Nobody Gets Out AliveHospice
Comfort-focused care when a person is nearing the end of life, often at home.
Not medical advice. This page is general information. Laws and forms vary where you live, and so does every family. Your doctor can tell you what applies to you.
Hospice is comfort-focused care for a person who is nearing the end of life. It is often given at home, and it also supports the family. The goal is comfort and dignity rather than a cure.
In the United States, hospice is usually for people whose doctors expect them to live about six months or less if the illness runs its usual course. That is a doctor’s estimate, not a deadline, and care can continue if a person lives longer. Hospice is usually covered by insurance, including Medicare, though rules and coverage differ by country and insurer. A person can leave hospice if their situation changes.
Choosing hospice is not giving up. It is a choice about what the remaining time looks like.
Hospice is different from palliative care, which can be given at any stage of a serious illness, alongside treatment.
Questions to talk over
- Where do I want to spend the time I have?
- Who do I want around me?
Covered in Episode 1: The Conversation We Keep Avoiding.