A hospice care team is a multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals dedicated to providing compassionate, comprehensive care to individuals nearing the end of life. This team typically includes physicians who oversee medical care and manage symptoms, nurses who provide direct patient care and educate families on how to care for their loved ones, social workers who offer emotional support and help navigate end-of-life planning, and spiritual counselors who address spiritual or religious needs and concerns. Additionally, hospice care often incorporates the expertise of physical, occupational, and speech therapists to enhance comfort and quality of life, along with trained volunteers who offer companionship, respite for caregivers, and practical support for families. This collaborative approach ensures that all aspects of a patient's physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being are addressed, offering a support system not only to the patient but also to their loved ones during this challenging time.

Hospice services are designed to be flexible and accessible, offering care in a variety of settings to best meet the needs of the patient and their family. Most commonly, hospice care is provided in the patient's home, allowing individuals to remain in a familiar and comfortable environment surrounded by loved ones. However, hospice services can also be delivered in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospice centers, and hospitals. This adaptability ensures that regardless of where a patient resides, they can receive the compassionate care and support they need during the end stages of life. The goal is to ensure that patients are comfortable, pain is managed, and emotional and spiritual support is provided, no matter the setting. This approach allows hospice care to be a supportive and flexible resource for families facing the challenges of end-of-life care.

Eligibility for hospice care is typically determined by a physician's certification that an individual is facing a life-limiting illness, with a prognosis of six months or less if the disease follows its expected course. This assessment is based on specific medical criteria related to the patient's primary diagnosis. Hospice care is appropriate for patients of any age who have made a decision to focus on comfort care rather than curative treatments, and it can be accessed for a wide range of terminal conditions including, but not limited to, cancer, advanced heart disease, lung disease, kidney failure, and neurodegenerative diseases like advanced Alzheimer's or ALS. The evaluation process involves a comprehensive review of the patient's medical history, current physical symptoms, and overall health status to ensure that hospice care aligns with their needs and wishes. Once eligible, patients can receive the full spectrum of hospice services, designed to support both them and their families through the end-of-life journey.