Hospice offers comprehensive care that seeks to comfort rather than cure. Hospice offers compassionate care for people at the end of life and support for their families. There are more than 3000 programs across the country and over 70 in Minnesota.

Hospice are is for persons of any age with a life-limiting illness. A physician will help determine when in the illness hospice care would be helpful. Hospice care is appropriate when the following conditions are met:

• The physician thinks the patient has a life expectancy of six months or less if the disease runs its normal course
• Aggressive treatments are not working or providing relief to the patient
• The patient, family and physician agree and understand that the focus of hospice is on comfort not cure

Hospice is a philosophy of care, not a place. Most hospice patients receive care in the residence of their choice -- home, assisted living facility, adult foster residence, or nursing home.

Comfort vs. cure: Form most home health care providers the goal is to get the patient well. In hospice the focus is on comfort and support rather than cure.

Interdisciplinary team approach: All members of the care team -- physicians, nurses, social workers, clergy, aides, and volunteers work together to provide care.

Family focus: The patient and the family are considered a unit of care. The hospice team teaches the family how to be involved in their loved one's care.

Grief support: Hospice does not end when the patient dies. Rice Hospice social workers and volunteers maintain contact with the family at least thirteen months after the death of the patient.

Hospice care is appropriate when treatments are no longer effective and the focus becomes that of comfort and relief of distressing symptoms. Rice Hospice addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual concerns of the patient and family.

If the patient's condition improves, he or she can be discharged from hospice and return to aggressive treatment or resume daily life. If the patient should at a later time need to return to hospice care, Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurances will allow for additional coverage.

Anyone can refer a patient to hospie. To be admitted a patient must:

• agree to treatment aimed at comfort rather than cure
• have an incurable illness resulting in a limited life expectance as certified by a physician

Many patients, especially if they are receiving hospice care early in their illness are able to live alone. Hospice staff will visit with the patient and their family about the amount of caregiving needed and help identify available resources to ensure a safe environment.