Dispelling Hospice Care Myths: Part 1

SPONSORED CONTENT

Unfortunately, there are mis-guided notions about what hospice care is. Here we seek to help you better understand hospice care and dispel some of the common myths so that you and your loved ones can make better informed decisions about end-of-life care. 

 WHAT IS HOSPICE CARE?

 Hospice care is a philosophy of comprehensive compassionate care for those in the fi nal stages of life. It includes an integrated team of physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, social workers, grief care, and spiritual care professionals, along with volunteers helping to support patients and their families.Once a person is admitted onto hospice care, the focus will be on comfort, dignity, and emotional support, treating the family as the unit of care. Quality of life for the patient is the highest priority. No one walks this journey alone. Grief care is there for the patient and family before, during, and after the loss of a loved one, providing grief counseling to children, teens, and adults, to individuals and groups. 

 COMMON MYTHS ABOUT HOSPICE

Myth: Hospice is for people who only have a few days left to live.Fact: Hospice care is available with a diagnosis of six months or less. All Medicare recipients are entitled to 180 days of hospice care, which is 100% covered. Most families wished their loved one had received hospice care much earlier in their illness giving patients time with family, friends, pets and support from the hospice interdisciplinary team.Myth: Hospice care isn’t the same level of care as the hospital.Fact: Hospice of Marion County provides the same quality care as the patient would get in a hospital, sometimes better due to understanding the special needs of hospice patients. A comprehensive hospice model, Hospice of Marion County has earned Deemed Status accreditation from the Joint Commission, the national gold standard for quality healthcare, the same governing body that gives accreditation to hospitals.Myth: Hospice is only for the elderly.Fact: Hospice care is available to anyone who meets the eligibility requirements. Hospice care is for children, teens, and adults with any terminal illness. Although end-of-life care may be di cult to discuss, it is best for family members to share their wishes long before it becomes a crisis. This can greatly reduce the patient’s and the family’s stress when the time for hospice care is needed.