November marks Home Care & Hospice Month, a time to celebrate the caregiving professionals and volunteers who work with many people around the state – and the country.

When some hear “hospice,” they often think of death. But hospice can be so much more than that. While conversations around end-of-life care can feel daunting, hospice services provide a team of people to support patients and families throughout their journeys. Many of those involved in hospice care echo a similar refrain: they want people to better understand what hospice is and how it can benefit people and their loved ones.

Compiled from conversations with medical directors, nurses, social workers, volunteers and more across different agencies, here are 10 things to know about hospice care.

■Hospice is a benefit program covered by Medicare/Medicaid that provides end-of-life care typically in patients’ homes. Hospice-related expenses, such as nursing, medicine, and equipment are covered as part of these benefits.

■People with a terminal illness and a life expectancy diagnosis of six months or less qualify for hospice care. Patient qualification for hospice occurs based on their prognosis, not the length of time they actually live. Patients who live longer than six months can still remain in hospice.

■Patients do not need a physician’s referral to connect with hospice services. Hospice agencies evaluate patients and can coordinate with their physicians.

■Hospice shifts the emphasis of treatment from curative efforts to comfort care, managing the symptoms rather than treating the illness itself. Home hospice typically supplements caregiving rather than replacing it. Nurses do not stay around the clock. Rather, members of the hospice team coordinate and visit the patient and family at various times.

■Hospice services include nursing, case management, social work, spiritual counseling, and more. Patients and their loved ones tailor care to their own needs. Volunteers are also available to help in a variety of manners, such as sitting with patients, reading to them, writing down their memories, or grocery shopping for the home.

■Hospice teams help support not only the patient but their loved ones both in the end-of-life process and afterward. Agencies offer bereavement support for typically up to 13 months following the patient’s death.

■For those with insurance that does not cover hospice or for those without insurance, some hospice agencies have community funds or services available to those needing care but without the means to pay. Hospice social workers play a large role in supporting patients of different socioeconomic statuses, including those without stable housing, and connecting them with various resources.

■Hospice professionals encourage people to take advantage of hospice care sooner rather than later. They emphasize that it can improve quality of life and ease the caregiving responsibility for loved ones. 

■Hospice houses offer an additional option for those needing a higher level of medical care but still wishing to be in a home-like setting. Some hospice houses may have additional charges for room and board.

■While hospice services are highly regulated, there are different agencies available, some with additional components of care. To locate a hospice service in New Hampshire and find the best fit, visit https://www.hospice101.com/state/new-hampshire.

Rachel Wachman can be reached at rwachman@cmonitor.com