident covered by SoonerCare, and how will room and board be handled?
- What spiritual and emotional support is offered, and is it optional?
- What help does the family receive after a loss?
It is also worth knowing that under Medicare you have the right to change your hospice provider once during each benefit period, so choosing a hospice is an important decision but not a permanent one.
What Seasons Hospice Adds for Nursing Home Residents
Seasons Hospice has cared for families in Tulsa and Muskogee since 1998. Our services are designed to support the whole person, and they are provided at no cost to families. For a nursing home resident, that includes:
- Registered nurse visits and physician services focused on comfort
- A pain management program built around the resident’s goals
- Personal care support from trained hospice aides
- Chaplain and spiritual support, which is always optional and respects every faith and world view
- Counseling and social services for the resident and family
- Medical equipment delivered to wherever the patient calls home
- Bereavement services and grief counseling for family members for up to 13 months after a loss
We are a faith-based hospice, and we are equally committed to respecting each family’s own beliefs. Our goal is simple: help the resident feel comfortable, help the family feel supported, and make sure no one walks through this season alone.
How to Start Hospice Care for a Loved One in a Nursing Home
Getting started is easier than most families expect.
- Talk with the resident’s doctor or the nursing home’s social worker about whether hospice is appropriate.
- Call Seasons Hospice. Our team can verify Medicare eligibility the same day you call and handle the physician certification paperwork.
- Meet the care team and review the plan of care together with the nursing home staff.
- Equipment and supplies are delivered, and regular visits begin.
You can reach our Tulsa office at 6532 E 71st St, Tulsa, OK 74133, or call (918) 745-0222. Our Muskogee office is at 1903 N Main St, Muskogee, OK 74401, and the phone number there is (918) 910-5018.
Have questions about hospice for a loved one in a nursing home? Contact Seasons Hospice or call (918) 745-0222 today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you receive hospice care in a nursing home?
Yes. Hospice care can be provided wherever a person lives, including a nursing home or assisted living facility. The hospice team visits the resident and works alongside the facility staff, who continue to provide routine daily care. The resident does not need to move.
Does Medicare pay for hospice in a nursing home?
Yes, Medicare Part A covers hospice services delivered in a nursing home when the resident meets the eligibility rules. Covered services include nursing, physician services, aide support, social work, equipment, and medications for pain and symptom control. Medicare does not cover the nursing home’s room and board.
Who pays for room and board when a nursing home resident is on hospice?
Room and board is a separate cost from hospice care. It may be paid through SoonerCare, family resources, or other private payment. Ask the nursing home and the hospice to explain how it will work before enrolling.
What is the difference between hospice and nursing home care?
A nursing home provides daily living support and routine care for residents. Hospice is specialized comfort care for people with a terminal illness, focused on pain and symptom management and on emotional and spiritual support for the family. A resident can receive both at the same time.
Does a resident have to leave the nursing home to start hospice?
No. Hospice comes to the resident wherever they live. The resident stays in their own room with the same facility staff, and the hospice team adds visits, medications, equipment, and support. If symptoms ever become too difficult to manage in the facility, the hospice can arrange short-term inpatient care.
