What is a Hospice?

The first thing that must be understood when asking, “What is a hospice?” is that hospice is not a place but an approach to end-of-life care for terminally ill patients. Designed to deliver support and comfort to patients and their families, hospice care usually begins when life expectancy is less than six months. Hospice care that exceeds six months requires certification by a doctor.

The basics of hospice care

Services and assistance offered by hospice care are varied, but there is a consistent pattern. Among the services offered:

• Most hospice care takes place at the dying person's home, the home of a family member or friend, or a nursing or assisted living facility. Specialized facilities are also available.
• Hospice care helps people to live their last days with dignity, in comfort and peace, in the presence of their loved ones.
• Hospice care includes effective pain management techniques – palliative or comfort care - to help people be as pain free as possible.
• Hospice staff and volunteers provide specialized knowledge of end-of-life medical care.
• Hospice care employs a team approach with licensed physicians, nurses, social workers, clergy, volunteers, and family members addressing all aspects of a patient's illness.
• While hospice professionals visit the home or facility of the patient, family and friends are nearly always involved in care. Additional help may be engaged from nursing agencies.
• Trained volunteers help with household chores and provide family caregivers temporary relief from their responsibilities.

When is hospice care appropriate?

Hospice care works best when begun soon after receiving a terminal diagnosis. Those who partake of hospice care live longer than individuals with similar diagnoses who do not utilize it. If you are uncertain as to whether hospice is the right service to use, request an evaluation of the patient by the hospice and ask for an assessment as to whether or not hospice is needed now or later.

Is the hospice service certified and is it reputable?

To find out if the hospice you are considering is Medicare-certified or licensed by the State, contact your State Hospice Association or contact the Hospice Foundation of America. Ask about the reputation of the different hospices in your community. Among those to ask are your primary care physician, your minister, and families that have received hospice care in your community.

Those in need should know that the questions to ask is “What is hospice” rather than “What is a hospice?” Once understood, determining if hospice care is appropriate for you or a loved one can begin.