Almost everyone has heard of Hospice—but many people have an outdated perspective.
Hospice care was initially begun to assist cancer patients with a short life expectancy, generally six months or less. As medical care has improved and offered a slower decline for most medical conditions, hospice requirements have changed as well.
No longer is hospice a “last ditch effort” to make a dying person as comfortable as possible in their last moments. In fact, it’s wise to ask a doctor for a hospice referral anytime a diagnosis indicates someone can no longer get better, even if they seem to be doing well at the moment. Hospice can come to your home for an assessment and/or an information session to help you understand what they can offer.
As a hospice chaplain, I’ve witnessed the tremendous benefits a family can gain from engaging a hospice organization to care for a loved one. In one such situation, a patient slowly declined for over a year, with his wife as his primary caregiver. Not only did the patient benefit, but the hospice team’s support was invaluable to the wife during that time, as well as in the months that followed her husband’s death. I have also witnessed the anxiety of a family who finally agreed to call hospice and had our support for only a few days. Part of the reality is that it can take time for a hospice nurse to become acquainted with a new patient and to find the best blend of medicines and other care that can make that person most comfortable.
The goal of hospice care is to make the patient as comfortable as possible. This is different from a doctor who is seeking to bring healing. When you know the patient can no longer be healed, the goal becomes comfort. Medical tests and doctor visits become a thing of the past, as the hospice team—in cooperation with the family doctor—provides what is needed to make the final days, weeks, or months as pain-free and full of living as possible, given the patient’s disease progression.
Your hospice team consists primarily of four professionals. The registered nurse constantly evaluates the patient’s health concerns and provides medications and suggestions that help the patient feel as well as possible. The social worker can arrange for various resources and services needed by the patient. Aides help with practical services such as bathing and personal needs. And the chaplain addresses spiritual needs, might assist in a life review, and helps the patient “walk through the shadow of death.” Medical equipment, such as a hospital bed, oxygen concentrator, walkers or wheelchairs, can be provided. In addition to team member visits, there is a 24/7 hotline for caregivers to call with any concerns and in case of emergencies.
Some added services include hospice physicians who specialize in end-of-life care, therapists and volunteers who can provide extra encouragement, and more. Care is tailored to the needs of the family and patient; there is no one-size fits all.
How much does hospice cost? The good news – these services are completely free to you if you are on Medicare. Many insurance companies will also pay for the service if you are not on Medicare. You get all this support…for no further outlay of money. Your dying loved one can be comfortable and comforted. And you, as the caregiver, can relax a bit because you have qualified support.
Did you know there are often more than one hospice organization available to you? Lancaster, Pennsylvania has over ten hospices…and they are not all created equal. Find out from friends and reviews which one is best suited to your needs. If you find you are not getting the services you need, you are free to change your hospice, just like you can change your doctor or dentist. For instance, the number of times a nurse or aide visit can vary from hospice agency to hospice agency. And sometimes a hospice will have an in-house unit to care for patients. Hospice is a wonderful end-of-life service organization provided free by Medicare. Don’t wait too long to ask your doctor for a referral. You and your family can get wonderful support for those last months of life and make them as comfortable and meaningful as possible.
