Hospice care is a specific method of care that is required to provide physical and emotional support to people whose illnesses are confirmed as incurable and who are living their final days of life. In this care, the person with terminal illness gets comfort, respect, and emotional support as well. You might have heard the name of Hospice care, but not about what exactly it is and what’s included in it.
If you are someone having a family member who requires hospice care, and you took responsibility for providing it on your own, this blog post will help you learn important elements of hospice care in order to make the right decisions and stay peaceful during the whole period.
What is Hospice Care?
It’s a specific kind of healthcare for people dying or near death. It is focused on providing calm management of pain and symptoms of the particular disease, along with maintaining that person's mental and emotional well-being. It’s quite different from other traditional healthcare methods that are designed to provide illness treatment for recovery, like “Palliative Care” and “Curative Care.”
Although it is meant to be provided at home, nowadays, there are many hospitals and nursing homes that offer hospice care in a very professional way. It depends on the patient’s condition and the family’s choice whether they want to provide it at home or in a professional hospice care center.
Who Requires Hospice Care?
Hospice care is made for people with life-limiting or terminal illnesses, typically who are being told to live for six months or less. People who can benefit from this care can be patients with advanced cancer, heart disease, last-phase neurological disorders and other similar-level diseases.
Remember, hospice care is not just for the patient, it can also be used as mental support for family members and caregivers.
What to Expect and What Not from Hospice Care?
Hospice care is designed to provide emotional and physical comfort to people with life-ending illnesses. Here, we have discussed what’s included and not included in this care method:
Included:
- Pain and symptom management.
- Spiritual and emotional support.
- Nursing care.
- Home health aides.
- Medical equipment and supplies.
Not included:
- Curative treatments
- Emergency room visits
- Rehabilitation
- Room and board.
Important to note:
If you're planning to get hospice care from a professional service provider, above provided information is not written in stone. These services can vary depending on the service provider as well as on the patient's particular needs.
So, don't forget to discuss with the hospice care provider in detail to get to know what's included in their offerings and what's not.
Learn From Others’ Experiences
Deciding to take this responsibility on your own is not that easy. But with the proper guidance, you can make all the difference. Leslie Vick’s book “Finding Our Way” offers priceless, self-experienced insights for caregivers and families, in which the author provides practical tips to get this challenge win.
Get Your Copy of Finding Our Way
This book is a must-read if you’re caring for a loved one. This compassionate guidebook offers the wisdom you might need in difficult times. Click the below-provided book title to get your copy!