Hospice

When the time for aggressive treatment to cure your illness is over, MultiCare Hospice services are there to help you live as fully and comfortably as possible, with dignity and respect. We also support your family, friends and caregivers by answering questions, discussing concerns and offering comfort.

What is Hospice?

Hospice is for individuals who are entering the last phases of any terminal illness, including cancer, AIDS, Alzheimers and related dementia illnesses, heart failure, ALS or Lou Gerhig's disease, COPD, end-stage diabetes, Parkinson's and renal failure.

Hospice care is not designed to curative treatment for your illness, but rather to provide care and support to help you manage your pain and other symptoms. The goals of hospice are to meet your comfort (physical, mental, spiritual and emotional) needs and keep you safe as possible. We are here to empower you to live out your life in the way that you choose.

How We Help

Hospice care is provided wherever you are — at home, an assisted living facility, nursing home or hospital. In addition to our program’s extensive services, we can help you locate additional resources and assist you with advanced directives.

Services we provide include:

• Assistance with personal care, such as bathing and grooming
• Bereavement support for loved ones
• Comfort therapies including massage, reiki, music, pet and aromatherapy
• Emotional and spiritual support
• Medical equipment, supplies and medications
• Pain and symptom management
• Physical, occupational and speech therapy
• Volunteers who can provide respite to caregivers or provide additional comfort and companionship to patients

Who Can Receive Hospice Care?

To be eligible for hospice services, you must meet the following criteria:

• Patient is referred to hospice by family, self or caregiver with physician agreement.
• Patient resides in the designated service area
• Patient has a primary caregiver (someone other than hospice staff)
• Patient has life expectancy of six months or less, if the disease runs its usual course
• Patient is no longer pursuing aggressive or curative treatments