PATIENT & FAMILY GUIDE
Understanding hospice
Hospice provides specialized medical care and support for people living with terminal illnesses. Rather than focusing on curing the illness, hospice care emphasizes managing symptoms, maintaining comfort, and supporting quality of life.
Care extends beyond the patient. Aspen's hospice teams also help families understand what to expect, navigate changing needs, and feel more prepared for the responsibilities of caregiving.
If you or someone you love is considering hospice, this guide explains how care begins, what the hospice team provides, and how Aspen supports patients and families throughout the experience.
Getting started
How hospice care begins
- Referral or Inquiry
- Assessment & Hospice Election
- Personalized Care Plan
Hospice often begins with a conversation between a patient, family member, physician, or healthcare professional about changing medical needs and goals for care.
You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. Aspen's local hospice team can explain what hospice involves, discuss your circumstances, and help you understand the next steps.
Before hospice care begins, eligibility must be established. Under Medicare, this generally includes physician certification that a patient has a life expectancy of six months or less if the terminal illness follows its usual course. The patient or authorized representative then chooses to receive hospice care.
Once hospice is elected, a nurse completes an initial assessment to identify immediate care needs. The hospice team also completes a more comprehensive assessment to understand the patient's symptoms, medical needs, personal preferences, and family circumstances.
Working together with the patient and family, the interdisciplinary team develops an individualized plan of care that guides the services provided and how changing needs will be addressed.
The plan is reviewed and updated as appropriate throughout care.
During care
What to expect from your hospice team
Hospice care is provided by an interdisciplinary team working together to address the patient's medical, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Depending on the individualized plan of care, the team may include nurses, hospice physicians, hospice aides, social workers, chaplains, volunteers, and other professionals.
Nurses help assess symptoms, manage medications and treatments, and respond to changes in condition. The Hospice Medical Director provides physician oversight and helps guide the plan of care.
Hospice aides may assist with personal care, while social workers and chaplains provide practical, emotional, and spiritual support according to the patient's and family's preferences.
Medications, equipment, and supplies related to the terminal illness and associated conditions are coordinated through the hospice plan of care.
Planning your care
A plan built around your needs
Hospice care should reflect the patient's medical needs, personal preferences, and goals for comfort and quality of life.
As care begins, it is helpful for patients and families to understand what services are available, how care will be coordinated, and what to do when needs change.
A few things worth discussing with your hospice team:
What symptoms or concerns should we focus on, and how will the team help manage them?
Which members of the hospice team will be visiting, and what does each person do?
What medications, equipment, supplies, or other support will be included in the plan of care?
Who should we contact if symptoms change or we need help outside scheduled visits?
What support is available for family members and caregivers, both during hospice care and afterward?
Our goal is for patients and families to understand their care, feel comfortable asking questions, and know where to turn when additional support is needed.
Common questions
Common questions about hospice
Answers to some of the questions patients and families ask most often.
Does choosing hospice mean giving up medical care?
No. Hospice is active, specialized medical care with a different focus.
Rather than pursuing treatment intended to cure the terminal illness, hospice emphasizes managing symptoms, relieving discomfort, and supporting quality of life.
Patients continue receiving nursing care, physician oversight, medications, and other appropriate services through their hospice plan of care.
Does someone have to be in their final days to receive hospice?
No. Hospice is not limited to the final days or weeks of life.
Under Medicare, hospice eligibility generally requires physician certification that a patient has a life expectancy of six months or less if the terminal illness follows its usual course.
This is a medical prognosis, not a prediction of the exact time someone has left.
Patients may receive hospice care for longer than six months when they continue to meet eligibility requirements and are appropriately recertified.
Where can hospice care be provided?
Hospice care is often provided wherever the patient lives, including a private residence, assisted living community, or nursing facility.
Depending on individual needs and circumstances, certain hospice services may also be provided in an appropriate inpatient setting.
Your local Aspen team can help explain the settings and arrangements available in your community.
How often will the hospice nurse visit?
Visit frequency depends on the patient's condition, symptoms, and individualized plan of care.
Some patients need more frequent visits than others, and the schedule may change as their needs change.
Your hospice team will explain the planned visits and how to contact the team if additional help is needed.
Is someone from hospice available at night or on weekends?
Yes. Hospice teams provide access to clinical support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If symptoms change or a concern arises outside a scheduled visit, contact your local hospice team using the instructions provided.
Routine hospice care does not mean a caregiver remains in the home around the clock. The team will explain how after-hours concerns are handled and when additional services may be appropriate.
Can family members participate in hospice care?
Yes. With the patient's permission, family members and caregivers are encouraged to participate in care planning and discussions.
The hospice team can provide education about medications, symptoms, personal care, and changes in condition.
Family members can also receive emotional, practical, and spiritual support according to their needs and preferences.
What if the patient's condition changes?
Hospice care plans are designed to respond to changing needs.
If symptoms worsen, new concerns develop, or the current plan is no longer meeting the patient's needs, contact your hospice team.
The team can reassess the situation, coordinate appropriate treatment, and adjust the plan of care as needed.
For immediate concerns, use the hospice's 24-hour contact instructions.
Can someone change their mind about hospice?
Yes. Patients have the right to revoke hospice care if they decide they want to pursue treatment intended to cure their terminal illness.
They may also elect hospice again later if they meet the applicable eligibility requirements.
The hospice team can explain these choices and help patients and families understand what a change in care would involve.
Is hospice care covered by Medicare or other insurance?
For eligible patients, Original Medicare generally covers hospice services related to the terminal illness and associated conditions, usually with little or no direct out-of-pocket cost for covered care.
Certain medications, respite care, room and board, or services outside the hospice benefit may involve additional expenses.
Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and private insurance may have different requirements or coverage arrangements.
Your local Aspen team can help explain the next steps for understanding your specific coverage.
Questions about getting started?
Your local Aspen hospice team can help you understand the referral process, discuss your family's needs, and explain what happens next.
Find a Hospice Location