Support for the hardest moments, coordinated with care.
Ohana coordinates access to palliative and end-of-life hospice care through licensed partner agencies. We help families understand their options, navigate the transition, and stay supported throughout, without adding complexity to an already difficult time.
Palliative vs. Hospice: Plain Language
Two distinct approaches to comfort-focused care, both coordinated through Ohana's licensed partner network.
Palliative Care
Palliative care is symptom-focused support that can begin at any stage of illness, alongside curative treatment. It addresses pain, fatigue, emotional distress, and quality of life concerns.
Hospice Care
Hospice care is end-of-life support for patients who have chosen comfort over curative treatment. Typically for patients with a prognosis of 6 months or less if the disease follows its natural course.
Types of hospice care
Medicare-certified hospice includes four levels of care. The appropriate level is determined by the patient's clinical needs and managed by the partner hospice agency, not by Ohana.
What Coordination Includes
Ohana guides families from the first conversation through the full transition to hospice care.
Family Consultation
Ohana speaks with the family to understand the patient's condition, goals of care, and preferences.
Hospice Agency Matching
We identify a partner hospice agency that serves the patient's location and can accommodate their care needs.
Transition Support
We help coordinate the transition: physician referral, insurance verification, and first-visit scheduling.
Ongoing Family Navigation
Ohana remains available to the family as questions arise, connecting them to the right hospice contact throughout care.
Our hospice coordination network.
Ohana partners with licensed, Medicare-certified hospice agencies serving Southern California.
Angel Pathway Hospice
A compassionate licensed hospice agency serving the Southern California region with a patient-centered approach.
Madison Hospice
A trusted hospice partner providing end-of-life comfort care for patients and families across our service area.
Partner hospice agencies are independently licensed and Medicare-certified. Clinical care decisions, staffing, and care delivery are the responsibility of the partner agency.
Hospice and palliative care services are provided by independently licensed hospice agencies within the Ohana network. Ohana is not a licensed hospice provider. All clinical care, symptom management, and end-of-life decisions are managed by the treating hospice agency and its clinicians.
Coverage: Hospice services may be covered under Medicare Part A or Medi-Cal for eligible patients. Coverage eligibility, enrollment, and benefit authorization are determined by the treating hospice agency and the patient's plan, not by Ohana. Ohana does not bill Medicare, Medi-Cal, or any insurance plan. Contact the partner hospice agency to confirm eligibility and enrollment.
Frequently asked questions
Families approaching end-of-life decisions often have the same questions. Here are the ones we hear most often about hospice and palliative coordination.
Palliative care focuses on comfort and symptom management and can begin at any point in an illness alongside curative treatment. Hospice care is a specific end-of-life benefit for patients who have chosen comfort-focused care over curative treatment, typically when a physician determines a prognosis of six months or less if the illness follows its natural course.
No. Ohana is a care coordination organization and is not a licensed hospice provider. All clinical hospice services, including nursing visits, aide support, medication management, and end-of-life care, are provided by independently licensed, Medicare-certified partner hospice agencies. Ohana's role is to help families navigate the options and facilitate the transition.
Hospice eligibility is determined by the patient's treating physician and confirmed by the hospice agency's medical director. A patient must have a terminal prognosis and choose to forgo curative treatment to qualify under Medicare's hospice benefit. Ohana does not make eligibility determinations; that is the responsibility of the patient's medical team and the partner hospice agency.
Hospice care is most commonly provided wherever the patient calls home, including private residences, assisted living communities, board and care homes, and skilled nursing facilities. Inpatient hospice care may be appropriate in specific clinical circumstances. The care setting is determined by the patient's clinical needs and the hospice agency's assessment.
Yes. Patients may revoke hospice and return to curative treatment at any time. If a patient's condition stabilizes or improves, the hospice agency will conduct a clinical reassessment. Decisions about continuing, pausing, or ending hospice enrollment are made between the patient, family, physician, and hospice agency, not Ohana.
In most cases, Ohana can identify a partner hospice agency and initiate the referral process within 24–48 hours of contact. Urgent hospital discharge situations are prioritized. Actual admission timing depends on the hospice agency's intake process and the patient's clinical readiness.
Answers are provided for general informational purposes only. Services, eligibility, availability, provider participation, authorization requirements, and coverage may vary. Ohana Senior Care Agency helps coordinate access and next steps but does not guarantee services, clinical outcomes, benefits, or payment.
We're here to help you navigate this.
Our coordination team approaches end-of-life care with the gravity and gentleness it deserves. Call us, and we'll guide you through your options, at whatever pace is right for your family.