The health care provider (physician or nurse practitioner) who diagnosed the person with a terminal illness, may often refer the patient to hospice.  The patient, a family member, caregiver, or friend,  may also call us or submit a referral form at any time.

As soon as a person finds out about a terminal condition is the best time to contact hospice. The earlier hospice can be a companion on the journey, the greater the benefits from hospice support and education will be in helping to prepare the individual and the family.

There is no cost to the client or the family. Services are supported through donations from the community, grants, and fundraising.

You will receive a call from our Program Director or Volunteer Coordinator to discuss your situation and set up an appointment for an interview to assess your needs and how we can help. This interview is usually done in the home or our office and detailed information about our hospice services is provided at that time. After the assessment, a Plan of Care will be submitted to your health care providers so we can coordinate with them for your health and safety.

Yes. If your health care provider has referred you to hospice, the connection is made. If not, we will contact whomever you choose as the primary health care provider.

No, you do not have to give up curative treatments even with a terminal illness. There are many benefits our hospice can provide to improve your quality of life during this uncertain time.

Yes, if our services are requested by the client or the family we can continue providing compassionate care.

 Our trained volunteers offer support and assistance with day to day practical tasks, errands, and emotional support for families and clients.  We do not employ certified home health aides or personal care assistants, but our staff can help you find agencies to provide those services. 

We have a limited supply of some basic medical equipment, but will assist people in obtaining most medical equipment through the Independent Living Center. If the ILC does not have the needed equipment, many families’ insurance companies will pay for the needed items when prescribed by the health care provider.

Seward Area Hospice is a non-medical hospice and does not provide medications. Many families have medications paid for by their insurance company. For families that are underinsured or without insurance we can provide assistance by discussing options they might explore that will pay for needed medications and equipment.

Our service area is from Seward to Lowell Point to mile 36 on the Seward Highway.