Hospice residences provide a home-like setting, and are often physically attached to a residential care facility, hospital or other type of housing where hospice palliative care is provided on a 24-hour basis.
This is a place for people with a terminal illness in the last weeks of life, who cannot stay at home and need help with their pain and other symptoms. Nursing staff work closely with specialized hospice palliative care physicians and volunteers to provide care. Other team members such as clergy, social workers and pharmacists, provide consultation.
Brochures
Common questions
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Who do we call to ask about admission to a hospice?
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What kinds of diagnostic and treatment options are available in hospice?
Answer
Mobile lab services are available in hospice if needed. However, procedures such as intravenous medications and blood transfusions are not available but may be arranged via the ambulatory clinic or short stay on a medical unit in the local hospital.
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What is the alternative to intravenous therapy?
Answer
Intravenous therapy is not available in hospice; people requiring intravenous therapy for a purpose other than hydration will not be admitted. However, if you require hydration, fluids are given with a simple under-the-skin method called hypodermoclysis.
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What is the expected length of stay at a hospice?
Answer
Anyone in their last few weeks of life or with a life expectancy of less than three months may be admitted to hospice. Currently, the average length of stay in a Fraser Health Hospice Residence is three weeks.
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Can patients go to hospice for a period of time and then return home?
Answer
Yes. Patients who are having difficulty managing their symptoms at home may benefit from a short stay (respite) in hospice with the intention of returning home. You would still be required to meet the admission requirements.
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What is the difference between a hospice and a hospice society?
Answer
Hospice societies are charitable non-profit organizations serving the community. A hospice (called a hospice residence in Fraser Health) is a care setting for people in the last weeks of life. Hospice societies partner with Fraser Health to enhance services available to you and your family and, in some cases, are instrumental in funding and supporting hospices.
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