Hospice Care

When medical care cannot offer a cure, hospice provides care, comfort and support for people near the end of life. The hospice team works to make the person comfortable, relieve their symptoms and pain, and preserve dignity for the length of their illness.

What is hospice care?

Hospice care is end-of-life care for terminally ill patients. Usually, a person in hospice is expected to live six months or less, with no hope for a cure. The goal is to manage symptoms and enable patients to live life to the fullest as they prepare to die. The focus is on the individual and quality of life. Hospice care providers focus on making patients as comfortable as possible, treating pain and other symptoms, and providing emotional and spiritual support to the patient and their family.

Hospice care can be provided in many different settings:

• At home
• At a hospice center
• In a hospital
• In a skilled nursing facility

Who provides hospice care?

A hospice care team works with the patient and loved ones to develop a care plan to address individual need. A hospice care team can include:

• Doctors
• Nurses
• Home health aides
• Spiritual counselors
• Social workers
• Volunteers