Understanding Medicare’s hospice benefit

Local Matters

Understanding Medicare’s hospice benefit

Hudson Valley Hospice House in Hyde Park is the first freestanding hospice to serve Dutchess and Ulster Counties.

Provided

If you or someone in your care are approaching end of life, Medicare’s hospice benefit provides comprehensive, coordinated care for people with a life expectancy of six months or less, as certified by a doctor who can prescribe hospice services. The goal of hospice is to improve quality of life by providing support rather than curative treatment.

Hospice care under Medicare is delivered by a team that typically includes doctors, nurses, home health aides, social workers, chaplains, counselors and trained volunteers. Hospice nurses can manage symptoms and medications; aides assist with personal care such as bathing and dressing; and trained volunteers may offer companionship, run errands or provide respite for caregivers. Drugs related to the terminal illness, as well as equipment such as hospital beds, oxygen, wheelchairs and wound care, are covered at no cost by the program.

The hospice benefit is available in a patient’s home, a nursing facility, an assisted living community or an inpatient hospice center. Patients can continue receiving hospice as long as they remain eligible, and they may stop hospice care at any time if they choose to pursue curative treatment again.

The Hudson Valley Hospice in Poughkeepsie (phone: 845-485-2272) covers all of Dutchess County including the northeast corner. Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Litchfield County provides care in the Northwest Corner of Connecticut (Phone: 860-379-8561, Winsted office). In addition, your doctor or nursing facility may recommend private hospice services, which are also available at no cost.

Latest News

Mountaineers keep kicking in state tournament

Ava Segalla, Housatonic Valley Regional High School's all-time leading goal scorer, has takes a shot against Coventry in the Class S girls soccer tournament quarterfinal game Friday, Nov. 7.

Photo by Riley Klein

FALLS VILLAGE — Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s girls soccer team is headed to the semifinals of the state tournament.

The Mountaineers are the highest seeded team of the four schools remaining in the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Class S playoff bracket.

Keep ReadingShow less
Legal Notices - November 6, 2025

Legal Notice

The Planning & Zoning Commission of the Town of Salisbury will hold a Public Hearing on Special Permit Application #2025-0303 by owner Camp Sloane YMCA Inc to construct a detached apartment on a single family residential lot at 162 Indian Mountain Road, Lakeville, Map 06, Lot 01 per Section 208 of the Salisbury Zoning Regulations. The hearing will be held on Monday, November 17, 2025 at 5:45 PM. There is no physical location for this meeting. This meeting will be held virtually via Zoom where interested persons can listen to & speak on the matter. The application, agenda and meeting instructions will be listed at www.salisburyct.us/agendas/. The application materials will be listed at www.salisburyct.us/planning-zoning-meeting-documents/. Written comments may be submitted to the Land Use Office, Salisbury Town Hall, 27 Main Street, P.O. Box 548, Salisbury, CT or via email to landuse@salisburyct.us. Paper copies of the agenda, meeting instructions, and application materials may be reviewed Monday through Thursday between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:30 PM at the Land Use Office, Salisbury Town Hall, 27 Main Street, Salisbury CT.

Keep ReadingShow less
Classifieds - November 6, 2025

Help Wanted

Weatogue Stables has an opening: for a full time team member. Experienced and reliable please! Must be available weekends. Housing a possibility for the right candidate. Contact Bobbi at 860-307-8531.

Services Offered

Deluxe Professional Housecleaning: Experience the peace of a flawlessly maintained home. For premium, detail-oriented cleaning, call Dilma Kaufman at 860-491-4622. Excellent references. Discreet, meticulous, trustworthy, and reliable. 20 years of experience cleaning high-end homes.

Keep ReadingShow less