Hospice care is offered to terminally ill patients whose doctors have given them a prognosis of six months or fewer to live due to the natural course of their illness.

Therefore, a terminally ill individual must discuss hospice care with their doctor. In cases where the patient can no longer make their own healthcare decisions, a family member or a caregiver may need to decide whether or not hospice care is appropriate.

When all medical therapy options for curing or slowing the progression of the disease have been exhausted, patients may transition to hospice care. Hospice care is compassionate end-of-life care that follows the patient’s choices. As such, it is an alternative when a terminally ill person refuses to undergo specific treatments and medical procedures.