Hospice care is an approach to caring for the terminally ill individual that provides palliative care rather than traditional medical care and curative treatment.  Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification, assessment and treatment of pain and other issues.  Hospice care allows the patient to remain at home as long as possible by providing support to the patient and family, and by keeping the patient as comfortable as possible while maintaining his or her dignity and quality of life.

Hospice care is appropriate if your doctor and the hospice medical director certify that you have a life-limiting illness and if the disease runs its normal course, death may be expected in six months or less.  At times, a disease does not run its normal course and patients may be on hospice services for periods longer than six months.

Hospice care provides comfort and support for patients with all types of illnesses including cancer, heart, lung, vascular, kidney and neuromuscular diseases, all types of dementia and AIDS.  

If you feel that you or a loved one may benefit from hospice care, we are only a phone call away.  A member of our experienced staff can work with you and your physician to determine if hospice care is right for you.

If you prefer to be contacted via e-mail, please complete the Request Info form and we will promptly reply to your request.

Hospice care is a family centered team approach that includes, a doctor, nurse, social worker, chaplain, counselor, home health aides, trained volunteers and others.  Each member of our team works with the family or other caregivers, focusing on the dying patient’s needs – physical, psychological, social and spiritual.  The goal is to help keep the patient as pain and symptom-free as possible while offering spiritual and supportive counseling to the patient and family members.

You do, in consultation with your physician.  According to Medicare “a patient is free to choose any qualified agency offering him/her services.”

Yes! Sometimes a person’s health improves or their illness goes into remission. If that happens, your doctor may feel that you no longer need hospice care. Also, you always have the right to stop getting hospice care, for any reason. If you stop your hospice care, you will receive the type of Medicare coverage that you had before electing hospice. If you are eligible, you can go back to hospice care at any time.

No.  Hospice patients receive care in personal residences, nursing homes, assisted living centers and inpatient hospice centers.

No.  The “Homebound” requirement is only for Medicare home care services (see Home Care FAQs).  

We encourage you to live your life to the fullest.  Patients are able to continue attending church, visiting family and even traveling out of town.

Hospice patients have the right to:
1.  To appropriate, compassionate and comprehensive hospice services provided by a team of professionals without discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, diagnosis or source of payment.
2.  To receive individualized treatment according to a patient plan of care.
3.  To be free from abuse, neglect, exploitation.  
4.  To be afforded privacy during treatment, hygiene and personal care, in correspondence, communication, visitation, financial affairs, and any other hospice service.
5.  To be photographed only with written consent from the patient or patient’s representative.
6.  To voice or file a complaint against the hospice without fear of reprisal.  All complaints will be investigated.
7.  To be fully informed regarding your health status in order to participate in the planning of your care.  
8.  To have an understanding of the availability and access to hospice services and the hospice team.
9. To be assured the individuals who provide care are qualified through education and experience to carry out the services for which they are responsible.  And to know the name and title of the individual providing hospice services.
10.  To have your privacy respected and all health, social, and financial information treated as confidential.  You may refuse to release medical information to any individual outside of the Company, except in the case of transfer to another agency or health facility, or as required by law, accrediting bodies or third party payment contract.
11.  To know that discharge from Hospice will only be if the patient seeks curative treatment or the patient no longer meets the federal and state requirements governing Hospice or the patient elects to discontinue hospice.  
12.   To expect recommendations for services, evaluations, and referrals, appropriate to the nature of your illness.
13.  To participate in the transfer process if you choose to change to another agency.
14.  To be involved in resolving ethical issues or conflicts about care or service.  
15. To be treated with consideration, respect, dignity and individuality.
16.  To know that your family or guardian may exercise your rights if you have been judged incompetent by a court of law.
17.  To know that Medicare / Medicaid are accepted as payment in full.  
18.  To be informed of your financial responsibilities under private insurance or third party payers and to be advised of any changes in the payment expectations, as soon as possible
19.  To continuity of services.
20.  To select or change your own physician, treatment or agency.
21.  To refuse treatments to the extent permitted by law and to be informed about the consequences of such action.
22.  To be involved in decisions to withhold resuscitation.
23.  To receive information about Advance Directives.  To have Advance Directives honored as permitted by local, state, and federal law.
24.    To discontinue hospice care at any time.
25.    To refuse to participate in experimental research.
26.    To know that a written copy of rates and charges may be requested.