What Hospice Care Covers for Martinez Patients and Families
Hospice care is a Medicare benefit available to patients with a serious illness and a physician-certified prognosis of six months or less, when the primary goal of care shifts from curative treatment to comfort and quality of life. Under the Medicare Hospice Benefit, eligible patients receive a comprehensive range of services at no out-of-pocket cost.
Covered services include:
- Skilled nursing visits on a regularly scheduled basis, with 24/7 on-call nursing available by phone at all hours
- Physician oversight from our Medical Director throughout the full course of care
- Medications for symptom and comfort management related to the hospice diagnosis
- Medical equipment and supplies delivered directly to your door: hospital beds, oxygen, wheelchairs, commodes, and more
- Certified Nursing Aide (CNA) support for bathing, grooming, and personal care
- Medical social work services for care planning, advance directive guidance, and family support
- Spiritual and chaplaincy care for patients and families of all faiths and backgrounds
- Bereavement counseling and support for families in the months following a loved one’s passing
Medi-Cal covers the hospice benefit for eligible patients as well, and most private insurance plans include hospice coverage.
Hospice Care Comes to You in Martinez
Hospice does not require your loved one to move or leave the setting where they are most comfortable. It is a model of care that comes directly to them: at home, in their community, in the place that feels most like their own.
Grace and Glory Hospice delivers all services, support, medications, equipment, and supplies directly to:
- Private homes and family residences throughout Martinez
- Assisted living communities
- Memory care communities
- Skilled nursing and post-acute facilities
- Residential care homes and board-and-care settings
If you want to confirm that a specific address or community falls within our service area, call us, and we will verify right away.
Understanding Hospice Eligibility
Most families tell us that knowing when to call is the hardest part. There is no algorithm for this, and no bright line that suddenly appears. But there are signals worth paying attention to.
Hospice care may be appropriate when:
- A physician has certified a serious illness with a prognosis of six months or less if the illness runs its expected course
- The primary goal of care has shifted from curative treatment to managing symptoms and quality of life
- Pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, or other symptoms have become increasingly difficult to control
- Your loved one has experienced repeated hospitalizations, including through Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, without meaningful recovery between admissions
- The daily demands of caregiving have grown beyond what your family can safely sustain
You do not need a physician referral to contact us. We offer free, no-pressure evaluations to help Martinez families understand their options, with no obligation and no decision required before you are ready.
Review our full eligibility guidelines
Getting Started Is Simple
- Step 1: Reach Out Call (650) 898-5784 or contact us online at any hour. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
- Step 2: Have a Real Conversation A member of our care team listens carefully, answers your questions in plain language, and helps you understand what is available for your loved one right now. No script. No pressure. No timeline, you did not set yourself.
- Step 3: We Coordinate Everything. When hospice or palliative care is the right fit, we take care of all coordination: physician orders, equipment delivery, scheduling, and care team introductions. Your family focuses on being present. We manage the logistics.
Every decision is yours. We are here to make the path clearer.
Palliative Care in Martinez
Not every family is ready for a hospice conversation, and that is completely understandable. If your loved one is living with a serious illness and still pursuing active treatment, palliative care may be the most meaningful place to begin.
Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms, providing emotional support, and helping patients and families navigate complex medical decisions with clarity and confidence. It is available at any stage of serious illness and can be delivered alongside ongoing curative treatment. It does not require a terminal prognosis and is not the same as entering hospice.
Grace and Glory Hospice provides palliative care throughout Martinez and surrounding Contra Costa County communities for families who need expert, compassionate support now, wherever they are in the journey.
Learn more about palliative care
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does choosing hospice mean we are giving up on my loved one? No. Hospice is not about giving up. It is a deliberate choice to focus care on what matters most when curative treatment is no longer the priority.
- How often will a nurse visit? Nursing visit frequency is determined by each patient’s individual care plan and adjusted as needs change.
- Does hospice cover medications and medical equipment? For eligible Medicare and Medi-Cal patients, all medications related to the hospice diagnosis.
- What if we are not sure we are ready to make a decision? You do not have to be ready. Reaching out does not commit you to anything.
