The Lighthouse Community Hospice

Hospice and palliative care services are an option when curative measures are no longer available or desired. 

Determining life expectancy – even during the course of a serious illness – may be difficult.  Specific medical criteria serve as a guideline, but physicians are encouraged to consider all health problems and related factors when determining a patient’s eligibility for hospice.

• Anyone who has a life-limiting illness in advanced stages and needs supportive treatment and care. This may include end-stage lung, kidney, heart or neurological disease, or cancer.
• Any person who is no longer undergoing curative treatment. Hospice care should be considered when treatment begins to shift from curative interventions to symptom management.
• Anyone with a life expectancy of six months or less. Referral early in the terminal phase enables Hospice to provide the most supportive, personal environment for the patient and family.
• A person with a primary caregiver available for the patient’s comfort and safety at home. A patient who is able to provide self-care at the time of referral may be accepted for hospice care provided that arrangements can be made for future needs
• A person whose physician approves the referral and agrees with hospice principles of care.
• The patient and family are aware of the diagnosis and accept the hospice philosophy of care.