Helpful guidance
A little clarity
goes a long way.
Guidance shaped by deep hospice experience, shared with clarity and compassion for every family.
22 resources across 5 categories
Hospice information
01What hospice care meansUnderstand the purpose of hospice, the people on the care team, where care happens, and what choosing comfort can mean for your family.02When it may be time for hospiceRecognize reasons to ask for a hospice conversation, understand the evaluation, and prepare questions without trying to predict a timeline yourself.03Hospice and palliative care: understanding the differenceBoth approaches support comfort and quality of life. Learn how their timing, treatment goals, and payment arrangements differ.04What to expect from hospice care at homeLearn how visits, caregiver teaching, equipment, and after-hours support fit together—and what to plan for between visits.05The four levels of hospice careUnderstand routine home care, continuous home care, inpatient respite, and general inpatient care—and why a person may move between them.06Comfort, pain relief & symptom supportLearn what to report, how a symptom plan is built, and how families can ask for help with pain, breathing discomfort, anxiety, and other concerns.07Hospice care for people living with dementiaExplore comfort-focused care in advanced dementia, ways to notice distress, and questions that help families plan around the person’s wishes.08Choosing a hospice & understanding your choicesCompare providers, ask useful questions about response times and care arrangements, and understand the choices that remain yours.
Family and caregiving
01Caring for the caregiverPractical ways to share the work, organize care, protect your own health, and ask for a break while supporting someone you love.02Caregiver support groupsFind a group that fits your situation, including local, virtual and diagnosis-specific options, and make space to attend.03Grief & bereavement supportGentle, practical guidance for grief before and after a death, finding support, and helping others without rushing their process.
Payment and insurance
01Navigating insurance & hospice coverageUnderstand the role of Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance, what to ask before enrolling, and where to find independent help with coverage decisions.02Can I pay out of pocket?Yes. Ave Maria offers self-pay care. Learn what to ask about a written estimate, included services, separate expenses, and options to check before choosing private payment.03What insurance companies does Ave Maria Hospice work with?Ave Maria works with all private insurance companies, Medicare, and Texas Medicaid. Find out why your specific plan and benefits still need to be verified before care begins.04Understanding Texas Medicaid hospice benefitsLearn how Texas Medicaid eligibility and hospice enrollment fit together, what the benefit can include, and which questions to ask about nursing-facility care and applications.05Hospice costs: medications, equipment & room and boardSeparate the hospice benefit from housing and extra caregiving costs, understand possible Medicare copayments, and learn what to ask before buying supplies or paying a bill.
Community resources
01Texas Veterans SupportWhere veterans and their families can turn for hospice benefits, free claims assistance, help at home, and planning for the future.02Finding local helpA practical starting point for finding meals, benefits, aging services and other support across the nine counties Ave Maria serves.03Support for older adultsUnderstand Area Agencies on Aging, benefits counseling, in-home support and advocacy for nursing-home and assisted-living residents.04Food, transportation & practical help in the Hill CountryLocal starting points for meals, rides and everyday support, with questions to ask about rural coverage, eligibility and scheduling.
Planning ahead
01Advance care planningA Texas guide to sharing your wishes, choosing a medical decision-maker, and understanding advance directives and out-of-hospital DNR orders.02Talking with family about hospiceGentle ways to begin a difficult conversation, include the patient’s wishes, and bring questions or disagreements to the care team.