Definition

A place that provides special care for people who are near the end of life and have stopped treatment to cure or control their disease. Hospice centers provide physical, emotional, social, and spiritual support for patients and their families. They provide care for patients whose pain and other symptoms cannot be managed safely and comfortably at home or who do not have a caregiver at home. Hospice centers may also provide respite care (short-term care for a patient so that the usual caregiver can have a break).