Hospice care, explained simply
Hospice is comfort-focused medical care for people nearing the end of life — and real, practical support for the people who love them. It happens where you live, it's covered by Medicare at 100%, and it usually starts within a day of calling.
What your care team looks like
Every Engrace patient is cared for by a full interdisciplinary team, coordinated around one plan of care:
- Registered nurses visit regularly to manage pain and symptoms, adjust the care plan, and teach the family — and one is always on call, day or night.
- A hospice physician directs the medical plan, working with your own doctor if you'd like to keep them involved.
- Home health aides help with bathing, grooming, and personal care — the hands-on support families value most.
- Social workers handle the practical side: paperwork, benefits, family meetings, and planning ahead.
- Chaplains offer spiritual care on your terms, for any faith or none at all.
- Volunteers provide companionship and give family caregivers a break.
Read more about what the first 48 hours of hospice look like or how hospice manages pain.
The four levels of hospice care
Medicare defines four levels, and Engrace provides all of them. Most patients use routine home care most of the time.
Routine home care
The foundation of hospice: scheduled visits from your care team wherever you live, with 24/7 phone access to a team member between visits.
Continuous home care
Short-term, around-the-clock nursing at home during a medical crisis — the goal is comfort without a hospital trip.
General inpatient care
Short-term care in a facility when symptoms temporarily can't be managed at home, until they're settled enough to return.
Respite care
Up to five days of inpatient care for the patient so the family caregiver can rest, travel, or simply catch their breath.
Hospice is not the same as giving up
Choosing hospice means choosing how you spend the time that remains: comfortable, at home, surrounded by people you love — instead of in waiting rooms and hospital beds. Patients keep control. Care can stop any time. And families get a team that has walked this road many times and knows the way.
Wondering what it costs or who qualifies? We've written plain-language guides for each — or just call and ask a human.
Frequently asked questions
Wondering if hospice is right for your family?
One phone call answers most questions. No pressure, no obligation — just straight answers from a local team member.