Hospice of Wake CountySpecialized care for kids
At Transitions LifeCare, we provide compassionate, family-centered care for children facing serious illness.
Children from prenatal through age 21 with serious illness and their families · Transitions Kids families have access to pediatric support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
From transitionslifecare.org/care-services/transitions-kids ↗About this program
Our team supports both the child and their loved ones with comfort, guidance, and expertise every step of the way.
Our pediatric hospice and palliative care services are designed for children at any stage of serious illness — not only at end of life. Many families partner with us for extended periods of time as their child's needs evolve. We'll help you understand your options and create a care plan centered on your child and your family.
Palliative care is a family-centered model that focuses on expert evaluation and management of pain and other symptoms, while also providing support for caregivers and siblings, guidance through anticipatory grief, and coordinated care planning. Early integration of palliative care enhances physical, psychosocial, and spiritual support for children with serious illness and their communities. As a consultative service, we collaborate with your primary medical team to promote quality of life.
Hospice care is an insurance benefit for patients with a prognosis of six months or less. The Medicaid Concurrent Care for Children Requirement, a provision of the Affordable Care Act, allows children under 21 to receive both curative treatments and hospice care at the same time. This holistic approach ensures that children receive comprehensive care, encompassing both their medical needs and comfort care.
Transitions Kids works alongside your child's existing medical providers, hospitals, specialty clinics, and private duty nursing teams to help improve communication, coordination, and symptom management.
Questions
What are the requirements for Transitions Kids care?
Transitions Kids (TK) offers palliative and hospice care to children and families impacted by illness or loss. A referral to TK doesn't automatically mean that someone is dying–a common fear for many families. TK offers a wide range of support designed to meet the needs of families throughout their journey with serious illness. The care that we provide can be tailored to meet the unique needs of each patient and family, and our team will work with you to identify which level of care will be most appropriate for your family.
Who does Transitions Kids' serve?
We offer a variety of direct care and support services for patients perinatal to 21 years of age in Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Nash, Orange, Wake and Wilson counties. While we are unable to do home visits outside of this service area, we may be able to provide palliative care support via telehealth.
How often does the Transitions Kids team visit?
The frequency of visits typically depends on the level of care the patient requires. Palliative care patients receive visits from an interdisciplinary team member for a minimum of every six months, with more frequent visits for symptom management and care coordination as needed. Hospice patients receive weekly nursing visits, with family support and physician visits ranging from weekly to monthly. Your care team will collaborate with you to determine the visit frequency that best meets your needs.
Who pays for the services you provide?
Services provided through hospice are covered by insurance. Palliative care physician visits can also be billed through insurance, like other specialists. Generous donations allow us to continue providing care to patients and families, regardless of their ability to pay.
When do Transitions Kids services end?
Patients are discharged when their family decides services are no longer needed or if they move out of North Carolina. Bereavement services are provided as long as needed after a child's death.
Details
- Who
- Children from prenatal through age 21 with serious illness and their families
- When
- Transitions Kids families have access to pediatric support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Where
- Most children receive care at home, but the team also supports families when a child is hospitalized. For children receiving hospice care, Transitions LifeCare'
- Ages
- Prenatal through age 21