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Complete Resource Guide
Understanding Hospice Care: Definition, Services & How We Help Your Family
If you are searching for compassionate, Medicare-covered end-of-life support in the Greater Los Angeles area, you have come to the right place. Westlake Village Hospice, INC is a licensed, Joint Commission Accredited, Medicare-certified hospice provider serving Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Los Angeles, Ventura, and Orange Counties.
What Is the Hospice Definition?
A common question from families is: what is hospice, exactly? The hospice definition — as recognized by Medicare, the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) — refers to a specialized model of care focused entirely on comfort, quality of life, and dignity for patients who have a life-limiting illness with a prognosis of six months or less, should the illness follow its natural course.
Hospice is not about giving up. It is about choosing the best possible quality of life for the time that matters most. Hospice care shifts the goal from curative treatment to comfort-focused care — managing pain, alleviating symptoms, and providing deep emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial support to both the patient and their entire family.
Hospice is covered in full by Medicare Part A (the Medicare Hospice Benefit), most Medicaid plans, and the majority of private insurance policies — meaning there is typically no out-of-pocket cost for eligible patients and families.
Is Hospice Right for My Loved One?
Hospice is appropriate when a patient's physician certifies that, if the illness runs its natural course, the prognosis is six months or less. Common diagnoses that qualify include advanced heart failure, COPD, cancer, dementia (including Alzheimer's disease), end-stage renal disease, ALS, stroke, and liver disease.
Many families reach out when they notice that their loved one has experienced multiple hospitalizations in the past six months, significant unintended weight loss, increasing difficulty performing daily activities, or when their physician says "there is nothing more we can do" from a curative standpoint.
If any of these signs sound familiar, we encourage you to call us for a free, no-obligation consultation with our admissions coordinators: (818) 791-0611. Same-day admission is available, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Hospice at Home Care — Staying Comfortable in Your Own Home
The overwhelming majority of hospice patients receive care in their own home — and that is exactly what we specialize in. Hospice at home careallows your loved one to remain in the familiar, comforting environment they know and love, surrounded by family, pets, and meaningful personal belongings, while our interdisciplinary team of professionals comes to them.
What Is a Hospice Home?
A hospice home is any place that the patient calls home — their private residence, an apartment, an assisted living facility, or a skilled nursing facility (SNF). Hospice care follows the patient, not the building. We bring the entire care team — nurses, aides, social workers, chaplains — directly to the hospice home setting.
What Is a Hospice House?
A hospice house (also called an inpatient hospice facility) is a dedicated residential facility designed to provide round-the-clock hospice care when symptoms cannot be safely managed at home. Hospice house settings are used during acute medical crises (General Inpatient level of care) or for short-term respite stays — up to 5 days — under the Medicare Hospice Benefit. Westlake Village Hospice works with contracted hospice house facilities across LA and Ventura Counties.
What Services Are Included?
- ✓ Skilled RN and LVN nursing visits
- ✓ Home health aide personal care
- ✓ All medications for the terminal diagnosis
- ✓ Medical equipment delivered to the home
- ✓ Social worker counseling & family support
- ✓ Chaplain and spiritual care
- ✓ Volunteer companionship services
- ✓ Bereavement counseling (13 months post-loss)
All of the above services are covered by Medicare at no out-of-pocket cost to the patient or family. There are no enrollment fees, no co-pays, and no billing surprises for our Medicare-enrolled patients.
Hospice Facilities Near Me — Serving Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County
When families search for "hospice facilities near me" or "hospice companies near me" in the Conejo Valley and surrounding areas, Westlake Village Hospice, INC consistently stands out as a trusted local provider. We are not a national chain — we are a locally owned, community-rooted hospice organization that serves the specific neighborhoods and families of:
How We Compare to Hospice of the Valleys and Other Providers
Families in Southern California are sometimes familiar with large regional names like Hospice of the Valleys. While many hospice organizations serve our region, Westlake Village Hospice, INC offers something distinct: a truly local team that knows your community. Our clinical staff live in the same neighborhoods as our patients. Our response times are faster. Our care coordinators are available in person — not in a call center across the country.
We hold Joint Commission Accreditation — the gold standard in healthcare quality — and we are licensed by the California Department of Public Health. Every member of our team is trained specifically in end-of-life care, palliative symptom management, and compassionate family communication.
What to Look for in Hospice Companies Near Me
Not all hospice companies are equal. When evaluating hospice companies near you, we recommend asking these questions:
- → Is the agency Medicare-certified and Joint Commission Accredited?
- → Does the agency have a 24/7 on-call nurse available — not just a voicemail?
- → What is their average response time for urgent calls?
- → Do they offer same-day admission?
- → Do they provide chaplain and social work services — not just nursing?
- → Do they have experience with your loved one's specific diagnosis?
At Westlake Village Hospice, our answer to every one of these questions is yes.
Meet Your Hospice Care Team
Hospice is a team sport. Your loved one doesn't receive care from a single person — they are supported by an entire interdisciplinary team, each member bringing unique expertise and deep compassion to their role.
Hospice Nurse (RN & LVN)
Your hospice nurse is the clinical backbone of your care team. A registered nurse (RN) oversees your care plan, manages pain and symptom control, coordinates with the hospice physician, and teaches family caregivers essential comfort care skills. Our licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) assist with wound care, medication administration, and routine clinical monitoring. Your hospice nurse is available 24 hours a day by phone — any symptom, any hour.
Hospice Physician (Hospice MD)
Our hospice MD — the Medical Director — is a board-certified physician with specialized training in palliative medicine. The hospice physician certifies patient eligibility, develops the medical plan of care, prescribes comfort medications, and consults directly with your loved one's primary care physician or specialist. At Westlake Village Hospice, our medical director is actively involved in every patient's care — not just a signature on paperwork.
Hospice Volunteer
Hospice volunteers are trained, compassionate community members who donate their time to provide companionship, light household assistance, respite breaks for family caregivers, and simply a warm, listening presence. CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) requires that at least 5% of all direct patient care hours be provided by volunteers — a testament to how central they are to the hospice model. Our volunteers undergo background checks and complete a structured training program before their first visit.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Our social workers provide emotional counseling for patients and families, assist with advance directive completion (POLST, AHCD), coordinate community resources, help with financial and insurance questions, and facilitate family meetings and difficult conversations. They are the connective tissue of the care team.
Chaplain / Spiritual Care Coordinator
Spiritual care is a core part of the hospice definition. Our chaplains are non-denominational and trained to support patients and families of any faith — or no faith at all. They address existential questions, provide prayer or meditation support, facilitate legacy projects, and support the spiritual dimensions of end-of-life that medicine alone cannot address.
Certified Home Health Aide
Home health aides assist with personal care — bathing, grooming, dressing, and repositioning — in the hospice home setting. They are skilled at delivering dignified, respectful personal care while preserving the patient's comfort and sense of self. Aide services are scheduled based on individual need and are fully covered by Medicare.
How Is Hospice Care Paid For? Understanding Medicare Coverage
One of the most important things families need to understand is that hospice care is fully covered by Medicare, Medi-Cal (California Medicaid), and most private insurance plans. The Medicare Hospice Benefit pays for all covered services with no deductibles, no co-pays, and no out-of-pocket surprise billing for enrolled patients.
Medicare Hospice Benefit — What's Covered
- ✓All skilled nursing visits (RN and LVN)
- ✓All medications related to the terminal diagnosis
- ✓All durable medical equipment: hospital bed, wheelchair, oxygen, walker
- ✓Home health aide personal care services
- ✓Social work counseling and community referrals
- ✓Chaplain and spiritual care (all faiths)
- ✓Hospice volunteer support services
- ✓Bereavement counseling for family members — up to 13 months after passing
- ✓Respite care (inpatient): up to 5 consecutive days per benefit period
- ✓Continuous Home Care during acute medical crises (8–24 hrs/day)
- ✓General Inpatient Care when home-based management is insufficient
Medicare Hospice Benefit Periods
The Medicare Hospice Benefit is organized into benefit periods. There is no total cap on how long a patient can receive hospice care, as long as they continue to meet eligibility criteria:
Careers at Westlake Village Hospice
Hospice Jobs Near Me — Join a Team That Makes a Difference
If you are searching for hospice jobs near me in the Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Los Angeles, or Ventura area, we invite you to explore a career with Westlake Village Hospice, INC. We are a growing organization that is always seeking compassionate, skilled professionals who share our commitment to providing the highest quality end-of-life care.
Hospice Nurse Jobs Near Me
We regularly seek experienced hospice nurses — both Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) — for field positions serving LA and Ventura Counties. Hospice nurse jobs at our organization offer competitive compensation, flexible scheduling, mileage reimbursement, a full benefits package, and the profound reward of making a genuine difference in family's lives during their most difficult moments.
We also seek social workers (LCSW), chaplains, home health aides, care coordinators, and hospice volunteers. Whether you are looking for a paid clinical role or a volunteer opportunity, we have a place for you on our team.
Hospice Thrift & Community Support
Many hospice organizations across California — including groups related to hospice thrift store networks — rely on community donations and volunteer efforts to help fund bereavement programs, volunteer training, and family support services beyond what Medicare covers. Westlake Village Hospice, INC proudly participates in and supports our local community through:
- → Community grief support groups open to all residents
- → Educational seminars on advance care planning and hospice
- → Free family caregiver training and workshops
- → Partnerships with local faith communities and senior centers
- → Collaboration with palliative care teams at local hospitals
The Difference Hospice Makes — By the Numbers
Ready to Talk? Our Care Coordinators Are Available Right Now.
Whether you have one question or need to start the admission process today, our team is here — no scripts, no runaround, no waiting. Just compassionate, experienced professionals who understand what your family is going through.
Westlake Village Hospice, INC · 4165 E Thousand Oaks Blvd, Suite 325D, Westlake Village, CA 91362 · Medicare-Certified · Joint Commission Accredited