Hospice Care & End-of-Life Support

Hospice care focuses on comfort, dignity, and support in the final phase of life. Many families are surprised by what hospice covers — and what it does not. Understanding this early helps you prepare emotionally, financially, and practically.

This page is based on publicly available information. It does not replace medical, financial, or legal advice.

What hospice actually is

Hospice is comfort-focused care for people with a life expectancy of six months or less, as certified by physicians. The focus shifts from curative treatment to:

• relief from pain and symptoms
• emotional and spiritual support
• comfort and dignity in the final stage of life
• family guidance and support

Hospice is not giving up. It is choosing comfort, calm, and quality of life.

What hospice usually covers

Hospice typically includes:

• nursing visits and symptom management
• medications related to comfort and pain control
• medical equipment such as hospital beds, wheelchairs, oxygen
• home health aides for brief personal care
• access to social workers, chaplains, and counselors
• 24/7 on-call support for emergencies or symptom changes

These services can take place at home, in assisted living, in a facility, or at a hospice center.

What hospice does NOT cover

Many families discover this too late — hospice does not pay for:

• Room and board in assisted living, memory care, or nursing homes
• 24/7 caregivers at home (Medicare does not cover round-the-clock sitters)
• Non-medical help like cleaning, laundry, cooking, shopping
• Private-duty caregivers unless paid separately by the family

This is one of the most important things to understand about hospice: Hospice provides medical support — not daily living support.

Hospice at home

Many older adults prefer to remain at home. Hospice can help make that possible, but families need to understand the balance:

• nurses visit a few times a week (more if needed)
• aides visit briefly for bathing or personal care
• most day-to-day support still falls to family or hired caregivers
• hospice provides equipment, supplies, and medications related to comfort

For many families, combining hospice + part-time caregiver support + family coordination provides the most comfort and stability.

Hospice in assisted living or nursing homes

Hospice can be added wherever someone lives — but the facility still charges its usual monthly rent or daily rate. Hospice covers the medical layer; the facility covers the care layer.

Support for families during hospice

Hospice is more than medical care — it also supports families emotionally and practically.

• guidance during symptom changes
• help understanding what to expect
• support with difficult conversations
• bereavement services after a loved one passes

Many families say hospice helped them feel less alone during one of life's hardest moments.

Why planning early matters

Talking about hospice early doesn’t bring it on sooner — it gives you more control. Early conversations help families:

• explore where a person wants to be at the end of life
• plan for caregiver needs before they become urgent
• understand facility vs. home options
• avoid rushed decisions in a crisis