Hospice Care is a program of care and support for people who are terminally ill. Here are some important facts about hospice:
- Hospice helps people who are terminally ill live comfortably.
- Hospice isn’t only for people with cancer.
- The focus is on comfort, not on curing an illness.
- A specially trained team of professionals and caregivers provide care for the “whole person,” including his or her physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs.
- Services may include physical care, counseling, drugs, equipment, and supplies for the terminal illness and related condition(s).
- Care is generally provided in the home.
- Family caregivers can get support.
Respite care is the provision of short-term accommodation in a facility outside the home in which a loved one may be placed. This provides temporary relief to those who are caring for family members, who might otherwise require permanent placement in a facility outside the home.