About Hospice

Hospice is for anyone ranging in age from 2 days old to 102 years old  - with a prognosis of six months or less of life. Through the years Hospice has expanded to serve not only those with cancer but patients with many diagnoses such as End Stage Heart Disease, End Stage Lung and Liver disease, and End Stage Alzheimer’s, End Stage Renal, AIDS, and Neurological diseases. At Hospice of Central NY, in 2007, we served more than 1,000 patients in just Central New York.

Mostly, Hospice services are provided in a patient or family home allowing the patient to die surrounded by all that is loved; family, friends, favorite books, music, pets.

However, Hospice services are also available in nursing homes, hospitals and residential care facilities, such as Francis House.   Hospice services are available through Medicare, Medicaid and most commercial insurance plans. No one is ever turned away for inability to pay. A physician referral is needed but inquiries about hospice care may be made by anyone such as the patient, family or a friend.

In Hospice care, the focus turns from curative care to comfort care. Hospice professionals are known for their expertise in pain management at end of life. We believe no one should die alone or in pain.

After the death of a loved one, the remaining family members are entitled under the Hospice benefit to 13 months of Bereavement care through our Center for Living With Loss. These highly trained counselors know the challenges of shouldering grief and have the tools to lighten the load.

Finally, Hospice is about Life and not about Death!  It is about fulfilling dreams to be accomplished; saying the “I love you’s”; offering the “I’m sorry’s” and making the Hospice Days the best days of life.