Medicare Hospice Use Patterns Among Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Dementias Compared to Those With Other Terminal Diagnoses

This study examined how people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) use hospice compared with patients who have other terminal diagnoses, as well as how hospice characteristics shape those care patterns. The study found that ADRD was the third most common primary hospice diagnosis and frequently appeared as a secondary diagnosis, and in both cases was associated with longer hospice stays, more days of routine home care, higher rates of live discharge, and more home health aide visits. Care patterns varied by hospice type: for-profit and newer hospices were linked to longer lengths of stay, more routine home care, and more HHA visits, whereas nonprofit, older, and rural hospices provided more daily RN visits, with differences for patients with ADRD. Together, these findings suggest that people with ADRD experience a distinct hospice trajectory highlighting the need to consider how to better support this population and their caregivers.