I see so many people benefit from hospice that it's easy for me to forget what they may have had to give up. Hospice is an amazing service that provides expert pain and symptoms management, emotional and spiritual support, and assistance with physical needs among other things. But hospice isn't right for everyone who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. To really reap the benefits of hospice, a patient and their family must be ready to accept the hospice philosophy of comfort vs cure.
Are you ready for hospice? You may be ready if you've decided that:
- You want to focus on quality of life rather than only the duration of it,
- You want to stay at home and allow the hospice team to treat any symptoms or complications that arise rather than make multiple visits to the Emergency Department, and
- You want to feel supported physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
HAVING WORKED FOR SEVERAL HOSPICES, I’M NOT SURE ALL OF THE ANSWER IS ACCURATE. THERE ARE MANY INFECTIONS THAT MOST HOSPICES WILL TREAT AS THEY ARE QUALITY AS WELL AS TRUE QUANITY OF LIFE ISSUES. aLSO MANY ARE AFRAID TO GO TO HOSPICES SERVICES BECAUSE THEY WILL BE GIVING UP THE DOCTOR OR ER SERVICE. fROM EXPERIENCE WHAT MOST OFTEN HAPPENS IS THAT PROBLEMS ARE NOTICED AND TREATED SOONER AND FASTER THAN THEY WOULD OTHERWISE BE, PROVIDING A LIFE EXTENDING SERVICE.