The Hospice Guide
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice is comfort-focused care for people with a terminal illness. Learn what hospice provides, who is on the team, and where care happens.
Hospice is medical care for people with a terminal illness who choose comfort over treatments meant to cure. The goal is to manage pain and symptoms, support the family, and help the person spend the time they have in the way that matters most to them.
What hospice is, and what it is not
Hospice is a type of care, not a place. Most people receive hospice care where they live: at home, in a family member’s home, in an assisted living community or in a nursing home. A smaller number receive it in a hospice inpatient unit when symptoms cannot be managed at home.
Choosing hospice does not mean “giving up” or stopping all care. The person still gets medical care every day. What changes is the goal: instead of trying to cure the illness, the team focuses on comfort, dignity and quality of life.
Hospice also does not speed up death. Its purpose is to relieve suffering and support the person through the natural course of their illness.
Who is on the hospice team
Medicare-certified hospices provide care through an interdisciplinary team. Depending on the person’s needs, the team usually includes:
- Hospice physician (medical director), who oversees the plan of care and works with the person’s own doctor.
- Registered nurses, who visit regularly, manage symptoms and medications, and are on call 24 hours a day.
- Hospice aides, who help with bathing, dressing and personal care.
- Social workers, who help with emotional support, planning, paperwork and community resources.
- Chaplains or spiritual counselors, for those who want spiritual support, whatever their faith or beliefs.
- Trained volunteers, who can provide companionship and short breaks for caregivers.
- Bereavement counselors, who support the family for up to a year or more after the death.
What hospice usually provides
- Regular nurse visits and 24/7 phone access to a nurse
- Medications for pain and symptoms related to the terminal illness
- Medical equipment such as a hospital bed, wheelchair or oxygen
- Medical supplies such as dressings and incontinence products
- Short-term inpatient care when symptoms need closer management
- Respite care, which gives family caregivers a short break
- Emotional and spiritual support for the patient and family
- Grief support for the family after death
Hospice does not usually provide around-the-clock caregivers at home. Day-to-day care is typically given by family or paid caregivers, with the hospice team visiting and supporting them.
Who pays for hospice
Medicare Part A covers hospice care in full for people who qualify, with only small possible costs for some medications and respite care. Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California), the Veterans Health Administration and most private insurance plans also cover hospice. Read more in our guide to the Medicare hospice benefit.
Next steps
- Check whether your loved one qualifies for hospice.
- Learn how to choose a hospice and which questions to ask.
- Find Medicare-certified hospices near you.
Sources
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor about your own situation.