Pain Control- One of the major fears of the seriously ill is the fear of pain. In hospice medication is prepared for any patient who has a problem with pain. The goal is to achieve constant control over pain, without impairing alertness.

Care at Home- Whenever possible, family or friends care for patients at home, amid familiar surroundings and loved ones. Care at home can help patients and families draw closer and enrich their lives. It can also help relatives and friends become less frightened about facing death themselves someday. Home is considered the place that the patient calls home; many times it may not be a residential house setting.

Living Life Fully- Hospice helps patients achieve physical and emotional comfort so that they can concentrate on living life as fully as possible. Patients are urged to stay active for as long as they’re able. To take part in activities they enjoy, to learn something new, to do something they’ve always wanted to do, to focus on the quality of life.

Treating Patients and Loved Ones- When someone has a terminal illness, his or her loved ones feel pain, too. For this reason, hospice treats patients and families as a unit. Hospice programs also provide relief to caregivers who may neglect their own needs.
A team provides care- It is not possible for one person to meet all of the needs of a seriously ill person. For this reason, hospice uses a team approach. This means that many people with many different skills work together for the good of the patient and the family. The team holds meetings to coordinate the care.

Family and Friends- Many times the family and friends are the caregivers and need support or instruction on caring for their loved one. Hospice will instruct and support them in learning how to give medications, help the patient to stay as mobile and active as possible, listen and respond to the patient’s needs, and to take certain steps in specific types of situations. Sharing in the care of a loved one can be hard work, but it certainly has its rewards.