Team members available 24/7 to answer your call: 781.707.9578
Compassionate Support, Wherever You Call Home
At West River Hospice, we’re here to offer comfort, peace, and guidance when it’s needed most. Our person-centered approach is designed to enhance the quality of life for each patient, with a focus on relieving pain and easing symptoms. We work closely with your doctors, hospice physicians, and nurses to ensure that every need is met with care and compassion.
We believe that emotional and spiritual support is just as important as physical care. That’s why we provide a dedicated team of social workers, volunteers, bereavement specialists, and even Reiki practitioners to support both patients and their families through this journey.
For those living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, we offer specialized programs tailored to their unique needs, providing the extra care and attention they deserve. We’re here to walk alongside you, offering a gentle hand to guide you through each step with love and respect.
Signs and Symptoms: When to Consider Hospice Care
Hospice care is about offering comfort and dignity when a serious illness is no longer responsive to
curative treatments. It’s not about giving up—it’s about finding peace and living as fully as possible during the final chapter of life. Here are a few signs that it may be time to consider hospice care:
| An elderly man with heart failure has spent much of the past year in the hospital. Despite medication, he struggles to breathe, and his health is worsening. | A woman with Alzheimer’s who can no longer care for herself—she forgets how to dress or prepare meals, and her memory lapses put her at risk of wandering or missing medication. | A cancer patient who has lost her appetite and is rapidly losing weight. She’s too weak to eat properly, struggling to swallow even small meals. |
| A man with advanced COPD who can barely breathe even with oxygen support. Simple tasks, like walking or talking, leave him gasping for air. | After a major surgery, a woman has not communicated whether she wants to be resuscitated if her heart were to stop again. | A man with end-stage kidney disease who has been told by his doctor that dialysis is no longer an option, and his time is limited. |
Where we help.
How can we help you and your family?
Hospice
Q&As
Who qualifies for Hospice care?
Hospice care is intended for people who have an illness or condition that has a life expectancy of six months or less and have made the choice to receive comfort care rather than curative treatments.
What services does Hospice care provide?
Every service that Hospice provides is intended to enhance the patient’s quality of life by managing their symptoms and easing pain, while honoring their end-of-life choices. To do that, we provide:
- Physician-directed services
- Specialized nursing care
- Personal care services provided by home health aides
- Medical social worker services
- Emotional and spiritual counseling
- Specialized programming
- Bereavement services and counseling
- Palliative Care
How is Hospice care paid for?
Hospice is a fully covered benefit under Medicare/Medicaid and many health insurance plans. There are no limits on how long the services can be provided as long as the patient continues to meet eligibility. Any medications, equipment or supplies related to the hospice diagnosis are covered. Click here to learn more.