What to Expect When You Call Hospice for the First Time
A plain-language guide for families navigating end-of-life care decisions in Benton and Yakima Counties.
For most families, calling a hospice comes after a long stretch of hard decisions — treatments, hospital stays, conversations with doctors that didn’t leave much room for hope. Other times it follows a sudden decline, and there’s barely time to catch your breath before you’re figuring out what to do next.
Either way, you’re probably not sure what happens after you pick up the phone. Here’s what you can expect.
Your first call to Heartlinks
When you contact Heartlinks, the first thing that happens is a conversation — not an intake form, not a sales pitch. A knowledgeable team member asks about your loved one’s condition, what’s changed recently, and what your family needs most right now. Calling is not a commitment to start services. It’s a way to understand your options.
Some families call with specific concerns about pain or breathing. Others aren’t sure where to start and just need someone to talk through it with. Both are fine.
How hospice eligibility works
If hospice looks like a good fit after that first conversation, a Heartlinks nurse visits within one to two days — wherever your loved one lives. They review medical history, assess current needs, and work with the attending physician to confirm eligibility. Hospice care is generally available when a doctor believes a patient may have six months or less if the illness progresses as expected.
Most families later say they wished they’d called sooner. Not because it would have changed the outcome, but because earlier hospice care tends to mean better symptom control and fewer crises — more time actually spent together, rather than managing what’s falling apart.
The hospice care team and what they provide
Hospice care through Heartlinks isn’t a single nurse on a weekly schedule. It’s a team built around both the patient and the people who love them:
- Nurses managing pain and symptoms, available 24 hours a day by phone
- Hospice aides helping with personal care and daily needs
- Social workers handling practical and emotional concerns families often don’t anticipate
- Chaplains offering spiritual support that honors each person’s beliefs and traditions
- Trained volunteers providing companionship or giving caregivers time to rest
Heartlinks also provides medications related to the hospice diagnosis and equipment like hospital beds or oxygen — delivered directly to your loved one’s home, assisted living community, or care facility. If something changes at 2 a.m., you call us.
Hospice care is not giving up
The most common reason families wait too long is that calling hospice feels like giving up. It isn’t. Hospice doesn’t hasten death — it redirects care toward what actually improves someone’s remaining time: managing symptoms well, reducing hospitalizations, and being present for what matters.
“Many families tell us they wished they had called sooner. Not because it changed the outcome, but because it changed the experience. There was more peace. More clarity. More support.”
Hospice is also not a permanent decision. If a patient’s condition stabilizes or improves, they can step off hospice and return to curative treatment at any time.
Medicare coverage for hospice care
Hospice is covered under Medicare Part A for eligible patients. Most Medicaid and private insurance plans cover it as well — including nursing visits, aide services, medications related to the terminal diagnosis, and medical equipment. The Heartlinks team can walk you through what your specific plan includes.
Did you know?
No patient is ever billed by Heartlinks for the services provided under hospice care, palliative care, or grief support. Learn more →
Bereavement support after a loved one passes
Heartlinks doesn’t stop when a loved one dies. Bereavement support — counseling, support groups, and regular check-ins — continues for more than a year. Grief doesn’t follow a schedule, and neither does our care for the families we’ve walked alongside.
If you’re wondering whether it might be time to call, that question alone is reason enough to start the conversation. The sooner a family connects with hospice support, the more that support can do.
Common Questions
Does starting hospice mean all treatment stops?
Not necessarily. Patients shift focus from curative to comfort-centered care, but medications and therapies that support quality of life often continue. The care plan is built around your loved one’s goals.
Can hospice care be reversed if a patient improves?
Yes. If a patient stabilizes or improves, they can leave hospice and return to curative treatment. It’s not a one-way decision.
How quickly does hospice care start after the first call?
A nursing visit is typically scheduled within one to two days. Once eligibility is confirmed, care can begin the same day as the admissions visit in many cases.
Heartlinks serves families throughout Benton and Yakima Counties. If you’re ready to start the conversation, we’re here.
