Hospice focuses on caring, not curing and in most cases care is provided in the patient's home. Hospice care also is provided in freestanding hospice centers, hospitals, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities.

The hospice team develops a care plan that meets each patient's individual needs for pain management and symptom control.

Among its major responsibilities, the interdisciplinary hospice team:

• Manages the patient’s pain and symptoms; 
• Assists the patient with the emotional psychosocial and spiritual aspects of dying; 
• Provides needed drugs, medical supplies, and equipment; 
• Coaches the family on how to care for the patient; 
• Delivers special services like speech and physical therapy when needed; 
• Makes short-term inpatient care available when pain or symptoms become too difficult to manage at home, or the caregiver needs respite time; and 
• Provides bereavement care and counseling to surviving family and friends.