What is hospice?
Hospice is a concept of care with the goal of symptom and pain management and providing comfort and support when a patient is faced with terminal illness. Hospice care helps maintains dignity and provides support throughout a challenging time. Most importantly, hospice care can enrich the final weeks, days and moments, and offer patients and families enhanced quality of life in the face of end-stage disease.
Who is hospice for?
Hospice is for anyone with an end-stage illness, which can include cancer patients, those with ALS or Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS, heart failure, kidney disease, stroke and other illnesses. The hospice eligibility criteria under Medicare is “a life-limiting illness with a prognosis of six months or less if the disease runs its normal course.” Our staff at Roper Hospice will be glad to assist you with determining the best option for you or your loved one as well as verify your eligibility and insurance coverage.
Roper Hospice options at Roper St. Francis Healthcare
In-home care
Roper Hospice is the outpatient arm of Roper St. Francis’ hospice services, and proudly serves patients and families in Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties, bringing hospice services to them in their home or care facility.
Inpatient care
Roper Hospice Cottage is a 20-bed inpatient hospice facility located in Mount Pleasant, that offers full hospice services in a beautiful and home-like atmosphere. The cottage is designed to accommodate patients and their families, with custom art and attractive landscaping that creates a serene setting. Roper Hospice Cottage is for patients whose symptoms can no longer be managed at home or who need intensive physician management of symptoms. All care is directed by the Hospice Medical Director.
Common diagnoses for patients who maybe be eligible for hospice care include:
- AIDS
- ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Liver Disease (end stage)
- Parkinson’s Disease (end stage)
- Pulmonary Disease (end stage)
- Renal Disease (end stage)
- Trauma/Head Injury
- Other Life-Limiting Illnesses