Hospice care is designed to provide comfort for people who have a terminal illness. Hospice care can be provided in the patient’s home or in an assisted living facility.
Hospice care is not a place, it’s a philosophy
Let’s first get this out of the way: hospice care is not a place. It’s not a hospital or other facility where you go to receive medical treatment, nor is it some alternate dimension from which you return after death. Hospice care is a philosophy of care that can be provided in your own home or at another location within your community.
Hospice care focuses on providing comfort through specialized services for terminally ill patients and their families before, during and after death. The goal of hospice providers is for patients to live as fully as possible with their diseases until they pass on naturally—without suffering from pain or distress.
Hospice care is designed to provide comfort
Hospice care focuses on quality of life, not quantity. Although hospice care can be beneficial in the final stages of a terminal illness, it’s important to note that the philosophy behind hospice is not only applicable when someone has only days or weeks left to live. Instead, the focus is on helping patients live their remaining days in comfort and peace while they pursue their own goals and priorities.
Hospice isn’t just for end-of-life situations either; many patients begin considering hospice earlier than expected—sometimes even years before their death occurs! In fact, according to AARP Foundation’s survey data from 2018 about Medicare beneficiaries using Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage at home, more than half (55%) had used more than one pharmacy during this period of time due to an inability to pay for medications.
The hospice team includes doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains and trained volunteers
The hospice team includes doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains and trained volunteers who are there to provide emotional support for the patient and family members. In some cases, the family may need more help than they can get from their own community. This is where a hospice volunteer comes in handy: they’re people who have been through what you’re dealing with right now and want to help others going through it as well.
Anyone can call for a referral, but the patient must agree to start hospice
Anyone can call for a referral, but the patient must agree to start hospice. The patient must be terminally ill, meaning they are likely to live for six months or less; however, this does not necessarily mean that their life is over yet. The patient must also be able to communicate their wishes and understand what hospice entails. Some patients may need family members’ help in making this decision if they do not have anyone else who can advocate for them or make medical decisions on their behalf.
Conclusion
In-home hospice care is a compassionate and effective way to give comfort to patients who are approaching the end of their lives. It’s important that you know what to look for if you’re considering this type of care for yourself or someone else.
If you’re looking to learn more about in-home hospice care or palliative care, then feel free to contact Health Star Home Health, the best in-home hospice care team in Duluth MN, today.