Learn about the pros and cons of hospice care. Seniorly can help you understand hospice care and whether it’s the right choice for your family.
Hospice care (sometimes called end-of-life care) can be an intimidating topic. For many families, even considering hospice care can introduce a lot of heavy emotions to what is often an already fraught situation. However, hospice care is a powerful tool towards improving quality of life, at the end of one’s life. Studies have shown that patients who enter hospice care during the last six months of life tend to have higher satisfaction with their care, better pain management, and reduced hospital stays, among other benefits.
Only medical professionals can tell you whether the time is right to consider hospice care; usually doctors will recommend hospice care if they feel certain an individual has six months or less left of their life. We’ll explain some of the pros and cons of hospice care; why people choose to go into hospice and why they might decide against it. You should also keep in mind that if you want to, you can leave hospice care to start pursuing curative care again.
Briefly, hospice care is a type of care offered to people who are approaching the end of their lives. It focuses on their comfort, maximizing the time they have left with family members and loved ones. It means that curative treatments for their condition are stopped (unlike palliative care, where they continue alongside prioritizing comfort) and all focus shifts to treating symptoms, minimizing pain and discomfort. Hospice care can take place in care facilities or at home. Hospice care is not just for people with a terminal illness, like cancer, but for anyone, including older people approaching the end of their lives naturally.
The disadvantages of hospice care are very situational, and are not disadvantages as much as the simple reality of reaching the end of a life. If you or your loved one decide that hospice care is right for your situation, you'll be met with an interdisciplinary team that will help you determine how they'll help your family make the most of the time you have left, prioritizing the patient's needs and offering emotional support.
There are some less tangible advantages of hospice care, too. Hospice nurses and caregivers, whether they are caring for a loved one in your own home or at a hospice facility, are experienced in topics our culture often has difficulty discussing. You may be surprised at their compassionate insights in your loved one's final days, and take comfort in their expertise. Hospice agencies and providers are also well-versed in supporting family and friends through the passing of a loved one, and will have valuable resources to offer.
Ruth Kleinpell, Eduard E. Vasilevskis, Louis Fogg, and E Wesley Ely. “Exploring the association of hospice care on patient experience and outcomes of care.” National Library of Medicine. August 16, 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27531840/.
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