Hospice Defined
Compassionate Support for Patients and Families
Hospice is a comprehensive program of care designed to support terminally ill patients and their loved ones.
The focus is on palliative care—relieving symptoms and ensuring comfort—rather than curing the illness. Hospice prioritizes quality of life over quantity, offering compassionate care that honors the wishes and needs of both patients and their families.
What Does Hospice Provide?
Hospice care is tailored to meet the unique needs of each patient and family. Key services include:
Comfort and symptom management:
Expert medical care and advanced symptom relief ensure patients are as comfortable as possible.
A holistic care plan:
Patients and their families are active participants in the care plan, receiving medical, emotional, social, and spiritual support.
Family respite and support:
Trained volunteers provide respite care for family members, offering them time to rest while delivering meaningful companionship and assistance to patients.
Hospice affirms life and regards dying as a natural process. It neither hastens nor delays death but provides the personalized care and community support needed for a dignified and peaceful end-of-life journey.
Goals of Hospice
Prevent unnecessary suffering:
Hospice ensures that pain and discomfort are managed effectively.
Enhance quality of life:
Patients are supported to live as fully and comfortably as possible.
Support coping and preparation:
Hospice helps patients and families navigate the emotional, practical, and spiritual challenges of end-of-life care.
Who Can Receive Hospice Care?
Hospice care is available to individuals with a terminal diagnosis and a life expectancy of six months or less. Care is provided regardless of age or illness type and is offered wherever the patient resides, such as:
- At home
- In a nursing home or long-term care facility
- At a hospice residence or hospital
Patients can move between locations as their needs or preferences change, ensuring continuous care.
Coverage and Cost
Hospice care is covered by most insurers, including:
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Private insurers, including Blue Cross/Blue Shield and HMOs
For Medicare recipients with a terminal prognosis of six months or less, hospice is a covered benefit. Most policies cover the full cost of hospice services, though co-pays for medications may apply. Room and board in nursing homes or hospice facilities are typically not included and may be the family’s responsibility.
What Does Hospice Include?
Hospice services are provided by a compassionate and skilled interdisciplinary team, which may include:
-
Medical Directors and Physicians:
Oversee care and consult with the patient’s personal physician to coordinate medical needs. -
Nurses:
Deliver expert pain and symptom management, educate families, and offer 24/7 support. -
Social Workers:
Provide emotional support, counseling, and assistance with practical and financial concerns. -
Spiritual Counselors:
Offer faith-based or non-denominational spiritual care, tailored to the family’s beliefs and needs. -
Home Health Aides:
Assist with personal care and daily tasks to maintain dignity and comfort. -
Volunteers:
Provide companionship, help with errands, letter writing, reading, and bereavement support.
Hospice also supplies necessary medications, equipment, and supplies for comfort and care. Respite care is available for family members, and grief support continues for at least 13 months after a loved one’s passing.
Why Hospice Matters
Hospice offers a caring community where patients and families find support, dignity, and peace. By addressing the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of end-of-life care, hospice enables individuals to focus on what matters most—spending meaningful time with loved ones and achieving a desirable, peaceful passing.
Local Hospice Provider for Whitman County
Gentiva Hospice
Fax: 509-332-2338