When is the right time to consider hospice care?

Hospice care may be appropriate when a doctor determines that a patient has a life-limiting illness, and the focus of care shifts from curing the illness to improving comfort and quality of life. Our team can help you understand when the time may be right.

What happens if my condition changes?

If your condition improves or your care goals change, you can transition out of hospice care. Hospice is flexible and centered on your needs.

Can I still receive medical care while in hospice?

Yes. Hospice care includes medical care focused on comfort and symptom management. Your care team works with you to manage pain and other symptoms while supporting your overall well-being.

Do I need a referral for hospice care?

In many cases, a doctor’s referral is needed. Our team can help guide you through the process and coordinate with your provider.

Will insurance cover hospice care?

Many insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover hospice care. Coverage may vary, and our team can help you understand your benefits.

Hospice care | Roper St. Francis Healthcare

Why choose Roper St. Francis Healthcare?

Roper Hospice care is designed to provide you and your loved ones with physical, emotional and spiritual comfort wherever you call home, including your private residence, assisted living community or nursing facility. We're here to help bring calm, clarity and a sense of peace, so you can focus on being together. Our in-home hospice care and services are for patients and families in Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties. Our experienced nurses, spiritual care providers and other team members are ready with steady guidance, gentle reassurance and heartfelt support. We believe hospice care is about more than just managing symptoms; it’s about honoring each person’s story, values and wishes.

Care for a wide range of end stage illnesses

Hospice care is available for people facing many different serious illnesses. When the focus shifts from curing a condition to improving comfort and quality of life, our hospice team can help guide you through what comes next with care that’s centered on you.

Common diagnoses for patients who may be eligible for hospice care include:

AIDS
ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
Alzheimer’s disease
Cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Kidney disease
Liver disease
Parkinson’s disease
Pulmonary disease
Renal disease
Stroke
Trauma and head injury
Other life-limiting illnesses

Every situation is unique. Our team is here to help you understand your options and determine whether hospice care is the right next step for your family.

Our hospice care services are thoughtfully designed to support the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of each patient and family. They include:

Bereavement support
In-home hospice care tailored to individual needs
Pain and symptom management focused on comfort and quality of life
Palliative care support aligned with patient goals
Spiritual care and counseling
Volunteer hospice support

We believe compassionate end-of-life care should feel deeply personal, comforting and centered on what matters most to you. Our team takes time to truly listen, so we can create a care plan that reflects your life and honors your wishes.

Through Roper Hospice, patients receive coordinated care from a multidisciplinary team, including physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains and trained volunteers. Together, we provide care that eases discomfort, preserves dignity and respects individual beliefs and traditions.

Caring for a loved one at the end of life can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone.

We’re here to support you every step of the way through:

Bereavement support services following a loss
Education and guidance
Emotional and spiritual support
Respite care options for caregivers

Our team remains a steady, compassionate, presence helping you find comfort, clarity and moments of peace during this meaningful and difficult time.

Related services & specialties

Roper Hospice provides compassionate in-home hospice care across the Lowcountry, supporting patients and families with comfort, dignity, and faith-based care.

Home care

Personalized home care with nursing, therapy and support for healing and independence.
Palliative care

Care to improve comfort, manage symptoms and enhance quality of life during serious illnesses.
Home Health program

Get skilled nursing, therapy and recovery care at home with 24/7 support.

People also ask

Get answers to common questions about hospice care, eligibility, services, coverage, and support for patients and families.

Hospice is a concept of care with the goal of symptom and pain management and providing comfort and support when a patient is faced with terminal illness. Hospice care helps maintain dignity and provides support throughout a challenging time. Most importantly, hospice care can enrich the final weeks, days and moments, and offer patients and families enhanced quality of life in the face of end-stage disease.

Hospice is for anyone with an end-stage illness, which can include cancer patients, those with ALS or Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS, heart failure, kidney disease, stroke and other illnesses. The hospice eligibility criteria under Medicare are “a life-limiting illness with a prognosis of six months or less if the disease runs its normal course.” Our staff at Roper Hospice will be glad to assist you with determining the best option for you or your loved one, as well as verify your eligibility and insurance coverage.

Hospice care is provided wherever you call home, including your private residence, assisted living community or nursing facility. When symptoms cannot be safely or effectively managed in the home setting, short-term inpatient hospice care may be available based on the patient’s clinical needs. We also provide Inpatient Hospice care at all 4 of our acute care locations.

I was truly blessed to have my husband on Roper Hospice. Your staff treated him with dignity and the care he received was always kind. My life was made somewhat easier with the help of all the hospice associates. Thank you all, you are truly angels sent from above.

– Spouse of a Roper Hospice patient
The Roper Hospice Team was amazing, caring, kind and professional. They are so selfless with their time, we felt loved even though we were strangers. The staff is pure of heart...true angels!!! Thank you for walking my family through a very difficult time with dignity and respect. All my appreciation to Roper Hospice.

– Family member of a Roper Hospice patient
Everyone that came to see my mom from Roper Hospice was extremely nice, always cheery and very competent. They all seemed to genuinely care about her and made her feel special. I was very pleased with the care and support of Roper Hospice.

– Child of a Roper Hospice patient

Volunteer for Roper Hospice

Make a difference with Roper Hospice. Whether you support patients and families directly or help behind the scenes, your time can have a meaningful impact. All volunteers receive specialized training and can choose a schedule that fits their availability. By sharing your time and talents, you'll help provide comfort, connection and support when it's needed most.

Volunteer today

Here to guide you

We know this time can be filled with uncertainty. Whenever you need guidance, we’re here to answer your questions, offer clarity and help you feel supported every step of the way.

For information (843) 402-3260

Hospice care