Compassionate end-of-life care that respects Jewish traditions, values, beliefs, and individual wishes.
Angel Palliative Care & Hospice, Inc. provides individualized hospice care for Jewish patients and families throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Our
NIJH accreditation reflects our commitment to culturally sensitive Jewish hospice care while honoring each family’s individual traditions, beliefs, and level of observance.
When Jewish Traditions and Personal Wishes Matter Most
End-of-life care can bring deeply personal questions about family, faith, tradition, and what matters most to the patient.
For Jewish patients and families, those considerations may include religious traditions, spiritual practices, family customs, Jewish medical ethics, Shabbat and holiday observances, mourning traditions, and individual preferences regarding end-of-life care.
At Angel Palliative Care & Hospice, Inc., we strive to understand what matters to each patient and family so that hospice care can be provided with respect, sensitivity, and compassion.
Jewish families are not all the same. Levels of observance, traditions, beliefs, and personal wishes can vary widely. Our approach is to listen first and work with each family according to their individual needs and preferences.
A Commitment to Culturally Sensitive Jewish Hospice Care
Angel Palliative Care & Hospice, Inc. is accredited by the
National Institute for Jewish Hospice (NIJH).
NIJH accreditation reflects APCH’s commitment to education and cultural awareness related to Jewish end-of-life care. Our team has received education related to areas such as Jewish medical ethics, end-of-life customs, bereavement practices, holiday observances, and culturally respectful communication.
For families, this means that Jewish traditions and values can be part of the conversation when developing and coordinating hospice care.
Learn More About Our NIJH Accreditation
Care That Makes Room for Tradition, Faith, and Family
Jewish Traditions and Values at the End of Life
Jewish traditions and values can play an important role in how patients and families approach serious illness and end-of-life care.
Our team seeks to understand each patient’s wishes and support appropriate cultural and spiritual preferences as part of the overall hospice plan of care.
Working With Rabbis and Spiritual Leaders
When requested and appropriate, the hospice team can work with rabbis, clergy, spiritual leaders, and community resources identified by the patient or family.
This collaboration can help ensure that spiritual and religious considerations are understood and respected as part of the patient’s care.
Shabbat and Jewish Holidays
Jewish holidays and Shabbat may have special meaning for patients and families.
Our team can work with patients, families, and appropriate spiritual or community contacts to understand individual preferences and consider relevant religious observances when coordinating care.
Care should always be based on the patient’s individual wishes and applicable hospice requirements.
Family Support During Serious Illness
Hospice care includes support for the people who are caring for the patient.
Families may have questions about changing care needs, communication, spiritual concerns, and how to support their loved one.
Our interdisciplinary team works with families and caregivers to provide education, emotional support, and care coordination based on the patient’s plan of care.
Bereavement, Mourning, and Remembrance
Grief can be deeply personal, and Jewish mourning traditions can vary among families and communities.
APCH provides bereavement support and seeks to understand the family’s wishes and traditions. When appropriate and requested, the team can work with family members, rabbis, clergy, and other community resources to support the family through the grieving process.
There Is No Single Way to Practice Judaism
Every Jewish patient and family is different.
Some families may observe many Jewish traditions closely, while others may follow only certain practices. Some may have established relationships with rabbis or congregations, while others may have different sources of spiritual support.
We do not assume that every Jewish patient wants the same type of care.
Instead, our team takes time to listen to the patient and family and understand their individual beliefs, values, traditions, and wishes.
Our goal is to provide hospice care that respects the person behind the diagnosis.
Jewish Hospice Care Within an Individualized Hospice Plan
Culturally sensitive care is integrated into the patient’s broader hospice plan of care.
Depending on individual needs, hospice services may include:
- RN case management
- Hospice physician and medical director oversight
- Hospice aide services
- Medical social work
- Spiritual care
- Bereavement support
- 24/7 on-call hospice support
- Medications related to the terminal diagnosis
- Hospice-related medical equipment
- Medical supplies
- Family and caregiver education
Explore Our Hospice Services
Jewish Hospice Care Wherever the Patient Calls Home
Hospice care may be provided in the setting the patient considers home, depending on individual needs and circumstances.
APCH may provide hospice services in settings such as:
- Private residences
- Assisted living communities
- RCFEs and board-and-care homes
- Skilled nursing facilities
- Other appropriate residential settings
Our team works with patients, families, caregivers, facility staff, and appropriate spiritual or community contacts to coordinate care according to the patient’s individualized plan of care.
Questions Families Often Have About Jewish Hospice Care
Does APCH provide hospice care specifically for Jewish patients?
Yes. APCH provides hospice care to patients of different backgrounds and has NIJH accreditation, reflecting its commitment to culturally sensitive Jewish end-of-life care.
Can APCH work with our rabbi?
When requested and appropriate, the hospice team can coordinate with a patient’s rabbi, clergy member, spiritual leader, or other community resource identified by the patient or family.
Will hospice care respect Shabbat and Jewish holidays?
The team can discuss the family’s individual preferences regarding Shabbat and Jewish holidays and consider those preferences when coordinating care, consistent with the patient’s plan of care and applicable hospice requirements.
Does every Jewish patient need the same type of spiritual care?
No. Jewish patients and families have different beliefs, traditions, backgrounds, and levels of observance. APCH’s approach is to understand and respect each patient’s individual wishes.
Can Jewish hospice care be provided at home?
Yes. Hospice may be provided in a private residence or other appropriate residential setting, depending on the patient’s needs and circumstances.
Can family members be involved in the hospice plan?
Yes. Families and caregivers can be involved in care discussions and supported throughout the hospice journey according to the patient’s wishes and plan of care.
Does Medicare cover hospice care for Jewish patients?
Medicare hospice coverage is based on applicable Medicare hospice requirements, not on a patient’s religion. For people who qualify for the Medicare hospice benefit, covered hospice services may include nursing, physician services, hospice aide services, social work, spiritual care, certain medications, equipment, supplies, and bereavement support.
A Conversation Can Begin With a Simple Question
If you or someone you love is considering hospice care and would like to discuss Jewish traditions, spiritual needs, or family preferences as part of the conversation, our team is here to listen.
You can contact Angel Palliative Care & Hospice, Inc. directly or ask a physician or healthcare professional to send a referral.
Phone: 650-590-2530
Email: info@apchbayarea.com
