When a loved one receives hospice care at home, start by asking the hospice team which visits and services are in the care plan. Then identify the daily tasks and hours your household still needs help with. Agree on who will be there, what each helper will do, and which number to call when needs change.
Begin with the hospice team's plan
Hospice brings clinical and supportive care together. CMS describes an individualized written plan developed with the person or their representative and primary caregiver. It can include nursing, symptom-management medicines, equipment, aide services, counseling, and other support.
Ask for an explanation of the plan in everyday terms: who visits, which tasks are included, what the family is expected to do, and how to reach the team after hours. Keep its contact instructions somewhere each authorized helper can find them.
Heritage provides non-medical home care. Discuss everyday help alongside that clinical plan. Questions about symptoms, medicines, treatment, or medical equipment belong with the hospice team.
Know who to contact for each need
A request such as "we need more help" can mean several different things. Describe the specific need so it reaches the right person.
Three conversations to organize help at home
A clinical question
Symptoms, medicines, treatment, or equipment.
Contact
The hospice team
Use its care plan and contact instructions.
Help with daily life
Personal routines, companionship, or household tasks.
Discuss with
Heritage and the hospice team
Agree on tasks and avoid duplicating planned help.
A gap in the schedule
A helper is absent, or family needs time away.
Plan with
The family and care providers
Confirm coverage and a backup before relying on it.
Planning guide based on CMS hospice guidance and Heritage's personal care and companion care services. Checked October 20, 2026. Exact responsibilities depend on the agreed plans.
Write down the hours between visits
Hospice enrollment alone does not tell your family who will be present at each hour. CMS distinguishes routine home care from continuous home care, which is available during brief periods of crisis. Ask the hospice team what your loved one's current level of care means for visits and support.
On a simple daily schedule, mark confirmed hospice visits first. Add the times family or friends have agreed to help. Then circle the gaps you need to discuss. Include the time the main caregiver needs to sleep, leave for an appointment, or take a break.
For each gap, write the task as well as the time. "Tuesday afternoon: company while I attend an appointment" is more useful than "extra care." "Help with bathing, subject to the agreed plan" is a different request and should be discussed explicitly.
Ask Heritage which personal care or companion care tasks it can provide for the person's needs and address. Confirm the start date, visit length, price, and replacement process. For a transition home from a hospital, keep the discharge instructions available and use the post-hospitalization support page to prepare that separate discussion.
Make the handoff small and useful
Choose one family contact and ask the person receiving care whom they want involved. Agree with each provider on what information helpers need and how it should be shared. Keep personal and health details in the family's agreed private channel.
- Record the hospice contact instructions and the home care scheduling contact separately.
- Note the agreed daily tasks and the person's preferences for privacy, visitors, and quiet time.
- Ask how a helper should report a concern or a change in the person's routine.
- Confirm who responds if a scheduled helper cannot come.
Ask the hospice team to explain its urgent-care instructions before a difficult moment. A non-medical caregiver can pass along an observation; clinical decisions remain with the clinical team.
Confirm what is included before paying for extra help
Medicare's hospice coverage guidance says the family and hospice team develop the care plan and that hospice care for the terminal illness must be provided or arranged by the chosen hospice. Before booking separate home care, ask the team what is included, what arrangements it needs to make, and which costs would fall to the family. Obtain Heritage's current written pricing for any separately agreed visits.
For Maricopa County families who need help finding community resources, Arizona DES lists Area Agency on Aging, Region One as the local agency. Its 24-Hour Senior HELP LINE at 602-264-4357 assesses needs and connects callers with agency programs or outside resources. Ask about current eligibility and availability; a referral does not confirm care coverage.
Family questions
Before you arrange daily help
01Does hospice at home mean someone stays all day?
Ask the hospice team for its actual visit schedule and after-hours contact plan. CMS distinguishes routine home care from continuous home care during brief periods of crisis. Confirm who will be present between visits before your family relies on the arrangement.
02Can Heritage help while our loved one receives hospice?
Discuss the non-medical tasks and hours your family needs with Heritage, then coordinate them with the hospice plan. Personal care, household help, and companionship should have clear responsibilities. Ask Heritage to confirm the tasks, availability, visit minimums, and cost for your address.
03Will Medicare pay for extra home care hours?
Confirm coverage with the hospice team before arranging extra care. Medicare's hospice benefit covers services under the hospice plan; a separately arranged home care visit is not automatically covered. Ask what is included, what needs authorization, and what your family would pay.
04What should we prepare for the first care conversation?
Bring the hospice contact number, confirmed visit schedule, requested daily tasks, uncovered times, and the person's preferences. Identify a family contact and ask who handles clinical concerns, scheduling changes, and backup arrangements.
Prepare one clear request for Heritage
Bring the hospice visit schedule, the daily tasks you want help with, and the times that remain uncovered. Contact Heritage to discuss whether non-medical support fits that plan and what can be confirmed before care starts.
Sources
Checked October 20, 2026: CMS: hospice plans, services, and levels of care; Medicare: hospice coverage and arranging care; Arizona DES: county aging agencies; Region One: Senior HELP LINE. Ask the hospice team about the person's clinical plan and benefits.
Frequently asked questions
Does hospice at home mean someone stays all day?
Ask the hospice team for its actual visit schedule and after-hours contact plan. CMS distinguishes routine home care from continuous home care during brief periods of crisis. Confirm who will be present between visits before your family relies on the arrangement.
Can Heritage help while our loved one receives hospice?
Discuss the non-medical tasks and hours your family needs with Heritage, then coordinate them with the hospice plan. Personal care, household help, and companionship should have clear responsibilities. Ask Heritage to confirm the tasks, availability, visit minimums, and cost for your address.
Will Medicare pay for extra home care hours?
Confirm coverage with the hospice team before arranging extra care. Medicare's hospice benefit covers services under the hospice plan; a separately arranged home care visit is not automatically covered. Ask what is included, what needs authorization, and what your family would pay.
What should we prepare for the first care conversation?
Bring the hospice contact number, confirmed visit schedule, requested daily tasks, uncovered times, and the person's preferences. Identify a family contact and ask who handles clinical concerns, scheduling changes, and backup arrangements.
