Hospice medications are chosen to relieve symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, anxiety, nausea and restlessness. Under Medicare, the hospice provides drugs for symptoms related to the terminal illness, and you pay at most $5 per prescription.
How hospice handles medications
- At admission, the hospice nurse and doctor review every medication. Drugs that no longer help, such as some cholesterol pills, may be stopped to reduce side effects and pill burden. Ask why before anything is stopped.
- The hospice usually delivers medications to the home through its pharmacy partner.
- Many hospices provide a small comfort kit (also called an emergency or symptom kit) with a few doses of medicines for sudden symptoms. The nurse explains when and how to use each one.
Common types of hospice medications
The exact medicines and doses depend on the patient. These are the groups families most often see:
| Symptom | Common medications |
|---|---|
| Pain | Acetaminophen; opioids such as morphine, oxycodone or hydromorphone |
| Shortness of breath | Low-dose morphine or another opioid, oxygen, a fan, and inhalers if helpful |
| Anxiety or restlessness | Lorazepam or similar calming medicines |
| Agitation, confusion or nausea | Haloperidol and other anti-nausea medicines such as ondansetron or prochlorperazine |
| Noisy breathing from secretions | Medicines that dry secretions, such as atropine drops, glycopyrrolate or a scopolamine patch |
| Constipation | Stool softeners and laxatives such as senna or bisacodyl (especially when taking opioids) |
| Fever | Acetaminophen, often as a suppository when swallowing is hard |
Many of these can be given as liquids under the tongue, as patches or as suppositories when the person can no longer swallow pills.
Common worries about morphine
“Will morphine make them die sooner?” When doses are adjusted carefully by the hospice team for pain or breathlessness, opioids are not known to shorten life. People near the end of life often become sleepier because of the illness itself, not the medicine.
“Will they become addicted?” Addiction is not a concern in this situation. The goal is comfort, and doses are changed to match the symptoms.
If you have concerns about any medication, ask the hospice nurse to explain what it is for and what to watch for.
Safety at home
- Keep a written list of medications, doses and times. The nurse can help you make one.
- Store medicines, especially opioids, in a locked or secure place away from children and visitors.
- Do not use comfort-kit medicines without calling the hospice nurse first, unless you have been instructed to.
- After death, the hospice will help you dispose of leftover medications safely.
Sources
This page is general information, not medical advice. Never start, stop or change a medication without talking to the hospice team or a doctor.