HOSPICE CARE
WHAT IS HOSPICE?
Hospice is a special concept of end-of-life care that focuses on comfort and support to patients and their families. Hospice does not mean giving up hope. It means choosing comfort care over active treatment that is unlikely to change the patient's condition. The goal of hospice care is to maximize the life that is still ahead through focusing on pain management and symptom control. Hospice treats the patient, not the disease.
Hospice offers the luxury of planning the rest of life according to one’s own wishes. It is a holistic approach that includes the patient’s family and physician supported by a team of specialized, highly skilled nurses, social workers, home health aides, volunteers, chaplains, and bereavement counselors. Most hospice care takes place in the home, whether it is his or her own home, the home of a family member or friend, or a nursing or assisted living facility.
Patients are referred to hospice when the physician determines life expectancy to be approximately six months or less. Hospice services are covered under Medicare, Medicaid, and most health plans.
