November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and this year’s theme is Know Your Options.

Katie McIntyre with HCI Hospice Care Services says awareness about hospice care and the benefits continues to increase but unlike what many still think, it’s not just about dying.

“Hospice care is about comfort care.  It’s about making the most of the time left and doing so fully, comfortably and without suffering or pain.”

Hospice care is covered by many insurance providers and typically goes into effect when a patient is given a six month or less to live diagnosis.  However, McIntyre says that’s not a definitive number, it’s the physician’s best guess.  In fact, she says many people graduate out of hospice care because they improved more than expected.

For more on hospice care, tune into tomorrow’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County on K107.9.