Frequently Asked Questions

 Hospice care is a unique concept that supports people near the end of life by:

• Developing individual care plans focused on each patient’s goals and wishes
• Managing symptoms and pain
• Improving quality of life
• Encouraging patients and their families to make the most of their time together

 There are several factors indicating that it’s time for hospice, including but not limited to: 

• A doctor has certified the patient has six months or less to live if the condition/disease follows its normal course.
•  Curative treatments are no longer effective.
•  The patient is increasingly unable to perform the activities of daily living.
• The patient doesn't want to receive an aggressive treatment and is seeking comfort care. 

 Hospice Care 

The definition of hospice care is compassionate comfort care (as opposed to curative care) for people facing a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less, based on their physician’s estimate if the disease runs its course as expected.

Palliative Care 

The definition of palliative care is compassionate comfort care that provides relief from the symptoms and physical and mental stress of a serious or life-limiting illness. Palliative care can be pursued at diagnosis, during curative treatment and follow-up, and at the end of life.

Routine Home Hospice Care -  This is the first tier of hospice care that most patients use. At this level, the care provider will go to the patient’s place of residence, which is typically the family home and will provide everything in the comfort of the patient’s home, which falls in line with hospice’s main goal of improving quality of life. 

Respite Care -  When family caretakers need a break to handle responsibilities or regain their energy, respite care gives them the opportunity to transfer caretaking duties to a medical care professionals for up to five days every three months.  

Continuous Care -  As time moves forward, the chances that a life-threatening illness will induce moments of worry steadily increases. Instead of transitioning immediately into an inpatient care environment, the care provider will begin an intensive care and monitoring period. The hospice professionals will be on site as much as 24-hours a day. This is to ensure the safety of the patient as much as possible at the crisis state. 

Inpatient Hospice Care -  When the medical and caretaking requirements of the patient exceed and can not be reasonably performed in a home environment, it is time to move to inpatient hospice care.  By placing the patient in a controlled environment, the hospice care facility can better provide both general caretaking and medical services to them.