Thursday, May 5, 2016

Hospice part two

My last post I discussed my interaction with Hospice.
With this post I will just discuss questions and then myths and facts about Hospice that I learned through my experience.

What does hospice really do?
How do I know when it’s time for end-of-life care?
When should hospice be called?
Where is hospice care provided?
Are all hospices the same?
Can my pain and symptoms be controlled at home?
Does Hospice provide 24-hour in-home care?
Can I live alone and still receive Hospice services?
Can a hospice patient choose to return to curative treatment?
Can I go back to the hospital and still receive hospice care?
Is the decision for hospice care giving up hope or waiting to die?
Does hospice do anything to bring death sooner?
Do I have to be homebound to receive hospice services?
Does hospice provide support to the family after the patient dies?
These are all common questions about Hospice. 

What does hospice really do?
Hospice provides specialized care services (patient care including symptom management, emotional support, spiritual support and psychosocial intervention), addressing issues most important to the patient’s needs and wants at the end of their life focusing on improving the individual’s quality of life.

When should hospice be called?
Hospice should be called at any time the patient has been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. It is appropriate to discuss all of the patient’s care options, including hospice.

Is the decision for hospice care giving up hope or waiting to die?
No. Hospice is about living. Hospice strives to bring quality of life and comfort to each patient and their family. Our successes are in helping a patient and family live fully until the end. Often patients will feel better with good pain and symptom management. Hospice is an experience of care and support, different from any other type of care.

Myth: Hospice care is only for cancer patients
Truth: Hospice care is for all patients with a terminal illness with a prognosis of 6 months or less including but not limited to: Alzheimer’s, cardiac disease, ALS, stroke, liver disease.

Myth: Hospice is just for the elderly
Truth: Hospice is for all age groups during their final stages of life, including children and adults of all age groups.

Myth: Hospice is just for the patient
Truth: Meeting the needs of the patient and family is a top priority. The family unit is at the center of all decision making. Hospice recognizes that it takes many caregivers to meet the unique needs of each patient.


These are just some of the things that I learned with my experience with Hospice 

1 comment: