Hospice 101

1. Palliative Care Basics
2. What is Hospice?
3. Comfort Care and Symptom Management
4. The Palliative Care Team
5. Special Topics

Palliative Care Basics

Hospice care is a form of palliative care. Hospice care is comfort care for patients in the last six months of life while traditional palliative care can be chosen at any point in the course of an illness. Find out more about the palliative care the the difference between hospice care and palliative care.

• What is Palliative Care?
• Hospice versus Palliative Care
• How to Prepare for Your Palliative Care Appointment
• Palliative Chemotherapy: 5 Questions for Your Oncologist

• Palliative Care for Children
• Palliative Care for Cancer
• Palliative Care for Severe Stroke
• Your Role as a Member of the Palliative Care Team

What is Hospice?

Hospice is a philosophy of care, focusing on comfort rather than cure. It is the most common form of palliative care available.

• What is Hospice Care?
• Levels of Hospice Care
• The Medicare Hospice Benefit
• Finding Hospice and Palliative Care
• 4 Myths about Hospice
• The Tiniest of Patients: Perinatal Hospice

• Hospice FAQ: Does Choosing Hospice Mean Giving Up Hope?
• What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Choosing Hospice?
• Heart Disease and Hospice
• Is Hospice a Place Someone Goes to Die?
• Tips for Choosing a Hospice Provider
• Am I Ready for Hospice?

Comfort Care and Symptom Management

Hospice care focuses on comfort. Comfort care is all-encompassing, treating pain and physical symptoms as well as emotional, social, and spiritual symptoms. Treating the whole person is essential to patient comfort.

• Pain Management
• Shortness of Breath
• The Death Rattle
• Anxiety
• Delrium and Restlessness
• Sundowning

• Decreased Appetite and Weight Loss
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Constipation
• Dry, Itchy Skin
• Medical Marijuana FAQ's
• The Hospice Comfort Kit

The Palliative Care Team

Palliative and hospice care are delivered by a interdisciplinary team of professionals, support staff, and volunteers. Every member of the team is vital to the success of patient care.

• Your Role as the Head of the Palliative Care Team
• The Hospice/Palliative Care Physician
• The Hospice/Palliative Care Nurse
• The Home Health Aide

• The Social Worker
• The Chaplain
• Hospice Volunteers

Special Topics

Other topics that are important to the palliative care patients and their loved ones.

• Sexual Intimacy and the Palliative Care Patient
• Overcoming Barriers to Sexual Intimacy
• Leading Causes of Death
• Killer Number One: Heart Disease
• Killer Number Two: Cancer
• Killer Number Three: Stroke

• Getting Through the Holidays
• Surviving Valentine's Day with a Broken Heart
• 10 Travel Tips for Patients
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
• Deaf People in Hospice Care