Hospice care, which focuses on caring, not curing, is increasing in popularity for people facing a terminal illness.
About 1.5 million people die in hospice care each year.
The Hospice Foundation of America has defined hospice as a special concept of care that provides comfort and support to patients and their families when a person has a terminal illness or disease that is no longer responding to curative care and who has been given a prognosis of about six months of life.
The goal of hospice is to improve the quality of life by focusing on controlling pain and alleviating discomfort.
A team of skilled professionals and volunteers, often called the interdisciplinary team, works with the patient to address all symptoms of a disease. The care can be provided in homes, hospitals and nursing homes and other places.
For more information, visit the Hospice Foundation of America at hospicefoundation.org.