Hospice and Palliative Care in New Jersey
Compassionate Support. Expert Care. Enhanced Quality of Life.
When you or someone you love is facing a serious illness, the right support can bring greater comfort, clarity and peace of mind. FellowshipLIFE Hospice and Palliative Care provides compassionate, person-centered care focused on dignity, symptom relief, quality of life and the goals that matter most to each individual and family.
Our team partners with patients, families, physicians and other healthcare providers to provide an extra layer of support throughout the care journey. Depending on an individual’s needs and stage of illness, palliative care can be provided alongside ongoing medical treatment, while hospice care focuses on comfort and quality of life for people nearing the end of life.
Comfort, Hope an Support for the Journey Ahead
FellowshipLIFE’s approach addresses more than a diagnosis. We consider the physical, emotional, psychosocial and spiritual needs of the whole person while honoring personal choices, values and definitions of living well.
Through collaborative care, symptom management, advance care planning and meaningful support for patients and caregivers, our goal is to help individuals live as fully and comfortably as possible and help families navigate difficult decisions with greater confidence.
What Is Palliative Care?
Palliative care, sometimes called palliative medicine or supportive care, is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness. It focuses on relieving symptoms, managing the stress of illness and improving quality of life. Palliative care can be added at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided alongside the therapies, medications and medical treatments a patient is already receiving.
FellowshipLIFE’s specialty-trained palliative care team works in partnership with the patient’s existing doctors and healthcare providers. Care is guided by the patient’s goals and may include expert symptom management, help with complex medical decisions, advance care planning, and emotional and spiritual support for both the patient and family.
Who Can Benefit from Palliative Care?
Palliative care may benefit people living with serious or progressive illnesses, including:
- Advanced cardiac disease or congestive heart failure
- Advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Chronic kidney disease
- Diabetes-related complications
- Dementia
- Cancer
- Stroke and related complications
- Parkinson’s disease and other progressive neurologic disorders
- Critical illness
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice care is specialized comfort-focused care for people nearing the end of life, typically when life expectancy is six months or less. Rather than focusing on curative treatment, hospice prioritizes comfort, dignity, symptom relief and quality of life while also supporting family members and caregivers.
FellowshipLIFE’s existing hospice program provides whole-person support designed around each patient’s changing needs. Hospice can be delivered where a person lives, including a private home, assisted living or skilled nursing setting.
Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care: What Is The Difference?
Palliative care and hospice care share an important goal: helping people experience greater comfort and quality of life. The key difference is when and how each type of care is used.
- Palliative care can begin at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided while a patient continues disease-directed or curative treatment.
- Hospice care is intended for people nearing the end of life and centers care on comfort rather than curative treatment.
- Both approaches support the whole person and can provide important guidance and support for families and caregivers.
If you are unsure which type of care is appropriate, our team can help you understand the differences and discuss the next step with your healthcare providers.
Where can I Receive Hospice or Palliative Care?
Care should meet you where you are. The new FellowshipLIFE palliative care program is designed to support people in skilled nursing, assisted living and other community living settings. FellowshipLIFE hospice care can also be provided in a person’s own home, assisted living or skilled nursing.
For families searching for hospice care at home in New Jersey or additional support within a senior living setting, our team can help explain available options and coordinate with the patient’s medical providers.
A Whole-Person Approach to Serious Illness
Depending on the individual’s needs and plan of care, FellowshipLIFE Hospice and Palliative Care focuses on:
- Relief from symptoms and the stress of serious illness
- Comfort and quality of life
- Goals-of-care conversations and support with difficult medical decisions
- Advance care planning and documentation of future healthcare preferences
- Collaboration with physicians and the existing medical team
- Emotional, psychosocial and spiritual support
- Education, guidance and support for families and caregivers
- Care aligned with the patient’s personal values, priorities and wishes
Support for Families and Caregivers
Serious illness affects the entire family. Our team provides education, guidance and emotional support to help loved ones better understand the illness, participate in informed decisions and care for themselves while caring for someone they love.
By helping patients, families and healthcare providers communicate about goals, priorities and future care preferences, FellowshipLIFE supports decisions that reflect what matters most to the patient.
Goals of Care and Advance Care Planning
Goals of care are the personal values, priorities and wishes that guide medical decisions. Our team helps patients, families and healthcare providers align treatment plans with those goals.
Advance care planning is the process of discussing and documenting future healthcare preferences. These conversations can help ensure a person’s wishes are understood, especially if there comes a time when the individual cannot speak for themselves.
Talk With FellowshipLIFE Hospice & Palliative Care
You do not have to navigate serious illness or end-of-life care alone. Whether you are exploring palliative care for added symptoms and decision-making support or considering hospice care for yourself or someone you love, FellowshipLIFE is here to help you understand your options.
Contact us to connect about FellowshipLIFE Hospice and Palliative Care.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hospice & Palliative Care:
Is palliative care the same as hospice care?
No. Palliative care can be provided at any stage of a serious illness and alongside ongoing therapies, medications and medical treatment. Hospice care is for people nearing the end of life and focuses on comfort rather than curative treatment.
Do I have to stop treatment to receive palliative care?
No. Palliative care is designed to work alongside the medical care and treatments you are already receiving. The palliative care team partners with your existing healthcare providers.
When should someone consider hospice care?
Hospice may be appropriate when a patient and physician have discussed a transition to comfort-focused care because curative treatment is no longer the goal. FellowshipLIFE encourages families to ask about hospice early enough to benefit from its support.
Can hospice care be provided at home?
Yes. Hospice is a type of care, not simply a place. FellowshipLIFE hospice services can be provided in a person’s own home as well as in assisted living or skilled nursing settings.
Does someone have to be homebound to receive hospice?
No. FellowshipLIFE’s current hospice information states that a person does not need to be homebound; the goal is to help the individual remain as independent as possible.
Can palliative care support family members and caregivers?
Yes. Palliative care includes education, guidance and emotional support for families and caregivers as they navigate serious illness and complex healthcare decisions.
Can I keep my current doctors while receiving palliative care?
Yes. Palliative care is an added layer of specialized support that works in partnership with the patient’s existing medical team.
Is palliative care covered by insurance?
The brochure states that palliative care is covered by commercial insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. Coverage and individual benefits can vary, so patients and families should confirm eligibility and coverage for their specific plan and services.