Find Hospice Care Options Near Me

Hospice services offer physical, emotional, spiritual and practical comfort and support to patients and families during the final stages of a terminal illness. The specific services that hospice provides vary depending on individual needs and preferences, but usually include the following:

• Medical Care: Professionals monitor the patient’s condition, administer medication, manage pain and provide other essential medical services.
• Social Services: Hospice teams can offer referrals and coordination with community resources to ensure patients and their families have access to the support they need.
• Spiritual Services: Hospice provides spiritual care in accordance with the patient’s religious or spiritual beliefs.
• Assistance with Daily Tasks: Hospice staff can help with household chores, meal preparation and basic personal needs, such as mobility, bathing and dressing.
• Rehabilitation: Physical, occupational and speech therapy are available to help patients maintain or regain functionality and independence.
• Respite Care: Hospice offers relief for primary caregivers, allowing them to take temporary breaks.
• Bereavement Support: Hospice provides counseling and resources to help families adjust to life after the loss of their loved one.

Residential Hospice Care

If a patient requires extensive medical care and monitoring, hospice care may take place in a dedicated facility, hospital or nursing home, generally in specific rooms or wards decorated with cozy touches, such as plants and couches, to give them a more homelike feeling.

In hospice facilities, the usual rules for visiting hours and mealtime schedules do not apply. Visitors can generally come and go as they wish, and meals often include family favorites. This approach ensures that patients feel as comfortable and cared for as possible.

At-Home Hospice Care

Hospice care providers can also deliver services in the patient’s home. If your loved one’s symptoms remain controlled, visiting nurses, social workers, aides and counselors will deliver care as needed. However, patients with unstable conditions and those experiencing severe distress may require continuous nursing care. In these cases, hospice nurses will provide around-the-clock care at home.

Hospice Caregivers

Hospice care calls for a team effort, combining the talents and training of social workers, counselors, clergy and medical professionals. The hospice agency will typically assign a case manager to ensure that team members cater to your loved one’s needs and to coordinate their schedules. This becomes especially important if the care takes place at home.

If possible, family members can take the responsibility for much of the hands-on care, such as administering medicines and changing dressings. Otherwise, hospice workers may help secure other caregivers to take over.

There are four levels of care provided by hospices in the United States. Hospice patients can move from one level to another and back, depending on the services required to fulfill their needs.

• Collaborative Care: The hospice team works with existing health care providers to coordinate treatment, allowing your loved one to remain with familiar doctors and professionals.
• Comprehensive Support System: Hospice monitors changes in your loved one’s condition and implements appropriate interventions.
• In-Home Visits: Sometimes, the hospice team can come to your loved one’s home or long-term care community, eliminating the need for traveling or scheduling appointments.
• Medication Coverage: Hospice provides coverage for drugs related to your loved one’s terminal illness and may review these medications to ensure they remain beneficial at this stage.
• Medical Equipment: If your loved one’s terminal illness requires medical equipment, such as a wheelchair or walker, hospice care may provide it.
• Multiple Levels of Care: Hospice helps manage your loved one’s symptoms throughout the various stages of their disease.
• Holistic Approach: The hospice team, typically consisting of a nurse, nursing assistant, social worker and spiritual care specialist, addresses your loved one’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs.
• Bereavement Support: Optionally, hospice can provide bereavement follow-up for you and your family, including one-on-one meetings, support groups and periodic check-ins.

1. Discuss the option of hospice care with your loved one and their doctor, ensuring that everyone agrees it is the right choice.
2. Choose a hospice agency that suits your loved one’s needs, considering recommendations from:

• Their doctor
• A hospital or nursing facility discharge planner
• Their senior residence, assisted living or long-term care facility
• Their state hospice association
• A Caring.com Family Advisor

3. Formally enroll the patient in the selected hospice agency. Usually, the agency will handle all necessary paperwork. If the patient cannot give consent, the person holding power of attorney or authority over their health care decisions must complete the enrollment.
4. Collaborate with the hospice agency as they set up a care plan, which involves discussions with the patient and any family members or others who will provide full-time care.
5. Expect a period of increased activity when the hospice agency first becomes involved, with various staff members visiting to assess the patient’s needs.
6. Once the initial assessment concludes, the agency will establish a regular routine with one or more aides visiting on a schedule that adapts to your loved one’s changing needs.
7. Communicate openly about any preferences or concerns regarding the care the patient receives, including requesting specific aides or expressing dissatisfaction about certain staff members.
8. Consider switching to another agency if you or your loved one remain dissatisfied with the hospice care provided, ensuring the best possible experience during this challenging time.

Hospice care usually costs less than most other types of end-of-life care for several reasons:

• It involves less technical equipment and fewer medical procedures.
• The patient receives care most often at home instead of in a hospital.
• Patients only pay for the services they require.
• Family members, friends or volunteers can provide some services at no charge.

Medicare, Medicaid, Medi-Cal and some forms of private insurance cover nearly all costs of hospice care. In addition, many hospice services offer care free of charge or based on a sliding scale to those with low incomes. Paid out of pocket, typical expenses range from about $150 per day for care at home to $650 daily for constant care in a facility.

Hospice bills can easily exceed several thousand dollars for those who require care for more than a few months. Medicare generally pays most expenses, but patients may need to cover some costs with personal assets and supplemental insurance. Specialized organizations, such as the Veterans Health Administration, also provide financial assistance to individuals who qualify.

Below, we’ll briefly explore some resources that can help pay for hospice care. For more information, read our comprehensive guide about hospice costs and payment options.

Choosing the right hospice agency for yourself or a loved one can seem overwhelming during an already challenging time. Keep these considerations in mind when searching for hospice care:

• Memberships in state hospice organizations are available to any hospice and may not be a distinguishing factor.
• Check if the hospice will accept your insurance.
• Ensure that the hospice is Medicare-certified, as Medicare provides the baseline requirements for quality care. To qualify for Medicare certification, hospices must offer a variety of core services, including bereavement counseling, skilled nursing, nutritional counseling and physician services.
• Verify if the hospice is Joint Commission-certified, which indicates that it has met a higher standard of care.
• Find out who owns the hospice agency and their background. Consider whether the hospice service is nonprofit, for-profit or government-operated, as this may influence the services your loved one receives.
• Before choosing a hospice, find out where the on-call nurse lives. If the nurse lives far from the patient requiring hospice care, the response time will be longer.