Hospice care at home is a compassionate option designed to support individuals facing a terminal illness and their families during one of life’s most challenging times. Yet, despite its essential role, hospice care has sometimes carried an unfortunate stigma — one rooted in misunderstandings. Many people mistakenly associate hospice solely with “giving up” or “the final days,” when in fact, hospice is about improving quality of life, providing comfort, and supporting families through compassionate, skilled care.
Hospice care focuses on comfort, dignity, and emotional support for individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness, typically with a life expectancy of six months or less, if the disease follows its normal course. Unlike curative treatments, hospice aims to relieve pain, manage symptoms, and provide emotional and spiritual support. Care is patient-centered, emphasizing quality of life rather than aggressive medical intervention. Hospice care is typically provided wherever the patient calls home — whether that is a private residence, assisted living facility, or nursing home.
It’s important to distinguish hospice care from home health and home care services:
Hospice Care: Focuses on comfort and quality of life for terminally ill patients; provides medical, emotional, and spiritual support.
Home Health Care: Medical services provided at home for those recovering from surgery, injury, or illness; typically temporary and aimed at recovery or rehabilitation.
Home Care: Non-medical services such as personal care, companionship, housekeeping, and meal preparation. Home care supports everyday living but does not include medical treatment.
At Divine Home Care in Waco, we often complement hospice services by providing non-medical home care support, ensuring that clients are comfortable, safe, and cared for during this sensitive time.
A person may be eligible for hospice care if they:
Have a life-limiting illness (such as advanced cancer, congestive heart failure, or Alzheimer’s disease).
Experience frequent hospitalizations or infections.
Notice significant weight loss or a decline in functional abilities.
Choose comfort care over curative treatment.
Show progressive decline despite medical interventions.
Ultimately, a doctor or hospice provider can help determine when hospice care is appropriate.
Yes. Medicare Part A covers hospice care for eligible patients. To qualify, a physician and a hospice medical director must certify that the patient is terminally ill with a life expectancy of six months or less. Medicare covers most hospice services, including nursing care, medications related to the terminal illness, social work support, grief counseling for families, and medical equipment like hospital beds and oxygen.
Private insurance, Medicaid, and Veterans Affairs benefits often offer similar hospice coverage as well.
Here are some hospice providers that serve Waco and the surrounding Central Texas area:
Community Healthcare of Texas – Providence Hospice
Bluebonnet Health Services
Gentiva Hospice (formerly known as Kindred Hospice)
Interim Healthcare Hospice of Waco
SouthernCare Hospice Services
Families are encouraged to explore different providers to find the best match for their loved one’s needs, values, and wishes.
While hospice teams address the medical and emotional aspects of care, patients often benefit from additional non-medical support. Divine Home Care, serving Waco and surrounding areas, offers non-medical home care services such as assistance with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and companionship. Our caregivers work alongside hospice providers to ensure that each client feels dignified, supported, and surrounded by comfort every day.
Choosing hospice care at home, complemented by thoughtful home care services, empowers families to create a peaceful and loving environment for their loved ones in their final journey. Far from being a symbol of despair, hospice is truly about honoring life with dignity, compassion, and grace
Call today for a free in-home consultation to assess care needs. We provide personalized, confidential, and compassionate support—available 24/7 for your family.
