FAQ's

Hospice care is for those who are facing terminal illness. Patients are referred to hospice who have a prognosis of 6 months or less if the disease was to naturally take its course. Hospice is patient and family centered care and focused on quality of life. Hospice of the North Coast provides care wherever you or your loved one calls home.

No. Training, accreditation, certification, standards, and availability of volunteers and complementary therapies can vary widely. All nurses at Hospice of the North Coast are hospice certified. When considering hospice care, ask questions, review literature, resources and the experience and reputation of the hospice providers available.

HNC is a local non-profit hospice organization accredited by The Joint Commission. Because we have a well-defined service area, our response time is one hour for current patients and two hours for new referrals. We have registered nurses on call 24/7. Our low staff-to-patient ratio ensures warm, personal care that is customized to patient and family wishes with a focus on pain and symptom relief. Hospice medications and medical equipment are delivered directly to the patient’s home. HNC’s Pacifica House is North County’s first and only hospice house. Pacifica House provides acute symptom management in a comfortable, welcoming environment with round-the-clock registered hospice nurses. Special therapies offered include: massage, music therapy, pet therapy, reiki and aroma therapy.

No. Hospice is patient-centered care that emphasizes comfort, peace and quality of life. Hospice care is built on the belief that every day of life matters. Hospice care helps patients facing a life-limiting illness live his/her remaining days with comfort and dignity.

Palliative care physicians are specially trained in comfort care. They work with patients and the patients’ doctors to guide the plan of care. The palliative physician will also make home visits which most physicians do not. A nurse practitioner is available to visit in the patient’s home to provide a baseline assessment. Patients as well as family caregivers are the focus of the palliative care team. Palliative Care teams operate within hospitals or healthcare systems; some deliver care from a clinic or a doctor’s office. Palliative care is provided on an as-needed basis.