What to Expect from Hospice

The patient and family are at the center of the hospice team. You are the experts on what you want and need; the team looks to you to share this information so they know how best to care for you.

What to Expect From a Hospice Admissions Visit

Before hospice care can begin, a VITAS admissions specialist will consult with the patient and their current physician to determine hospice eligibility.

A man sitting up in bed at home talks to his two grandchildren

What to Expect When Starting Hospice Care at Home

Review this information to learn what happens in the first few first days after a patient is enrolled in hospice care at home.

A VITAS social worker talks with a patient and one of her family members

FAQs about Coronavirus and Hospice

As the leading provider and trusted resource for end-of-life care, we take seriously our commitment to provide up-to-date, easy-to-understand information on coronavirus, its impact, and our evolving organizational response to the situation.

A healthcare professional wearing a protective mask and gloves explains medical information to a hospice patient at home

The Hospice Care Team

The hospice care team is a special group of healthcare professionals who focus on patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

A group of VITAS team members including a nurse, physician, social worker and sales representative

What is Hospice Care?

Hospice is end-of-life support for people with advanced illnesses. Learn more about how hospice care provides comfort for patients and their families.

A physician consults an iPad while talking with two other men at a table

Tips for Visiting Someone on Hospice

Hospice makes time for final words and second chances. Not only can you visit a dying friend, but both of you will be better for it. Here are some tips.

A couple talks to an older man who is lying in bed

Who Pays for Hospice?

Terminally ill patients do not usually have to pay for hospice care, and many use the Medicare Hospice Benefit. Here's what it includes and how it works.

A man seated in a wheelchair has his granddaughter in his lap while surrounded by his wife and grandson

When a Hospice Patient Stops Eating or Drinking

A dying patient’s needs for food and water are far different from those of a healthy, active person. As the end of life nears, the body gradually loses its ability to digest and process foods and liquids.

Considering Hospice Care? Download Our Free Hospice Discussion Guide For Families.

When someone is terminally ill, family members and loved ones need to communicate with each other in order to make the best end-of-life care decisions.

To help you start that conversation, we've made this guide, filled with questions, conversation topics and issues that will help your family know what to expect.

Download the Guide (PDF)

How can we help you?