Compassionate end-of-life care for patients and support for their families

Hospice is a licensed or certified program that provides end-of-life care for people who are terminally ill and for their families. Generally speaking, to qualify for hospice one must have a life expectancy of less than six months. Hospice care can be provided at home, in a hospice or other freestanding facility, or within a hospital.

Hospice is one element of what is known as Palliative Care, which refers to a broad range of services designed to ease the suffering of all patients, not just those who are terminally ill. For terminally ill patients, hospice care emphasizes the management of pain and discomfort and addresses the physical, spiritual, emotional, psychological, financial and legal needs of the patient and his or her family. Hospice services include 24-hour or on-call care, spiritual counseling, respite services for family members, and bereavement support and counseling.

For more information about hospice, speak to your Hurley physician or nurse, or a member of the medical staff.