If you knew that a much better quality of life could be achieved for a loved one, you wouldn’t hesitate to explore that option. Yet one of the most beneficial types of care – hospice care – is one that family members shy away from, because of a number of hospice myths.
Hospice is meant to assist someone with a life-limiting illness to find respite from pain and other difficult symptoms, while receiving comfort, spiritual, and emotional support. Hospice care is available 24 hours a day, both for the individual needing care in addition to members of the family. And, for anyone covered by Medicare, hospice care is available for a very low cost or even at no charge. Many additional insurance plans cover hospice care as well.
The following are some of the top hospice myths followed by the truth you should know about hospice care:
- Hospice is just needed at the very end of life. Lots of people mistakenly believe that hospice services are for an individual\’s last couple of days, when the truth is, the sooner hospice care is started, the better. For Medicare-covered hospice services, a doctor simply has to certify that the person could pass away within 6 months. The hospice team and the doctor will continue to monitor and modify this prognosis ongoing, either discharging the person from hospice if improvement is noted, or re-certifying if life extends beyond 6 months.
- A person can no longer receive medical treatment while on hospice. Although it is true that typically aggressive treatments that will not result in a cure are stopped, the objective of hospice care is always to help a person with symptom and pain management. Treatments intended to maximize the person’s comfort are a fundamental part of hospice care.
- Hospice takes place in a facility or at a hospital. Hospice care is offered wherever the individual and loved ones wish. In-home hospice care is readily available for those who decide to remain at home for a lifetime, or perhaps in a facility setting, if preferred. Whatever the living arrangement, hospice care is brought to the person – bypassing the requirement to go out to physician\’s appointments.
Hospice care is a holistic approach to meeting the needs of the individual receiving the care, as well as his/her loved ones. Beginning care as quickly as possible allows maximum time to receive the resources, comfort, and support necessary for the most peaceful transition possible.
LightSpring Home Care can share further helpful information concerning the benefits of hospice care for your loved one. Contact us online or call us at (215) 935-6321 to schedule a free in-home consultation to discuss the options that are available to you. LightSpring Home Care, a top-ranked private duty home care agency in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, offers personalized home care services for older adults.
