Hospice care is for a terminally ill person who is expected to have six months or less to live. But hospice care can be provided for as long as the person's doctor and hospice care team certify that the condition remains life-limiting. Many people who receive hospice care have cancer, while others have heart disease, dementia, kidney failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Enrolling in hospice care early helps you live better and live longer. Hospice care decreases the burden on family, decreases the family's likelihood of having complicated grief, and prepares family members for their loved one's death.