Hospice is a special way of caring for a person who's disease cannot be cured. The emphasis is on care, and on helping the patient make the most of each hour and day of remaining life by providing many benefits that aren't possible in a traditional healthcare setting.

Terminal illness is a difficult time for the patient and family. The primary concern of hospice is to minimize the difficulties that normally occur, including pain and discomfort, fear and loneliness, concern about family and friends, and anxiety about what lies ahead.

Hospice strives to meet all of the patient's needs-the physical, emotional, social and spiritual, as well as the needs of the family. Some of the unique benefits hospice provides are listed below.

Family and Friends Are Central

Through hospice, the family is directly involved in making decisions and in helping the person they love. Hospice serves the family as a unit and is sensitive to any special needs.

In our hospice program, family and friends usually care for patients at home, amid familiar surrounding and loved ones. Care at home can help patients and families draw closer and enrich their lives. It can also help relatives and friends become less frightened about death.

The Terminally Ill Patient has Choices

Hospice enables people with terminal illnesses to make decisions about how and where they want to spend the rest of their lives. It can also help them make choices about future directives.

Control Over Pain

One of the major fears of the seriously ill is the fear of pain. In hospice, the goal is to achieve control over pain, without impairing alertness.

Continued Activity

Hospice helps patients continue their chosen activities for as long as they are able - for example, to do things they enjoy of do something they've always wanted to do.

Attention to Caregivers

When someone has a terminal illness, his or her loved ones feel pain, too. Hospice programs also provide relief to caregivers who might neglect their own needs.