Hospice Care
Our compassionate hospice team is specially trained to provide comfort, dignity and support for those who choose to spend the final stage of life with loved ones in familiar surroundings.
What is hospice care?
Hospice is a specialized type of palliative care for patients who are terminally ill. Our care focuses on ensuring you live out your life with respect and dignity, free from pain, and surrounded by family and loved ones. Our team of doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, pharmacists and others work together to provide you with comfort and support, specifically around end-of-life needs and preferences.
Hospice care services include:
- Relief from pain and symptoms
- Education for you and your caregivers
- Emotional and spiritual care as needed
- Bereavement and grief services for family and friends
Most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover hospice care.
Timing of hospice care
Choosing hospice care is a very personal decision. It’s often appropriate to begin thinking about hospice when your goal for treatment begins to change from curing your illness to providing you comfort. You may also consider hospice if you have:
- A terminal illness, and your doctors have determined you have six months or less to live
- Been hospitalized frequently due to the same symptoms
- Made numerous visits to the ER, but your illness continues to progress
- Experienced obvious physical decline with increasing weakness and fatigue
- Experienced a significant loss of independence for most daily activities
- Experienced deteriorating mental abilities and thinking skills
- A desire to stay at home and spend time with loved ones in a comfortable space
- A declining condition, for which you no longer wish to undergo curative treatments
People may elect hospice care for specific conditions, including:
- Cancer
- Dementia
- Liver disease
- Heart failure
- Renal (kidney) disease
- Pulmonary (lung) disease
- HIV/AIDS
Why choose hospice?
Hospice care focuses on caring for you and comforting you, not curing you. The philosophy of hospice allows you to focus on living the remainder of your days fully, surrounded by family and friends, achieving the highest quality of life possible in the setting of your choice. Our care is person-centered, and the needs of you and your family or loved ones shape your care plan. Our caregivers serve as your advocates and as a support team for your loved ones.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care, a medical specialty focused on treating discomfort and stress, is designed around a person rather than an illness. If you are seeking comfort and relief for a chronic, non-terminal condition, or care to complement curative treatments, read more about palliative care.
