FAQ's

Hospice care is about just that — care. It is not designed to treat or cure any disease or condition, but rather provide a dignified, high quality of life near the end of life. Generally speaking, hospice care can happen in a patient’s own home, or it can happen at a hospital or other long-term care facility. Hospice care is available to anyone in their most difficult time of life. 

Generally speaking, a family member will serve as the primary caregiver for the terminally ill patient and help make decisions on their behalf. Hospice care members will make regular visits to assess the patient’s well being and provide additional care or services as needed. 

Your hospice team will develop a care plan that’s personalized for your loved one’s needs which includes symptom control and pain management if needed. Of course, because hospice care affects more than the patient, support is also available for family members and caregivers. 

The exact kind of hospice care and attention that is received depends highly on the needs and wishes of the individual and their family, but when someone is under hospice care, a detailed plan will be made in order to make them as comfortable and at ease as possible. For any specific or urgent needs, staff is available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

A hospice care team is made up of a variety of licensed specialists, which can include:

• The hospice physician or medical director
• The patient’s own personal physician
• Certified and experienced caregivers
• Registered nurses and home health aides
• Spiritual care advisers
• Speech, physical or occupational therapists
• Social workers and volunteers
• Bereavement professionals and counselors

Beyond working to make the patient feel comfortable and at-ease, as well as bringing peace of mind to his or her family, a hospice team can also:

• Manage a patient’s symptoms and pain
• Help the patient with emotional and spiritual aspects
• Provide necessary equipment, medical supplies and prescription drugs
• Counsel the family on how best to care for the patient
• Provide specialized services like physical or speech therapy
• Provide optional services like music or art therapy to help bring comfort and happiness
• Allows for short-term inpatient care if or when pain and symptoms become too unbearable or difficult to manage at home (or caregivers need a respite).
• Provide grief counseling to surviving family and friends

Hospice volunteers play a very important role in the process. They help provide needed respite to primary caregivers and help with household chores like bathing and feeding the patient. They also perform a critical service in just being good listeners and supporters.

Hospice care is available to anyone who has a life-threatening or terminal illness. Generally, in order to qualify for hospice care, a prognosis of couple months or less is needed if the illness runs at its regular course. There are exceptions depending on patient’s current condition. Hospices consider the patient and family together as the overall “care unit”.

Hospice care is normally covered through the Medicare or any other health insurance hospice benefit. This means to no out of pocket expense for the family or the patient. Beyond Medicare, all private health plans and Medical provide coverage for hospice services in the whole State of California.

Most of hospice care takes care in the patient’s own home or in the home of a family member or other loved one. It may also take place in a nursing home, assisted living facility or a hospital. In short, hospice care can happen wherever the patient feels most comfortable and is most cared for.