Hospice services use a team approach of physicians, nurses, social workers, home health aides, volunteers, chaplains, family members and others. Hospice strives to provide quality medical care, pain and symptom management, and emotional and spiritual support tailored to help ensure a higher quality of life. Nursing visits are made on a regular schedule and an on-call 24-hour basis as needed. In addition to quality care, hospice provides, at no additional cost, medications related to your illness, durable medical equipment, such as walkers and wheelchairs, and bereavement counseling. Patients in a nursing home or assisted living center, may be eligible to take advantage of these hospice services, thus reducing out-of-pocket costs for medication and equipment.