The decision to choose hospice is very personal. It directly involves the patient, family, physician, and any loved ones who may serve as caregivers. There are a few things to consider. Hospice’s expertise in palliative, or ‘comfort’ care, assures the patient the best in pain control and symptom management. Hospice care enables patients to focus on living their remaining days fully, at home, among family and friends. The emphasis on family involvement, understanding the unique definitions of family, helps individuals support one another during this difficult time.

• Hospice care allows terminally ill patients and their families to remain together in the comfort and dignity of their home and to die in familiar surroundings.
• Hospice care is a cost effective alternative to the high costs associated with hospitals and traditional institutional care.
• Hospice treats the person, not the disease; focuses on family, not only the patient; and emphasizes the quality of life, not its’ duration.

Hospice care relied on the combined knowledge and skill of a team of professionals, including physicians, nurses, certified nursing assistants, social workers, counselors and trained volunteers.

Does choosing hospice mean I am giving up?

Hospice care focuses on enhancing the quality of life in its final stages. It seeks neither to shorten nor prolong life. A patient can choose to leave hospice care at any time and return to aggressive curative treatment for the disease. The choice is always yours. A physician’s referral to hospice care usually indicates that no other curative measures are appropriate.