Hospice Care

Hospice is a specialized type of care that helps you or your loved one maintain the highest quality of life possible while receiving comfort for symptoms related to terminal conditions. Hospice care does not quicken death; it eases one of the most challenging transitions people and families go through.

A physician will determine whether you or your family member meets specific eligibility criteria. Typically, a physician will recommend hospice care when an illness no longer responds to cure-focused treatment or when life expectancy is six months or less.

When you choose Beth Israel Lahey Health At Home hospice services, you choose exceptional care delivered with compassion by a team dedicated to the comfort and well-being of you or your loved one.

Our program performs above state and national rankings in a number of areas:

• Helping with pain and symptom relief
• Providing timely help to our patients
• Training family members how to care for their loved one
• Treating our patients with respect

Your Hospice Team

Hospice care teams are made up of dedicated and experience professionals:

• Your primary care physician
• The Hospice medical director
• A hospice physician or nurse practitioner
• A registered nurse case manager
• Certified hospice aides trained to assist patients with daily activities
• Social workers to provide emotional support and help coordinate care and services
• Spiritual counselors, such as a chaplain, to provide support around faith, fear and loss
• Hospice-trained volunteers who offer comfort and support 
• Bereavement counselors, including resources for grief counseling and healing up to 13 months after a patient’s passing

You may also receive care from physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists.

When you or your loved one begins hospice services:

• A registered nurse will discuss your wishes, assess your needs, recommend necessary services and equipment and make arrangements to acquire them.
• Nurses are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• You’ll receive regular visits from our care team based on your needs; however, our services do not include 24/7 in-home care.

Many patients prefer being at home during their final days. We seek to make those days as comfortable as possible while providing physical, emotional and spiritual support.

For those who require more care than can be provided at home — or when living at home is not an option — our hospice residence, the Sawtelle Family Hospice House, allows care around the clock in a comfortable, home-like setting.

Hospice care and palliative care are similar, but there are key differences between the two. Hospice care is reserved for people whose conditions are terminal. It includes end-of-life support, and it’s usually encouraged when an illness stops responding to cure-focused treatment or when life expectancy reaches six months or less.

Like hospice care, palliative care supports patients by relieving the physical and emotional symptoms that accompany serious illness, but the condition is not always terminal.

We encourage patients and their families to consider end-of-life care planning in advance, when possible. This planning includes:

• Choosing a health care proxy.
• Writing an advance directive.

Get more details on advance care planning.

Typically, Medicare, Medicaid and many private insurance companies cover hospice care. Speak with your insurance carrier about specific financial coverage under your health plan.

Our intake specialist can help you navigate and work with our billing specialist and your insurance company regarding coverage.