Hospice Care

By Jan Shapan :

There will likely come a time in your life that either yourself or a loved one will be forced to deal with a terminal illness. The first response, of course, is to fight it and try to fix the problem. And we should pursue all avenues of healing. However, intuitively there comes a time when the quality of life becomes more important than the quantity.

You doctor may recommend hospice care. For many people, hospice care is a new term and not fully understood. That is why it is useful to gain some insight now about hospice care and how it may be used.

WHAT IS HOSPICE CARE VIDEO

Hospice Defined…

Most medical professionals recommend hospice care when treatments are no longer working for a terminally ill patient and the patient is nearing the end of their life. The objective of hospice care is to manage two “end of life” fears that virtually all people have: fear of pain and fear of being alone.

Hospice care shifts from seeking a cure or treating the disease to delivering the highest level of care and service for the time that remains. The needs of the individual are the priority not fighting the disease.

People receiving hospice care may have a terminal cancer which is common but hospice care is available for any other illness that is deemed to be terminal including dementia, heart problems, COPD etc.

Typically a referral to hospice care occurs when life expectancy is six months or less according to guidelines established by Medicare as well as most other private insurance providers.

Past hospice experience suggests that waiting too long and then rushing a loved one into hospice care is often traumatic and creates more fear than comfort. The goal is to provide a nurturing care filled environment that delivers peace, comfort from pain and low stress in the last days of life. Therefore, it is often better to decide sooner than later.

RECOMMENDED READING – BOOKS ON HOSPICE CARE

Coming Home…

When a decision for hospice care is made, the loved one is typically moved back home to spend their final days in familiar and safe surroundings. If this is not workable, a homelike alternative is identified. This may be at a local nursing home or assisted living community that is set up for hospice services.

During normal hospice care routines, there may be conditions or symptoms arise that are not manageable with hospice personnel. In these situations a person may be temporarily admitted to the hospital for care. In addition, a loved one under hospice care may be admitted to the hospital for up to a five day stay as relief for caregivers. This is known as respite care.

Finally, if a love one prefers to spend their final hours in a hospital, this is permitted to deliver the highest level of comfort.

What Services Does Hospice Offer?

Services offered through hospice care are typically dictated by the type of disease and program selected by the family. Services often include:

• Directed care by a doctor with hospice training in end of life issues;
• 24/7 on call support from hospice trained nurses;
• Assistance with daily needs;
• Visits from spiritual advisors, if requested;
• Counseling for the loved one and family members;
• Support from social services;
• Respite care if needed;
• Required medical equipment and supplies to deliver care;
• Medications to control pain and disease symptoms;
• Counsel and support following death;
• Access to support therapies such as physical, speech, dietary etc.

Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance carriers may be used to pay for hospice care services. Contact your provider to determine specific coverage offered and options.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization is a good source for more information on hospice care. Go to: http://www.nhpco.org/templates/1/homepage.cfm. Also, your state may have a statewide hospice organization.

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Janet Shapan, has been a publisher, writer and media designer in the special interest magazine and TV production business for over 25 years. A Boomer, her passion is identifying and sharing current innovations in health, wellness and other lifestyle categories of interest to Seniors. For more information on Senior Living, visit: http://For-Seniors.org or http://LivingSenior.org