Hospice & Palliative Care
Comfort-focused care that prioritizes quality of life for families navigating serious illness or approaching end of life.
Also known as: End-of-life care, Comfort care, Supportive care, Palliative medicine
Who this is for
Is this what you're looking for?
Here are a few situations where families turn to hospice and palliative care.
Curative treatment is no longer the goal
Your loved one has decided to stop pursuing aggressive treatment and wants to focus on comfort and quality of life. You want to understand what support is available and how to make the most of the time ahead.
Symptoms are not being managed well
Your mom is dealing with pain, breathlessness, or nausea that her current care team is not adequately addressing. Palliative care can focus on symptom management regardless of where she is in her illness.
You are not sure whether it is time for hospice
Your dad's health is declining and his doctors have mentioned hospice, but you do not fully understand what it means or what the transition looks like. You need clear information before making this decision.
There are many more situations where this kind of support makes sense. If you are not sure whether it is the right fit, searching is a good first step.
What to expect
What hospice and palliative care look like
Covered
by Medicare
Comfort
is the goal
Team-based
care model
Home or
facility-based
Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms, pain, and stress at any stage of serious illness and can be provided alongside curative treatment. Hospice is a specific type of palliative care for people expected to live six months or less, focused on comfort rather than cure. Medicare covers hospice completely when a doctor certifies a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness runs its natural course. Both services provide team-based support for the patient and family, including physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and aides.
How tendercare vets
Every provider here has earned their place
Every provider in tendercare's Trusted Network completes a six-point vetting process, including background checks, license and insurance verification, client references, and expert review. Membership is never sold; it is earned.
Never pay-to-play. Membership is earned.
FAQs for finding & hiring Hospice & palliative care near you
What families ask
Palliative care focuses on symptom relief and quality of life at any stage of serious illness. It can be provided alongside curative treatment and does not require a terminal prognosis. Hospice is a specific type of palliative care for people expected to live six months or less, where the focus shifts entirely to comfort rather than cure. Hospice requires the patient to stop pursuing curative treatment for the terminal illness.
Hospice is appropriate when a doctor estimates life expectancy at six months or less if the illness runs its natural course, and the patient chooses to focus on comfort rather than curative treatment. Many families and physicians wait too long. Patients and families who enroll earlier often report better quality of life and less distress.
Medicare covers hospice fully with no deductible or coinsurance for hospice services. Coverage includes physician services, nursing care, medical equipment, medications related to the terminal diagnosis, aide services, social work, counseling, and chaplain services. Medicare also covers short-term inpatient respite care for family caregivers. To qualify, a doctor must certify a life expectancy of six months or less.
Most hospice care is provided at home, with a team visiting regularly while family members or other caregivers provide day-to-day care between visits. Hospice can also be provided in nursing facilities, assisted living communities, or inpatient hospice facilities. The location depends on your loved one's needs and can change over time.
Yes. If your loved one's condition improves or they decide to pursue curative treatment again, they can disenroll from hospice at any time. They can also re-enroll later if their condition declines again. Hospice is not a one-way door.
Hospice is designed for the family as well as the patient. Services include social work support, counseling, chaplain services, and guidance on caregiving. Medicare also covers bereavement counseling for family members for up to a year after the patient's death. Many teams are available by phone around the clock.
A useful starting point is asking your loved one what matters most to them, what they want their days to feel like, and what they do not want. Let their values guide the conversation about care options. If you are struggling to start, ask your loved one's doctor or a social worker to facilitate the discussion.
Ask your loved one's doctor for a palliative care referral. Most hospitals have palliative care teams, and outpatient and home-based palliative care has expanded significantly. If your loved one's doctor is not familiar with local options, an aging life care manager can help identify resources.
Related categories
Families exploring hospice and palliative care often look at these too
Find vetted Hospice & palliative care near you — free for families
Nationwide Trusted Network
4.9 Avg Rating