Why Hospice Now?
If you or a loved one is living with a disease or illness for which curative measures are not working, you may be eligible for hospice care. Enlisting the multi-disciplinary support of hospice sooner rather than later can allow you to take advantage of all the benefits hospice can offer to the client and their family.
This support includes:
- Managing difficult symptoms: Hospice caregivers are the experts at helping people nearing the end of their life live a better quality of life. A large part is understanding how to manage the pain and symptoms each disease can cause. Shortness of breath and nausea are common among hospice patients and can be distressing if left unmanaged.
- Bringing care to wherever the patient is: Home might be a variety of settings. It could be the client’s home or that of a loved one. Hospice care can also be delivered in a senior living community or nursing home.
- Caring for the spirit: The hospice team can support the emotional and spiritual needs the client and their family experience during these difficult days. Hospice chaplains, social workers and bereavement counselors are experienced at helping families acknowledge their feelings and fears and find ways to work through them.
- Coping with impending loss: Bereavement counselors can help families after the passing of their loved one, but they can also help before. Educating loved ones on what to expect and answering frequently asked end-of-life questions are two ways hospice teams can support families.
Finally, hospice isn’t intended to be only for the last few days or weeks of life. People who receive care under the Medicare hospice are entitled to at least six months of care and services. Contact us to learn more about the hospice services we offer and how they can help you and your loved ones.