Hospice Care

Hospice care is a specialized form of end-of-life care that prioritizes pain management, symptom control and overall well-being. Hospice care is a compassionate and supportive option for people nearing the end of their lives. 

Hospice care brings together a team of specialized experts, including doctors, nurses, social workers, spiritual advisers and trained volunteers. Because hospice is an approach to care, it is not tied to a specific place.

The University of Kansas Health System provides hospice care at:

• Assisted living facilities
• Home through home hospice services
• Nursing homes
• Our Hospice House

Home hospice services in the Kansas City metro area can be arranged by contacting our office at 913-445-3555.

Regardless of the location, our team provides expert medical care, pain management and emotional and spiritual support. We tailor our support to each person and extend that assistance to family members and caregivers so they can focus on their loved one.

The goal of hospice is to provide comfort, dignity and respect during a challenging time. At The University of Kansas Health System, our team’s mission is to meet the physical and emotional needs of the terminally ill and their families.

We partner with Aquinas Group to provide home hospice services outside of the Kansas City area.

Hospice care is a specific type of palliative care that is provided in the final weeks or months of life. Hospice care is:

• Care provided by a compassionate staff with specialized training in pain control and symptom management. 
• End-of-life comfort, not curative care. 
• Physician-directed care. 
• Care for the whole patient, not just the illness, with physical, emotional and spiritual needs included in the care plan. 
• Not about dying, but living your best life to the very end. 

Hospice care is specialized care that provides physical comfort and emotional, social and spiritual support for people nearing the end of life. Hospice is available to anyone, regardless of their diagnosis:  

• With a limited life expectancy. 
• Who is no longer seeking curative treatment. 
• With knowledge of their prognosis. 
• Who agrees to hospice care. 
• Who has a primary caregiver, such as a family member, friend or hired care provider.

Beyond the criteria above, there are some special considerations for care at Hospice House or at your home. To receive care at Hospice House you must:

• Expect short-term duration, usually less than 7 days.
• Have a terminal diagnosis and an out-of-hospital DNR.
• Meet Medicaid or insurance requirements for inpatient care.
• Require pain control or acute symptom management.

Home hospice does not require you to be homebound or have a DNR. However, you must have:

• A terminal diagnosis with 6 months or less life expectancy.
• An identified caregiver.
• A home environment conducive to home hospice care.

At the end of our lives, hospice care provides:

• An option for expert pain management and symptom control in your home when working toward a cure is no longer an option. 
• Family teaching, support and involvement. 
• Patient care by nurses and certified home health aides.
• 24-hour, on-call support from a hospice RN.
• Emotional and spiritual support for you and your family through professional counselors, social workers and trained volunteers.
• Loving support of family members during bereavement.

Additionally, Hospice House offers:

• Round-the-clock nursing services.
• Daily visits from medical director or nurse practitioner.
• Spacious patient rooms.
• Amenities for family to use, including a kitchen, laundry and shower facilities.
• Chapel and spiritual care.

We are accredited by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and The Joint Commission, and funded primarily through Medicare or Medicaid reimbursements, donations, memorials and medical insurance. Some private medical insurance providers pay for hospice services.

We continue to provide services after your loved one has passed away. You can meet with us 1-on-1 or connect with a support group.