Hospice Care
Compassion care also known as “Comfort Care”Hospice Care
Hospice Care – Care designed to give supportivecare to people in the final phase of a terminal illness and focus on comfort and quality of life, rather than cure. The goal is to enable patients to be comfortable and free of pain, so that they live each day as fully as possible. (MedicineNet’s definition)
Who Is Hospice Care For
- For those individuals who are at the final stages of their life and no other measures are wanted to sustain themselves.
- When it seems that loved one’s death is being prolonged vs. prolonging their life. Generally this is 6 months or less.
What Is Involved With Hospice Care
- Pain control and symptom management
- All care is focused on providing comfort rather than treatment and healing
- It can provide 1 or all of the following for transitioning into death with a quality of life:
- Emotional Support
- Spiritual Support
- Social Support
End of Life Care
The unfortunate reality for all of us is that at some time we must eventually say good-bye to our beloved dear friends and family as their health declines.
Hospice care choices are up to the families while specific care settings may have preferred Hospice Care agencies they use. The determination of what Hospice Care agency you and your family want to use is up to you. However, you may just utilize the organization the care setting prefers. Some families actually take the time to interview various Hospice organizations to see exactly what they offer and how they provide the end of life care.
Going Out With a Smile
Hospice care emphasizes comfort and care while often times provides pain relief. Hospice care is not a treatment regimen, it’s a service that provides compassionate comfort which can also offer opportunities for joy and happiness as they transition. It is not a treatment regimen, rather is a method of caregiving that allows for nature to take its course in a loving and comforting manner. Hospice can be provided in any setting; at home, in an Independent Living, Assisted Living or Memory Care Community as well as in an Adult Family Home.
Who is Hospice Care For?
For those individuals who are at the final stages of their life and no other measures are wanted or are able to sustain them. Sometimes it can be as simple as an individual who is suffering from dementia no longer wanting to eat, or its end of life pain management while for many others it’s can be all of the aforementioned because treatment is no longer an option because it’s invasive versus curative and helpful.
On top of the drugs and medication, a large part of relief in the final stage of life is offering emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial support. Some Hospice care even offers acupuncture for pain management and volunteers for music at bedside, even pet or other types of comfort therapy. Counseling and bereavement care are also offered to the surviving friends and family either from the Hospice care agency or other resources.
