My Options

Any patient, regardless of illness, age or ability to pay, is eligible for hospice care if their physician estimates that have six months or less to live. Almost all Hospice families say they wish they had called the Hospice program sooner because our services enhance the overall quality of life for patients and families. 

We help patients at home, in a nursing facility, in a hospital or wherever they wish to receive care.

Anyone can make a referral to Hospice. Contact The Community Hospice directly at 518-724-0242 or 1-800-678-0711. Hospice will contact the patient’s doctor to discuss eligibility and appropriateness for Hospice care. A doctor may also contact Hospice after discussing it with the patient and their family.

Is it time to call Hospice? Consider Hospice if you answer yes to any of the following questions:

• Is treatment no longer helping or working?
• Has the patient experienced one or more life-threatening infections during the past six months?
• Have there been multiple trips to the hospital or emergency room during the past year?
• Has there been unintentional weight loss and/or decreased food intake?
• Is there difficulty swallowing?
• Has there been a continued decline in ability to function?
• Have you been told there’s no further treatment available and care will now focus on providing comfort or relieving the symptoms, as opposed to prolonging life?
• Is it becoming more and more difficult for the caregiver to take care of the patient?
• Has a medical professional given the patient a prognosis of six months or less?