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Key Takeaways

• Hospice is not about giving up, it's about choosing comfort, dignity, and maximizing quality time with loved ones.
• Hospice care is typically provided in the patient’s home or current residence, not exclusively in a facility.
• Care is comprehensive, including medical symptom management, and emotional and spiritual support for both the patient and the family.
• Hospice services are generally covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans.
• The greatest benefits of hospice care are realized when services begin earlier, not just in the final days.

When navigating serious illness, the word hospice often brings questions, but our goal is to provide clarity and peace of mind. At Centric Home Health and Hospice, we believe that understanding your options is the first step toward comfort. Our mission is to provide support, comfort, and dignity not just to the patient, but to the entire family. To help you make informed choices, we are dispelling five of the most common myths surrounding hospice care.

A hospice election is a choice to shift focus from curative measures to quality of life. It’s an embrace of living fully and comfortably, maximizing meaningful time with loved ones. It is never about giving up, it is about choosing to live the remaining time with dignity and without the stress of aggressive treatment.

Five Common Misconceptions About Hospice Care

1. Hospice means giving up hope

Hospice shifts the focus of hope from a cure to hope for quality of life, comfort, and peaceful time spent with family. Our team offers emotional and spiritual support to nourish this new focus.

2. You can only receive hospice care in a facility

For many, they experience hospice care happens right where they feel safest and most comfortable, in their home, assisted living facility, or nursing home.

3. Choosing hospice means you lose your doctor

Our team works in constant collaboration with your established primary care physician and specialists to ensure continuity and coordinate all aspects of your care plan.

4. Hospice is only for the last few days of life

Hospice can be utilized for many months. Studies consistently show that the earlier hospice care is elected, the more benefit the patient and family receive, leading to better symptom management and support in cases such as lung cancer and heart failure.

5. Hospice is expensive and not covered by insurance

For qualifying patients, Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans fully cover hospice care, including medication related to the terminal diagnosis, equipment, and services.

Take the Next Step Towards Peace of Mind with Centric

Choosing hospice is an act of love that prioritizes comfort and connection. It’s a transition guided by our comprehensive teams that support medical, emotional, spiritual, and physical needs for the patient and their entire family. Our Centric team is built on a Decade of Dedication and on the core value of Servanthood, ensuring we are focused on your needs and providing clarity during this delicate chapter.

If you have questions about eligibility, coverage, or whether hospice is the right choice for your family, contact Centric Home Health and Hospice today for an informative and compassionate conversation.

Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional medical or legal advice.