If your loved one has late-stage cancer, you know how hard it can be — for them and for you. At VNS Health, our hospice team supports people with cancer and their families. We help manage symptoms, reduce hospital visits, and bring peace of mind.
Our hospice care services are available in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island.
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice care helps people feel better when they are very sick. It does not try to cure the illness. Instead, it focuses on comfort and quality of life.
Hospice care gives:
- Medical care
- Emotional support
- Spiritual care
It also helps caregivers by answering questions, offering support, and easing the stress of care.
Starting hospice care as early as possible helps your loved one feel safe, cared for, and at peace. And VNS Health can help them stay at home, where they feel most comfortable.
Benefits of Hospice Care for People with Cancer
When you choose to end aggressive treatment and manage symptoms at home, you remove the stress of hospital stays. That means you and your loved ones can make the most of your time together.
Hospice Helps with Physical Symptoms
Cancer can cause many symptoms. These may change quickly and be hard to manage. Hospice care helps by:
- Easing pain, tiredness, nausea, and trouble breathing
- Helping with sleep and appetite problems
- Supporting emotional concerns like fear, sadness, or anxiety
- Reducing hospital visits
Hospice Provides Emotional Benefits
Living with cancer can bring many emotions. You may feel scared, worried, or unsure about what comes next. That’s normal.
Hospice care from VNS Health helps your loved one:
- Find peace through faith or personal beliefs
- Spend more time with family and friends
- Heal or strengthen relationships
- Reflect on their life
Hospice Helps Caregivers, Too
VNS Health has a round-the-clock caregiver helpline, so you have 24/7 access to a hospice nurse. Hospice care also helps caregivers by:
- Giving emotional support
- Answering questions
- Helping with planning and daily care
When Should Someone with Cancer Start Hospice?
Many people think hospice care is only for the last few days of life. But hospice care can start much earlier — often months before the end of life.
A person with cancer may be ready for hospice if:
- Pain or symptoms increase or are hard to manage
- Treatments are no longer helping
- They spend more time in the hospital
- They feel very tired most of the time
- They are worried about their family’s future
It’s okay to ask about hospice care early. Talking about care needs can feel scary, but it helps you and your loved one plan ahead and get the right support.
Starting hospice care early can ease symptoms, reduce hospital visits, and give you more time together.
What You Can Expect from VNS Health Hospice Care
If your loved one has cancer, hospice care can help them feel better and live with dignity.
People with end-stage cancer receive:
- Home visits from nurses, social workers, and other experts as needed
- Help with pain and symptom relief
- Medical tools like a hospital bed or wheelchair
- Help with bathing, eating, and other daily tasks
- Emotional and spiritual support
- Care that fits their needs and values
For their caregivers, we provide:
- Training and support for daily care
- Help with planning and decision-making
- 24/7 access to a hospice nurse
- Support for grief and loss
- Help with emotional and spiritual needs and family concerns
- Respite care so you can rest or attend important events
Does Insurance Cover Hospice Care?
Yes. Hospice care is covered by:
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- The Department of Veterans Affairs
- Most private insurance plans
Related Services
Emotional Support & Spiritual Care
Emotional support and spiritual care for hospice patients and their families and caregivers.