Ask the Experts Blog

Learning what hospice care is and how services can help extend quality of life, can help family and loved ones who may be afraid. The term “hospice” can bring up many emotions, partly because people have different thoughts about what it is.

“Hospice is high-quality care focused on managing discomfort, pain and related symptoms for a seriously ill person nearing the end of their life,” shares Dan Wassenhove, senior director of hospice and palliative care at Corewell Health. 

Starting hospice care early has shown to prolong a person’s life. This is attributed to the pain and symptom management they receive in addition to support addressing their emotional and spiritual needs. Individuals are eligible for hospice if they are not responding to curative treatments, have decided to forgo further treatment or have a life expectancy of six months or less. It’s important to mention, that sometimes hospice patients enter and leave hospice care as their health improves or declines.

What Hospice Is Not

• Choosing to receive hospice care does not mean a person gives up their rights and control. They can withdraw from services at any time.
• Hospice care does not mean people will be in your house 24 hours per day.
• Receiving hospice care does not mean a person will die sooner than without it.
• Medical treatment is not withheld during hospice care.

Benefits of Hospice

• Access to a coordinated team of physicians, nurses, certified nursing assistants, chaplains for spiritual care and medical social workers.
• Access to 24-hour on-call medical team and an after-hours nurse visit if needed.
• Medications, medical supplies and equipment are provided for comfort and pain management.
• Hospice provides a sense of dignity to the patient and honors their last wishes wherever an individual calls home.
• Greater patient and family control over medical care in familiar surroundings, decreased isolation and more access to loved ones.
• Medicare, Medicaid and most commercial insurance plans pay for hospice care. Hospice can reduce financial expenses (copays, deductibles) by decreasing recurring emergency visits or hospital stays.

How Can Hospice Help?