Hospice is a philosophy of care for people faced with a life-limiting illness. It is designed to provide comfort care while ensuring respect for quality of life. It supports patients with pain and symptom management needs who have chosen comfort rather than curative care. Hospice serves the patient and family together, caring for their physical, emotional, spiritual and practical needs.

Palliative care and hospice care both provide comfort to patients by helping them manage pain and other symptoms. Although palliative care and hospice care share several important similarities, there are also important distinctions between the two.

Palliative care can begin at diagnosis and be administered alongside treatment. Hospice care is compassionate care that prioritizes the quality of life for patients with a life expectancy of six months or less. Comfort-based rather than curative, hospice care helps patients manage pain and other symptoms, with an emphasis on providing dignity and supporting a peaceful end-of-life experience.

While the decision to begin hospice care isn’t easy, keep in mind that hospice care is about improving quality of life for more meaningful time with loved ones. Patients who may benefit from hospice care are those in the final stages of chronic lung disease, congestive heart failure, AIDS, cancer, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and dementia, and other life limiting, terminal illness.

Below are some signs it might be time for you to consider hospice care:

• Frequent hospitalizations or trips to the ER

• Recurrent infections

• Uncontrolled pain, shortness of breath, nausea, or vomiting

• Decreasing alertness or ability to focus

• Inability to perform tasks of daily living without help

• Increased sleeping or confusion

• Quick decline in health, even with aggressive treatments

If the above signs apply to you or a loved one, it may be time to consider hospice care.

Hospice & Community Care is a nonprofit organization meaning all of our revenue goes towards helping patients, families, and the community at large. We are certified to receive Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance payments. These reimbursements make up most of the revenue we receive for our operations. However, the cost of patient care far exceeds these reimbursements, so we rely heavily on donations, memorials, gifts, and proceeds from our Resale Shops to make up the difference.

Hospice covers basic medical equipment such as hospital beds, wheelchairs, and items like dressing change supplies and medications that are related to the terminal illness. Items not covered by Hospice & Community Care include nutritional supplements, over-the-counter medications or personal hygiene items such as tissues, lotion, shampoo, etc.

Nursing homes focus on routine daily care and rehabilitation. Nursing home residents who receive hospice services get additional, customized support determined by their plan of care, which focuses on the physical, emotional, and spiritual end-of-life needs of patients and their families. Hospice & Community Care staff, along with facility staff, work to develop a plan of care in order to best meet the patient and family needs.