What is Hospice Care?

Hospice care is based on a philosophy that emphasizes quality of life and affirms the individual’s role in making choices about their care. Hospice offers options for individuals and their loved ones facing the difficulties of an incurable illness to live their lives in dignity and in the comfort of their own home. Hospice concentrates on improving the quality of life while neither hastening nor promoting death. Focus is on treatment of symptoms (physical, emotional and spiritual) rather than curing the disease when all avenues of care have been exhausted, or the patient has chosen not to pursue further aggressive treatment. The purpose is to relieve suffering of patients and their loved ones.

Our Philosophy

Patient comfort and choice is our primary goal. Special attention is paid to effective pain management and symptom control. This enables the patient to take part in those activities they enjoy and to live each day to the fullest. To provide support and care for individuals in the last phases of incurable disease so that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible is important, but we recognize that dying is a normal process whether or not resulting from disease. We make sure that during this time patients and their loved ones may be free to attain a degree of mental and spiritual preparation for death that is satisfactory to them. Our hospice exists in the hope and belief that through appropriate care and the promotion of a caring community sensitive to their needs, patients and their loved ones may be able to cope and retain a positive outlook.

If you’d like more information on what hospice care entails and what it certainly is not, read our myths and facts on hospice care.

Ability to Pay

There is no cost to the patient for Hospice Care. Reimbursement for our services may come from a variety of sources and we’ll help you determine the best one. We have chosen not to charge co-pays to our patients and we accept them regardless of their ability to pay. This includes all medications related to the hospice diagnosis, equipment, supplies and all professional services. It is part of our belief as a non-profit entity to make sure all within our community receive compassionate care at affordable rates, without regard to one’s ability to pay. It is our hope that all our patients may still hold their dignity and remain close to their loved ones during end-of-life care, without regard or worry concerning the financial burdens often associated with our medical system.