Hospice care is a type of care that focuses on providing comfort and dignity to people with a terminal illness. It is not just about the end of life, but also about the quality of patients. Hospice care can be provided in the home, in nursing homes, or in hospitals.

The goal of hospice care is to provide patients with relief from pain and other symptoms so they can live as fully as possible until death.

As mentioned above, Hospice was created to care for patients with a life-limiting illness. The following are some of the conditions that qualify for hospice care:

- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Lung disease
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Alzheimer's Disease

However, other than the above cases, patients suffering from other diseases can also opt for Hospice care.
An experienced team of Hospice professionals will be able to determine what level of care will best suit your needs.

Dealing with a terminal illness is not easy, both for patients as well as their family members. Hospice makes caring for a loved one easier and provides comfort and relief to the patient. Through regular visits, constant observation, medication, and 24x7 nursing services, the hospice team is involved in the patient's care, thus providing them and their loved ones much-needed respite and support. The professional staff also share their experience, resources, and knowledge with the hospice patient's caregivers to help them organize a more effective care plan for them.

Hospice services provide patients with all required medical supplies and equipment, such as medicines, oxygen machines, wheelchairs, diapers, wipes, etc. However, besides the above, a good Hospice service will also provide a wide variety of services, including:

. symptom control and pain management
. trained nurses
. qualified staff and volunteers to assist in the care
. counseling services
. bereavement counseling
. routine, continuous, respite and general inpatient care
. spiritual care
. domestic help
among a host of other services and support as may be deemed necessary.

Hospice care is teamwork. After the professional medical team has met the patient and determined the level of care they will receive, the staff assigned will make regular visits to make sure that they are receiving the care prescribed. They will also monitor the symptoms and changes in the health condition of the patient and report to the physician about the same so he or she can supervise the treatment and make necessary changes if needed.

Throughout the care period, nurses, home aides, volunteers, social workers, and other members of the team will work with the patient and their family to help cope with the difficult time.

Since each patient’s requirements may differ, the number of people involved in the care, as well as the care level, will also vary.

Many people are unaware, that most hospice patients are eligible for Medicare Hospice Benefits. In most cases, the patient has very little or no bill to foot as Medicare (Part A) covers 100% of the service, including nursing, medical supplies, equipment, patient care, etc. Other Medicaid programs such as Medi-Cal, HMO, and many of the private insurance companies pay for a patient’s Hospice services.

Once a patient opts for a Hospice service, he or she is not legally bound to continue availing the service permanently. Patients are at liberty to discontinue taking hospice services any time they wish and can recommence again at a later stage, should they wish to do so, provided they are still eligible for the same

Not at all. Since Hospice is not a curative treatment, it does not slow down the drying process. However, it is not meant to help people die as early as possible either. Hospice services support patients to have a dignified life in their last days on earth while providing support and expert knowledge to their families.

Certainly. A professional Hospice team always consults a patient's primary doctor while drafting a care plan. This does not come as a replacement for your doctor but as an additional support system. Patients can continue to consult their primary physician through the care period.