Health Tip: Understanding Hospice Care

(HealthDay News) — Hospice focuses on treating the person rather than the disease, providing comfortable, compassionate and humane care for people in the last stages of a terminal illness.

While the focus may differ based in the disease and dying person’s condition, the American Cancer Society says hospices often provide:

  • Pain and symptom control.
  • Home care or patient care in a hospice facility.
  • Spiritual care, to help a person and loved ones come to terms with impending death.
  • Group meetings, to prepare family members and close friends for what will happen.
  • Bereavement care, to help family and close friends get through the grieving process.