Learn about hospice care from the perspective that matters most to you.
Understanding Your Diagnosis
Take time to process the news. Ask your doctor clarifying questions: What does this diagnosis mean? What's my prognosis? What are my treatment options? What happens next?
Discussing Options with Your Doctor
Talk to your doctor about all available options, including curative treatment, palliative care, and hospice. Ask about the pros and cons of each.
Exploring Palliative Care First
Palliative care focuses on comfort and can be used alongside curative treatment. Consider this as a transitional step before hospice.
Planning Your Care
Think about where you want to spend your time: at home, in a facility, or in a hospital? What goals matter most to you? Start these conversations with loved ones.
Resources for Your Journey
Consider counseling, support groups, or spiritual care. Your hospital may have social workers who can help you process this news.
Legal & Financial Planning
Consider advance directives, power of attorney, and financial planning. Talking with an elder law attorney is often helpful.
The Goal
Hospice is a specialized form of care that focuses on comfort and dignity when curative treatment is no longer appropriate. It's not about giving up—it's about shifting goals from fighting disease to living well with the time remaining. The mission is to maximize quality of life, manage pain and symptoms, and support the patient and family holistically.
Who Provides It
A team of healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, home health aides, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers. They work together to manage pain and symptoms, support the patient emotionally and spiritually, and support the family. This interdisciplinary approach ensures comprehensive care addressing medical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Where Care Happens
Usually at home (the most common setting), but can also be in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or inpatient hospice facilities depending on the patient's needs, preferences, and care requirements. Home-based care allows patients to remain in familiar surroundings with loved ones nearby.
The Duration
Medicare and most insurance plans cover hospice for a 6-month benefit period (two 90-day periods followed by unlimited 60-day periods). Average length of hospice care is 18-20 days, though some stay much longer. Some patients live weeks or months in hospice; this varies greatly by diagnosis and individual circumstances.
Hospice vs. Palliative Care
Palliative care can be used alongside curative treatment to manage symptoms early on. Hospice is palliative care for patients with a terminal diagnosis and 6-month prognosis. Both focus on comfort, but hospice represents a shift away from life-prolonging treatment.
Your Right to Change Your Mind
Choosing hospice doesn't mean the decision is permanent. If you change your mind and want curative treatment again, you can elect out at any time. This flexibility allows patients to make choices that evolve as circumstances change.
Myth: Hospice means giving up
Hospice is an active, supportive form of care that helps patients live as well as possible during the time they have remaining. It's not resignation—it's a realistic approach to maximizing quality of life given medical circumstances. Many patients feel they have more control and better quality of life in hospice.
Myth: Hospice hastens death
When used appropriately, hospice doesn't shorten life. Research shows patients in hospice often live as long as or longer than those pursuing aggressive treatment because comfort care reduces stress on the body. The focus on comfort may actually help patients live more peacefully.
Myth: Hospice is only for cancer
Hospice is appropriate for many conditions including heart disease, COPD, dementia, kidney failure, liver disease, ALS, Parkinson's, stroke, and other terminal illnesses. If you have any serious illness with a 6-month prognosis, hospice should be considered.
Myth: Hospice is very expensive
Medicare and most insurance plans cover hospice care comprehensively. Out-of-pocket costs are typically minimal or zero. In fact, hospice is often less expensive than hospital care because it eliminates costly interventions and hospitalizations.
Myth: You must be bedridden to get hospice
Many hospice patients are mobile and active. You can still walk, eat with family, sit outside, and participate in activities. Eligibility is based on prognosis, not activity level.
Myth: You can't get treatment in hospice
Hospice provides treatment for all symptoms and discomfort related to the terminal condition. Pain medications, antibiotics, blood transfusions, oxygen, and other treatments are available to ensure comfort.
CAHPS Survey
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey measuring hospice patient and family satisfaction with pain management, goals discussion, emotional support, and overall care quality.
Certification of Terminal Diagnosis
Medical documentation from two physicians confirming a patient has a terminal illness with a 6-month prognosis. Required for hospice eligibility under Medicare and most insurance plans.
Comfort Care
Medical approach prioritizing symptom relief and dignity over life-prolonging treatment. Uses medications, positioning, and support to maximize comfort and quality of life.
Hospice Benefit Period
Medicare coverage includes two initial 90-day periods and unlimited subsequent 60-day periods. Patients can revoke and re-elect hospice benefits as needs change.
Interdisciplinary Team
Hospice care team including physicians, nurses, home health aides, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers. They coordinate care addressing medical, emotional, spiritual, and practical needs.
Palliative Care
Comfort-focused medical care appropriate at any stage of serious illness, used alongside curative treatment or as primary care when cure is no longer possible.
Prognosis
A physician's medical opinion about the expected course and outcome of an illness, including how long a patient is likely to live.
Respite Care
Short-term inpatient hospice care (usually 5-7 days) that gives family caregivers rest while ensuring the patient remains under hospice supervision. Up to 5 respite stays per benefit period.
Symptom Management
Medical and non-medical approaches to controlling pain, nausea, shortness of breath, anxiety, and other uncomfortable symptoms to maximize comfort and function.
Terminal Diagnosis
An illness that, despite medical treatment, is expected to result in death. Typically, a doctor must reasonably expect death within 6 months for Medicare/hospice eligibility.
Ready to explore our provider directory?
Browse Hospice Providers