WHAT HOSPICE IS & WHAT HOSPICE IS NOT

• Hospice IS NOT a place or an institution like a hospital.
Hospice IS a philosophy of care provided wherever the patient calls home.

• Hospice IS NOT a place to send people to die.
Hospice IS a way of helping people live the remaining time of their lives fully and with as much comfort as possible

• Hospice IS NOT a “death-bed” service only for people in the last 48 hours of life
Hospice IS a comprehensive care program for patients and families, which emphasizes quality of life; it is most effective during the final six months of life expectancy.

• Hospice IS NOT just for cancer patients. Hospice IS available to patients with a life-limiting illness who has a prognosis of six months or less if the disease were to run its normal course.

• Hospice IS NOT a resignation to hopelessness and helplessness.
Hospice IS a way to realistically and humanely deal with one of the great challenges of human life by offering new perspectives and help to patients and families.

• Hospice IS NOT expensive.

• Hospice IS a cost-effective, alternate system that keeps the patient at home and care for by the family. Medicare, Medicaid, as well as many private insurers cover hospice care.