It sounds like a terrible situation.

It also sounds like your friend was pretty far down the line by the time they figured it out (some cancers are slow, some are extremely aggressive - that's just the way it is, sometimes).

As far as hospice itself, I first suspect it varies state by state. So my hospice in my state (NH) is likely different (good or bad) from your hospice in your state.

That said, hospice is not "curative", it's "palliative". It's expected you will die within the next 6 to 12 months. They don't really try to fix things, just make everything more comfortable. So yeah, it's visitation, and also a nice little packet of at-the-end drugs.

FYI, upon joining, I've had visits from nurses (we decided on two days a week), a social worker (once a week for a few weeks to start), a PT to make sure I was safe (I am) and a volunteer "friend" who is actually pretty smart, so I don't mind seeing again. Also, we've had deliveries of oxygenators, oxygen tanks, shower chairs (not needed yet), a cane (probably, sometimes), even an offer of a hospital bed (we're not that far yet, thank goodness) and also offers for more extensive care if I simply can't take care of my basic needs myself.

- Tab