Does hospice only take care of cancer patients?
No. Patients with both cancer and non-cancer illnesses are eligible to receive hospice care. Hospice serves those who are at the end-stage (having a life expectancy of six months or less) of any disease, although many hospice patients do have cancer. As health care changes and chronic diseases increase, hospice serves a widening range of patients. Other people commonly served by hospice include those with diseases of the heart and lungs, AIDS, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and Alzheimer’s.
A. No. Hospice serves those who are at the end-stage (having a life expectancy of six months or less) of any disease, although many hospice patients do have cancer. As health care changes and chronic diseases increase, hospice serves a widening range of patients. Other people commonly served by hospice include those with diseases of the heart and lungs, AIDS, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and Alzheimer’s.
