Frequently Asked Questions: Hospice Care
Answers to your questions about hospice care with Harbor Hospice.
Hospice care is end-of-life care that focuses on providing the best possible quality of life for people with a terminal medical condition who have decided to stop treatment or for whom treatment is not working. It’s a philosophy of care that focuses on comfort rather than a cure, aims to enhance the quality of life physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and provides support to both the patient and those who surround them.
Our goal is to provide comfort, dignity, and support to patients nearing the end of their life so they can live as fully and comfortably as possible.
We provide hospice care wherever the patient feels most comfortable, including in the patient’s home or apartment, a residential care center, a hospital, or at our Leila & Cyrus Poppen Hospice Residence.
If your loved one has received a terminal diagnosis, please contact Harbor Hospice as soon as possible. Many people wait a long time to seek hospice care. The sooner care begins, the sooner your loved one will have access to the best quality of life at the end of their life. If you have any questions about hospice care or would like more information about the resources and support available to you, please contact us.
Our comprehensive circle of care includes a range of services including medical, physical, emotional, and spiritual support tailored to meet the needs of each person, providing medical, physical, emotional, and spiritual support.
- Visits from our medical team including physicians and nurses
- Visits by certified home health aides for practical care such as bathing and assistance with daily activities
- Pain and symptom management
- Medical equipment (including hospital beds) and supplies to help the patient live comfortably
- Social work and assistance with paperwork, locating community resources, and matters of financial concern*
- Counseling for the patient and their family
- Family education
- Spiritual care
- Grief counseling and support
We provide care to residents in our five-county region of West Michigan who have received a terminal diagnosis and when the patient has been given six months or less to live, if the condition runs its normal course. If you have any questions about hospice care or would like more information about the resources and support available to you, please contact us.
Harbor Hospice is licensed by Medicare and Medicaid, which reimburses for hospice care and is approved to participate with most other health insurance companies.
Our specially trained team and support staff provide a comprehensive circle of care tailored to meet the needs of each patient. The Harbor Hospice care team includes:
- Doctors
- Registered nurses
- Nurse practitioners
- Certified nursing aides
- Chaplains
- Social workers
- Counselors such as spiritual counselors and grief counselors
- Trained specialists who offer massage, physical, occupational, art, music, speech, and language therapies.
- Hospice-trained volunteers
