Persons eligible for Hospice include individuals who have a life-limiting illness, terminal illness, have the consent of their family physician, or have decided to receive comfort care rather than a cure.

At any time during a life-limiting illness, it’s appropriate to discuss all of a patient’s care options, including hospice. By law the decision belongs to the patient. Understandably, most people are uncomfortable with the idea of stopping aggressive efforts to “beat” the disease. Hospice staff members are highly sensitive to these concerns and always available to discuss them with the patient and family.

It is never too late to seek hospice care. Patients and families are eligible when treatments for a cure are no longer successful. We encourage patients and their families to come to us early. With Hospice, there is no need for pain to go unmanaged or for people to struggle without support during their terminal illness.

Your hospice provider will assess your needs, recommend any equipment, and help make arrangements to obtain any necessary equipment. Often the need for equipment is minimal at first and increases as the disease progresses. In general, hospice will assist in any way it can to make home care as convenient, clean and safe as possible.

Most physicians continue caring for the patients who enter the Hospice program. In addition, Hospice staff are specialists in pain management and work closely with the patient’s physician to determine the plan of care for their condition or terminal illness.

Funding comes from Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and individuals.